City of Dallas, TX

05/17/2021 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 05/17/2021 17:33

HUD ANNOUNCES $5 BILLION TO HOUSE PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS

Please see the following press release from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Marcia L. Fudge today announced the allocation of $5 billion in American Rescue Plan funds for emergency housing vouchers for individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness. Secretary Fudge made the announcement during a Zoom call with Congressman David Price (NC), Senator Patty Murray (WA), Dallas, TX Mayor Eric Johnson, and Oakland, CA Mayor Libby Schaaf.

The supplemental funding is allocated through the Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) program. Through EHV, HUD is providing 70,000 housing choice vouchers to local public housing authorities (PHAs) across the country to help Americans find and remain in housing. Click here for a full list of initial allocations.

'While most of us spent more time in our homes than we ever have, more than half a million Americans had to spend the last year either in crowded shelters or sleeping outside,' said HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge. 'With HUD's swift allocation of this $5 billion in American Rescue Plan funding, we are providing communities the resources to give homes to the people who have had to endure the COVID-19 pandemic without one. Congress now needs to pass the President's American Jobs Plan. This once-in-a-generation investment would bring the United States closer to ending homelessness and housing instability.'

'Stable housing is a basic human need, and the foundation upon which people build their lives. Thanks to the American Rescue Plan, 1,296 Emergency Housing Vouchers are available for unhoused individuals and those facing housing instability in the state of North Carolina,' said Congressman David Price. 'As Chairman of the Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development Appropriations Subcommittee, I am proud to work alongside HUD to carry out the vital mission of ending homelessness through a Housing First approach to help build our country back better.'

'The American Rescue Plan is working, bringing more than $400 million in rental assistance to Washington state and hundreds of millions more in homeowner and homelessness assistance - including the emergency housing vouchers we're talking about today,' said Senator Patty Murray. 'The legislation we sent to President Biden's desk is making an important difference in people's lives, especially for people of color who have felt the disproportionate impact of this crisis. We're making real progress to get our communities back to 'normal' - but that isn't good enough when 'normal' wasn't working for so many before the pandemic. We faced a housing crisis before the pandemic, and we need to keep working to pass the American Jobs Plan - to help our country build back stronger and fairer than before.'

'The best way to address homelessness is to prevent it. And the American Rescue Plan Act emergency vouchers that the Biden Administration is allocating today will provide a major boost to our efforts,' said Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson. 'Through this program alone, more than 1,100 families in our area will receive assistance and will be able to stay in their homes. We are deeply appreciative of the Biden Administration for this much-needed assistance that will make our city stronger.'

'The Biden-Harris Administration gets it - housing is infrastructure,' said Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf. 'Our homelessness crisis requires a bold, multi-faceted response, and today's announcement that Oakland will receive more than 500 emergency housing vouchers for our most vulnerable residents will have an immediate impact in our community. I'm proud to work with Secretary Fudge and the administration to end the humanitarian crisis of homelessness in our country.'

The $5 billion in EHV-ARP funding gives communities the resources needed to help eligible households find and remain in housing. HUD estimates that these EHVs, alongside resources provided by the CARES Act, could help house 130,000 households.

The $5 billion in EHV-ARP funding is the second of two homelessness-related funding opportunities from the American Rescue Plan that HUD released. In April, HUD announced the allocation of $5 billion in ARP funds to increase affordable housing to address homelessness.