PROVIDENCE, RI – In an effort to help coordinate housing and supportive services for families and individuals experiencing homelessness across Rhode Island, U.S. Senator Jack Reed, the Ranking Member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation and Housing and Urban Development (THUD), today announced $8,099,399 in federal Continuum of Care (CoC) grants for Rhode Island homeless assistance programs.  This federal funding, administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), will support 33 homeless assistance projects around the state that equip local providers and community partners to continue delivering safe, affordable housing and supportive services to individuals and families experiencing homelessness.

This $8 million award builds on the $11.2 million in Emergency Shelter Grants that Senator Reed delivered over the summer, another crucial federal resource for emergency homeless assistance, homelessness prevention, and rapid rehousing initiatives provided in the CARES Act.

“A safe place to live is one of the most effective forms of PPE, but too many Americans are without a home.  The COVID-19 pandemic and the economic fallout threaten to exacerbate the number of people who can’t afford stable housing.  It’s critical that the federal government step up to assist and this federal funding is just one part of that larger effort,” said Senator Reed.  “These funds will help with rapid rehousing and permanent housing for individuals and families in need, saving lives while also saving taxpayer dollars.  I commend these organizations for the life-changing and life-saving work they do to help provide vulnerable individuals and families with a roof over their heads and supportive services.”

Amid COVID-19 safety protocols, a statewide point-in-time count of Rhode Islanders experiencing homelessness is underway.  The results of the count will be tabulated and released later this year.  Last year’s count found that 1,104 people were experiencing homelessness on a single night in January 2020 in Rhode Island, including 226 people experiencing chronic homelessness.

The federal CoC grants are coordinated at the state level by Rhode Island Housing and jointly administered by non-profits throughout the state.  CoC funds are eligible for a variety of homeless assistance and prevention activities, including permanent supportive housing, rapid re-housing, street outreach, client assessment, and other services to help ensure homelessness is a brief and rare experience.

Senator Reed has been a strong supporter of housing assistance and homelessness prevention initiatives while continually leading efforts in the Senate to increase funding to address the root causes of homelessness.  Reed is the author of the Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing (HEARTH) Act, which President Obama signed into law in May of 2009.  This legislation streamlined homeless assistance grant programs and increased prevention resources, empowering communities to more efficiently and strategically provide housing and services to this vulnerable population.

People in need of shelter may call the Rhode Island Coalition for the Homeless help line: (401) 277-4316.  Due to forecasted extreme cold, the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency (RIEMA) has provided a list of emergency, socially distant warming centers in communities across the state.

State and local homeless projects receiving the federal CoC grants include:

Amos House / Amos House Friendship & Swan Street: $94,310

Community Care Alliance / Burnside Ave. Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH): $61,117

Community Care Alliance / Constitution Hill: $129,393

Community Care Alliance / Rapid Re-Housing of Northern RI: $152,634

Community Care Alliance / Rapid Re-Housing of Northern RI-Youth: $63,900

Crossroads RI / Crossroads Family Permanent Housing: $365,358

Crossroads RI / Crossroads-754 Broad Street: $45,623

Crossroads RI / Crossroads-Beach Avenue Apts.: $102,678

Crossroads RI / Crossroads-Coordinated Entry: $78,116

Crossroads RI / Crossroads-DV, Individuals w/Trauma: $279,833

Crossroads RI / Crossroads-DV CES: $115,000

Crossroads RI / Crossroads-PH for Disabled Adults: $101,803

Crossroads RI / Crossroads-PH for Disabled Elders: $96,368

Crossroads RI / Crossroads-Rapid Rehousing for Families: $196,338

Crossroads RI / Crossroads-Travelers Aid Housing: $33,083

Crossroads RI / Crossroads-Tremont Street Apts.: $81,684

Crossroads RI / Crossroads-Whitmarsh House Apts.: $123,335

East Bay CAP / East Bay Coalition for the Homeless Permanent Housing: $50,606

Foster Forward / Rapid Rehousing for Former Foster Youth: $257,814

House of Hope CDC / ACCESS to Home: $334,573

House of Hope CDC / Fair Housing: $39,464

House of Hope CDC / Warwick PSH-Consolidated: $135,548

Housing Authority of Pawtucket / Paw HA RRH: $150,116

Lucy's Hearth / Lucy's Hearth Renewal PSH Program: $45,870

RI Coalition for the Homeless / Coordinated Entry: $141,714

RI Coalition for the Homeless / HMIS: $152,064

RI Housing and Mortgage Finance Corporation / RI-500 CoC Planning Project: $272,358

RI Housing and Mortgage Finance Corporation / RIHousing – SBRA: $2,228,746

RI Housing and Mortgage Finance Corporation / RIHousing - TBRA: $1,265,434

Sojourner House / Sojourner House Consolidated Rapid Re-Housing: $755,096

Westbay Community Action / East, Earl, & Warwick Ave: $30,924

Westerly Area Rest Meals Inc. / Greater Westerly Supportive Housing: $62,185

YWCA Rhode Island / YWCA RI Sarah Frances Grant Homestead: $56,314

Total: $8,099,399