McAuliffe announces $1.1 million in homeless reduction grants

Governor Terry McAuliffe today announced $1.1 million in Homeless Reduction Grants through the state’s Housing Trust Fund for 13 projects in Virginia. The selected projects will result in targeted efforts to reduce homelessness. Governor McAuliffe awarded grants to eight rapid rehousing projects and five projects that will provide support services in existing permanent supportive housing.

“Over the past four years we have significantly reduced homelessness in the Commonwealth by targeting our funds toward proven methods of reducing homelessness, such as rapid rehousing and permanent supportive housing,” said Governor McAuliffe. “I’m proud that Virginia has become a national leader on effectively ending homelessness because of the increased funding and coordination we have invested to tackle this challenge. As the first state in the nation to functionally end veteran homelessness, we will continue to lead the way at the state level until we end this solvable problem once and for all.”

Since 2014, overall homelessness in Virginia has decreased 13.5 percent. Homelessness among families and veterans has decreased 28.5 and 22.9 percent, respectively, during the same time period. In 2015, Virginia became the first state in the country to be certified by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to have functionally ended veteran homelessness. These successes have been driven by the leadership of the Governor’s Coordinating Council on Homelessness, collaboration between state and local partners, and allocating Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) funding to efforts that support a systemic approach at the community level to ensure homelessness is rare, brief, and nonrecurring.

“Virginia is fortunate to have a state housing trust fund which dedicates a portion of its resources to efforts that reduce homelessness,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Todd Haymore.“We know housing is the key to children attaining educational outcomes, to adults securing jobs, and to stabilizing chronic health conditions. I congratulate all the grantees of today’s announcement and look forward to seeing the positive results that these projects bring.”

Resources to address homelessness in Virginia are administered through DHCD’s Virginia Homeless Solutions Program, which is a combination of state and federal funds, as well as a portion of the Virginia Housing Trust Fund (VHTF.) The source of funding for the grants announced today is from the VHTF.

At least 80 percent of the funds allocated to the VHTF must be used to provide loans that reduce the costs of affordable rental housing and homeownership. Up to 20 percent may be used for grants to reduce homelessness. Eligible activities of the Homelessness Reduction Grant pool include rapid rehousing, support services for permanent supportive housing for the chronically homeless, and pre-development of permanent supportive housing projects for chronically homeless individuals or families.

In alignment with McAuliffe Administration goals, priority consideration is given to efforts to reduce the number of youth and families experiencing homelessness. Thirty applications were submitted requesting just over $2.4 million. The applications were reviewed, evaluated, and scored. A total of $1.1 million was allocated for this round of funding. The 13 projects listed below will be funded.

Homeless Reduction Grant Awards