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Clark County Receives Nearly $700,000 to Help Homeless

Posted on: Friday, 23 December 2005, 15:00 CST

By KELLY ADAMS, Columbian staff writer

Homeless advocates in Clark County are generally pleased with the money on its way from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The federal agency announced $1.33 billion worth of grants nationwide this week. Clark County agencies will receive $695,158. The money represents renewed funding of several existing programs.

Last year, the HUD funds totaled $1.12 million. A large portion of that was capital funds to build new housing, said Kim Conner, executive director of the Council for the Homeless.

"I'm very pleased with it," Conner said of the grants.

Every year, agencies that help the homeless meet before submitting applications to HUD to ensure the best use of resources, Conner said.

"These programs serve the most vulnerable people in our community, " she said.

The Clark County programs receiving HUD funding are:

. Columbia River Mental Health Services: $148,505 to provide rental subsidies for 23 people with mental illness.

. Mental Health Northwest: $89,396 to provide housing subsidies and case management for eight people who have been homeless for a long time due to psychiatric disorders and long-term substance abuse.

. YW Housing/Share: $256,467 for two programs. One provides services for 42 homeless families, including education, transportation and child care. The second program provides services for 20 homeless individuals and families with disabilities.

. Share Outreach: $61,267 for a program to reach out to single homeless adults suffering from addiction, mental illness and serious health problems with the goal of connecting them with services.

. Vancouver Housing Authority: $114,585 for two transitional housing programs.

. Council for the Homeless: $24,938 for a computer network that links agencies to prevent duplication of services. The network also helps track statistics.

Kelly Adams covers social issues and religion. Reach her at 360- 759-8016 or kelly.adams@columbian.com.

How to get involved: Call the Council for the Homeless, 360- 993-9570.

Did you know?

Federal Housing and Urban Development funding is provided to pay for emergency shelter and to fund continuum of care programs, including transitional housing, job training, child care, mental health counseling and substance abuse treatment.

The county funding is part of the $34.35 million granted in Washington state and $1.33 billion dispersed nationwide.

Children and youth are the fastest-growing segment of the homeless population in Clark County.

Source: Columbian

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