Homeless Housing Resources - Homeless Housing Resources

Topic of the Day: Homeless Homelessness is the condition and social category of people who lack housing, because they cannot afford (pay for), or are otherwise unable (or very very rarely; uninterested) to maintain regular, safe, and adequate shelter. The term homelessness may also include people whose primary nighttime residence is in a homeless shelter, in an institution that provides a temporary residence for individuals intended to be institutionalized, or in a public or private place not designed for use as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings.[1][2] An estimated 100 million people worldwide are homeless.[3] The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) defines a "chronically homeless" person as "an unaccompanied homeless individual with a disabling condition who has either been continuously homeless for a year or more, or has had at least four episodes of homelessness in the past three years."[4]

Regina's Column The Emergency Shelter Grant Program (11/20/2008) The Emergency Shelter Grants program provides homeless persons with basic shelter and essential supportive services. It can assist with the operational costs of the shelter facility, and for the administration of the grant. ESG also provides short-term homeless prevention assistance to persons at imminent risk of losing their own housing due to eviction, foreclosure, or utility shutoffs. Grantees, which are state governments, large cities, urban counties, and U.S. territories, receive ESG grants and make these funds available to eligible recipients, which can be either local government agencies or private nonprofit organizations. The recipient agencies and organizations, which actually run the homeless assistance projects, apply for ESG funds to the governmental grantee, and not directly to HUD. Feel free to view all CPD formula grants, including the ESG grant, or contact your local field office for further assistance. ESG funds are available for the rehabilitation or remodeling of a building used as a new shelter, operations and maintenance of the facility, essential supportive services (i.e., case management, physical and mental health treatment, substance abuse counseling, childcare, etc.), homeless prevention, and grant administration. Grantees, except for state governments, must match ESG grant funds dollar for dollar with their own locally generated amounts. These local amounts can come from the grantee or recipient agency or organization; other federal, state and local grants; and from "in- kind" contributions such as the value of a donated building, supplies and equipment, new staff services, and volunteer time. (685277) Past "Regina's Column" Articles Interagency Council on Homelessness, State and Local Initiatives (06/26/2008) Homeless Assistance Programs (03/10/2008) HUD REPORTS DROP IN NUMBER OF CHRONICALLY HOMELESS PERSONS LIVING ON NATION'S STREETS (01/09/2008) Senior Housing (12/04/2007) Community Action Agencies (11/17/2007) Self-Care (11/06/2007) Information about HMIS (10/19/2007) Why is Los Angeles the city with the worst homeless population? (10/14/2007) Youth and Homelessness (10/10/2007) Helping the Homeless/Self care (10/10/2007) Resources serving the public on Homelessness. (09/21/2007) Homelessness (09/21/2007)