Shapiro Administration Invests More Than $5.5 Million to Help Communities Fight Homelessness

These Emergency Solutions Grants will help fund rapid rehousing, homelessness prevention, street outreach, and emergency shelters in communities across the Commonwealth.

This announcement reaffirms the Shapiro Administration's focus on improving the quality of life for all Pennsylvanians.

Harrisburg, PA - To help combat the ongoing housing crisis, Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Secretary Rick Siger today announced a total of $5,503,981 in new Emergency Solutions Grant awards for municipalities and nonprofit organizations that are targeted at helping homeless individuals and families find housing. This funding was approved for 14 municipal grantees and seven nonprofits in 45 counties, as well as funding for one statewide project.

Combatting homelessness and providing safe, affordable housing for Pennsylvanians is a top priority of the Shapiro Administration. The federal ESG grant program funding can be used to help homeless individuals quickly find new housing, prevent homelessness, provide services to those living on the streets, make available emergency shelter, collect secure data to better understand the needs of our homeless community, and administer services.

"Trusted community organizations across Pennsylvania will use these investments to assist individuals and families affected by homelessness," said Secretary Siger. "The Shapiro Administration is committed to helping our most vulnerable, and this ESG funding equips local governments and non-profits with the necessary resources to provide essential housing support."

The full list of approvals is available on the DCED website:

Some of the regional grant approvals include:

• Bethlehem is receiving $400,000 on behalf of seven non-profit agencies for a regional project that will provide rapid rehousing, street outreach, homelessness prevention, emergency shelter, and operation of the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS), serving Lehigh and Northampton Counties.
• Central Susquehanna Opportunities, Inc. is receiving $315,000 to administer street outreach, rapid rehousing, homelessness prevention, and Homeless Management Information System activities for Columbia, Montour and Northumberland counties. They also applied for Emergency Shelter funds on behalf of their sub-recipient GateHouse Shelter to administer shelter activities in Montour County.
• Clinton County Housing Coalition, Inc. is receiving $245,000 to administer rapid rehousing, homelessness prevention, emergency shelter, and Homeless Management Information System activities for Clinton and Lycoming counties. They also applied on behalf of their recipient STEP, Inc. to administer rapid rehousing activities in Lycoming County.
• Franklin County Commissioners are receiving $160,000 to operate emergency shelter and a rapid-rehousing program run by South Central Community Action Program; they will also provide financial and rental assistance through Waynesboro Community and Human Services' rapid-rehousing and homelessness prevention programs. These funds will also be utilized to operate the Homeless Management Information System software.
• Lawrence County Social Services is receiving $1.2 million to provide emergency shelter services and operational support, homelessness prevention, rapid rehousing, and street outreach through 11 community organizations delivering services in 14 western Pennsylvania counties.
• New Hope Ministries Inc. is receiving $125,000 to provide homelessness prevention activities for a regional project serving Adams, Cumberland, and York counties. Funding will support rental assistance, financial assistance, and services which include two full-time housing and homeless service coordinators, a full-time bilingual intake coordinator, and a housing locator position.

Statewide approval:

• The Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence is receiving $500,000 to enable 14 member agencies across Pennsylvania to provide emergency shelter to homeless domestic violence clients.

ESG funding is authorized by the Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing (HEARTH) Act of 2009.

Priority for funding is given to groups that represent areas of the Commonwealth that do not already receive a direct allocation of Emergency Solutions Grant funding from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Governor Josh Shapiro recently signed an Executive Order mandating the first comprehensive Housing Action Plan to address the state's housing shortage, homelessness, and expand affordable housing options. DCED is leading the plan's development and is working with stakeholders across the Commonwealth to identify housing needs and devise a strategic response.

Expanding the availability of housing across Pennsylvania is also a key focus of Governor Shapiro's Economic Development Strategy, the first plan of its kind in the Commonwealth in almost 20 years.

For more information about the Emergency Solutions Grant program or Department of Community and Economic Development, visit DCED website, and be sure to stay up-to-date with all of our agency news on Facebook, X, and LinkedIn.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Justin Backover, [email protected] or 717.418.4014