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A more than $2 million federal stimulus grant just awarded by New York State will support a collaborative approach to target the problem of homelessness in Tompkins County.

The New York State Office of Temporary Disability and Assistance (NYS-OTDA) Bureau of Housing and Shelter Services has awarded a 22-month grant in the amount of $2,430,000 to a community coalition made up of the Tompkins County Department of Social Services, Human Services Coalition of Tompkins County, Tompkins Community Action, and Catholic Charities of Tompkins/Tioga, working together as part of the county's Continuum of Care. The award comes from federal stimulus funds allocated to the State by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

The local program will utilize a multi-agency team approach to provide a comprehensive set of program services to serve both the homeless and those at-risk of becoming homeless, an effort expected to benefit more than 500 local households.  Services supported will include homelessness prevention, rental assistance, and re-housing case management for individuals and families.  Program participants also will be linked to support services to help them regain employment and self-sufficiency.

“It will take several months for the services to be put in place, but we anticipate that these one-time funds will have a significant impact on homeless prevention in this county,” says Patricia Carey, Tompkins County’s Commissioner of Social Services.  “This needed short-term initiative will provide people with the assistance they need to gain access to services that will enable them to stabilize their situation during this difficult economic time.”

NYS-OTDA‘s Bureau of Housing and Support Services administers programs that address the problems of homelessness in New York State, providing a continuum of services for homeless, at risk and low-income households.

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