Philly Gets $22.3M For Homeless Support Amid Coronavirus

PHILADELPHIA — U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development recently allocated more than $62 million in Emergency Solutions Grants to support homeless Americans and individuals at risk of becoming homeless in Pennsylvania because of hardships such as job loss, wage reduction or illness due to the coronavirus.

Among the recipients of the grants was the city of Philadelphia.

Philly was allocated $22,293,192 million of the funds.

The funds can be used to:

• Make more emergency shelters available for homeless individuals and families.
• Operate emergency shelters by providing food, rent, security, maintenance, repair, fuel, equipment, insurance, utilities, furnishings, and supplies necessary for their operation.
• Provide hotel/motel vouchers for homeless families and individuals.
• Provide essential services to people experiencing homelessness including childcare, education services, employment assistance, outpatient health services, legal services, mental health services, substance abuse treatment services, and transportation.
• Prevent individuals from becoming homeless and rapidly rehouse homeless individuals.

"The spread of COVID-19 makes the challenges surrounding homelessness even more difficult to address," HUD's Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Joe DeFelice said. "Every day, our Pennsylvania partners are working harder and harder to develop local strategies aimed at supporting our most vulnerable neighbors. This additional funding through HUD’s Emergency Solutions Grant Program will bolster their efforts as they manage the unique needs of their communities."

Congress has provided $4 billion for HUD’s Emergency Solutions Grants for local governments to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus among individuals and families who are homeless, receiving homeless assistance or are at risk of becoming homeless.

In total, HUD has allocated $3.96 billion in Emergency Solutions Grant funding to impacted communities in every state and territory. The remaining $40 million is being used to provide technical assistance to build capacity of grantees in those communities receiving Emergency Solutions Grant funding.