For Release: IMMEDIATE
Date: January 3, 2006

Grants to NC agencies that help homeless total $16.3 million

RALEIGH – North Carolina agencies serving homeless people are slated to receive $16.3 million in federal Continuum of Care Competitive Homeless Assistance Awards and Emergency Shelter Grants for 2006.

The funds, awarded at the end of 2005, will help support emergency shelters and transitional housing projects, said Linda Povlich, chairman of the North Carolina Interagency Coordinating Council on Homeless Programs. The ICCHP focused its resources over the past year to help agencies serving the homeless to complete the competitive grant applications.

“These funds will go a long way toward helping us to end chronic homelessness,” Povlich said. “We’re pleased to have received these funds. They are critical toward helping our communities address the needs of homeless people and homeless families.”

North Carolina’s share of the $1.18 billion in U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development 2006 Continuum of Care competitive grants is $13.1 million. Those funds are used to support the housing and services needs of the homeless. In addition, HUD awarded $160 million in Emergency Shelter Grant funds, of which North Carolina will receive $3.2 million.

In North Carolina more than 11,000 people – including 2,300 children – were identified as homeless on Jan. 26, 2005, during a one-day, point-in-time survey of homelessness in the state. In addition, shelters funded through the Emergency Shelter Grant program provided services to more than 45,000 people in the previous year.

Link for detailed grant information:
Continuum of Care and Emergency Shelter Grants, North Carolina
http://www.hud.gov/offices/cpd/homeless/budget/2005/nc/totals.xls

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