Nonprofit Grants Available To Expand Homeless Shelter Services

Press release from Tempe:

June 24, 2021

Tempe, AZ - The City of Tempe is allocating $450,000 in grants to nonprofit organizations who can help expand shelter services for those experiencing homelessness in our community.

The city, through partnership with Tempe Community Council, is seeking nonprofit partners who provide congregate shelter services to vulnerable populations including veterans, families, youth, older adults, sexual assault and domestic violence survivors, and those who are chronically homeless.

The grant funding is made available as part of the city’s longtime commitment to prevent and end homelessness and was part of a larger park safety proposal recently approved by the City Council that includes expanding shelter options for those in need.

“Cities across the country have been seeing increased numbers of people experiencing homelessness, and that has only been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Mayor Corey Woods. “In Tempe, we are investing heavily and making progress. We are connecting people to housing and social services every day.”

“We know that expanding emergency shelter services is a critical need,” he said. “We want people to have a safe and stable place to live so they are better able to work through options related to housing, mental health care and other needs.”

The deadline to apply for grant funding is July 7. Learn more here.

In Maricopa County, available data show consistent annual increases in the number of unsheltered individuals living in streets, cars and parks.

During the January 2020 Point-in-Time count, there were 3,767 unsheltered individuals counted in Maricopa County, including 396 unsheltered individuals in Tempe. Meanwhile, available emergency shelter, transitional and rapid rehousing, and permanent supportive housing options during 2020 were almost at maximum capacity, according to the 2020 Housing Inventory Count for Maricopa County.

This means individuals seeking assistance have limited local shelter options and many remain unsheltered while the city’s HOPE homeless outreach team provides supports toward housing.

Tempe made a significant investment earlier this year to fund motel rooms as a safe, non-congregate shelter option during the pandemic and beyond. To date, approximately 103 adults and children, or 65 households, have been served. Nearly all of them have either been permanently housing or relocated to a family shelter.

In addition to that investment, 13 units have been purchased for emergency shelter for those who are experiencing homelessness or survivors of domestic violence. The units are available for up to three months while tenants engage in social services.

The city’s HOPE team works collaboratively with the CARE 7 crisis response team, Tempe Police, and local nonprofit partners to serve a wide range of needs for individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness. Additional congregate shelter options would provide increased temporary shelter availability for those experiencing homelessness.

The deadline to apply for grant funding is July 7. Learn more here.

For more information about the grant, contact Kim Van Nimwegen, community impact manager for Tempe Community Council, at kim_vannimwegen@tempe.gov or 480-858-2303.

This press release was produced by Tempe. The views expressed here are the author’s own.