Pasadena Receives $5M to Combat Homelessness

The alarming growth of homeless people has created a dire need for immediate help, especially in the cold weather we are now experiencing. – Photo by Terry Miller / Beacon Media News

By Terry Miller

In the city manager’s weekly report, William Huang, director of housing, the Department has apparently received a notice of three separate awards to help combat the ever- increasing homelessness situation on the streets of Pasadena. The alarming growth of homeless people has created a dire need for immediate help, especially in the cold weather we are now experiencing.

The awards received are from the State of California Department of Housing & Community Development (HCD), the State of California Homeless Coordinating and Financing Council of the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency (BSCSH), and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

HCD has awarded the city $720,243 in new funding to be spent over the next five years for targeted programs to prevent and to combat homelessness. A portion of these funds will go to partially fund a new city staff person within the Department of Housing who will assist in planning activities. The remainder of the funds will be allocated through a competitive process to qualified non-profit agencies. Prioritized services will include homelessness prevention services, eviction defense legal services, and landlord incentives. Grant funds will provide funding to FY 2020 through FY 2024.

BSCSH has awarded the city $1,428,216 in new funding to meet emergency needs among people experiencing homelessness. All funds will be allocated through competitive selection processes. The large majority of the funds will be allocated to qualified non-profit agencies to provide emergency shelter through motel vouchers, direct medical care, and housing location services to people experiencing homelessness. A portion of the funds will be allocated for capital improvements that will improve access to and services of local non-profits serving people experiencing homelessness. The remainder of these funds will be allocated to a qualified consultant, who will aid the city in a community engagement strategy to educate Pasadena residents about homelessness and relevant solutions such as permanent supportive housing. Grant funds will provide funding to FY 2020 and FY 2021.

HUD has awarded the Pasadena Continuum of Care (CoC) $3,561,687 to provide housing and supportive services to homeless individuals and families. The CoC is led by the Pasadena Partnership to End Homelessness (Pasadena Partnership), with City of Pasadena acting as lead agency. The HUD award will fund 13 CoC projects that were included in the application submitted to HUD for funding as part of the annual CoC homeless funding competition. These projects will provide permanent supportive housing and coordinated entry to homeless individuals and families in Pasadena.

Permanent supportive housing provides permanent housing to individuals and families with a disability, prioritizing those who are chronically homeless. Coordinated entry is a process through which the most vulnerable homeless residents are prioritized to be matched with the available and appropriate housing resources in a systematic and efficient manner. The HUD award will also fund the Homeless Management Information System, as well as a Domestic Violence project, which will serve individuals and families who are fleeing or have experienced domestic violence and are now experiencing homelessness. Grants awarded in the 2018 competition will provide FY 2019 and 2020 funding.

Permanent Supportive Housing Projects funded include:

• Euclid Villa ($183,407).
• CHOISS ($175,355).
• Hestia House ($262,516).
• Holly Street Housing ($940,997).
• Navarro House ($46,226).
• Step Up ($150,221).
• Two CoC Rental Assistance Grants ($1,213,755).

Additional projects funded include:

• CoC Coordinated Entry System ($124,423).
• 2018 CoC Planning Project ($94,898).
• Homeless Management Information Systems (HMIS) ($140,378).
• HMIS Expansion ($85,000).
• Domestic Violence-Supportive Services ($144,411).

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