Mayor Wu says city received $38 million to support organizations helping individuals experiencing homelessness
The money will go to a range of services that will help people facing housing instability.
Mayor Michelle Wu announced Wednesday that the City of Boston has received more than $38 million in federal funding that will be distributed among 15 nonprofit organizations providing critical services and support to Boston’s unsheltered residents.
The funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) comes at a critical time for organizations providing services to homeless residents and will bolster their ability to care for populations experiencing homelessness amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the mayor’s office said in a news release.
The funding was made available through HUD’s annual McKinney Homeless Continuum of Care awards, a grant program that the Mayor’s Office of Housing (MOH) has applied for and been awarded every year.
The mayor’s office said MOH has grown the funding the city receives from this grant over the last seven years by more than 70%, from $22.6 million in 2015 to $38 million this year. The city said the increase is a result of its competitive application and ability to deliver results together with partner agencies.
“Safe, stable housing is critical for ensuring that Boston residents can live and thrive in our City,” Wu said in statement. “As we work to ensure an equitable recovery from the pandemic, these Continuum of Care Grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will help us continue our work of ensuring every unhoused resident has access to critical services and housing.”
The mayor’s office said the permanent housing that will be created through the funding will combine subsidized rental housing with individualized support services so that individuals with a range of needs can receive the assistance they need to stay housed.
According to the city, the services are designed to build independent living skills, connect people with services such as community-based health care, help them with mental health issues, provide substance use counseling, and provide employment services.
The mayor’s office said the city will allocate the HUD funding to organizations that offer a range of services, including housing search, the creation of housing for chronically homeless people, rapid re-housing funds, and stabilization services.
The organizations receiving funding include:
Bay Cove Human Services
Bridge Over Troubled Waters
Casa Myrna
Stone House
FamilyAid Boston
Heading Home
HomeStart
Justice Resource Institute
Kit Clark Senior Services
Massachusetts Housing and Shelter Alliance
Metro Housing Boston
New England Center and Home for Veterans
Pine Street Inn
St. Francis House
The Home for Little Wanderers
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