[from Children's Monitor Online, Vol. 22, Issue 37: 10/12/2009]
In late September, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced $20 million in housing resources that are now available to public housing authorities nationwide. Approximately 1,940 vouchers will be available to public housing authorities through HUD’s Family Unification Program (FUP), which would provide rental assistance to families who are separated, or at risk of being separated from their children because of homelessness or inadequate housing. According to statistics from the National Center for Housing and Child Welfare (NCHCW), it costs more than $48,000 annually per family when children enter foster care, as opposed to $15,000 for housing and services to keep a family together. In addition, this funding is available to help provide stable housing for young adults (ages 18-21) who have aged-out of the foster care or left after age 16. Individuals and families must be certified as eligible for FUP and referred to a local public housing authority by a public child welfare organization.
HUD also announced that they are providing immediate funding for 11 public housing authorities who submitted qualified applications for 2008 funding, but were not awarded grants because all available funding was expended. HUD has posted the full Notice of Funding Availability. Applications are due December 3, 2009.
Related posts:
- FEDERAL POLICY – HUD invites communities to apply for $20 Million in New Housing Voucher for Child Welfare Families and Aging-out Youth
- State Policy – California Child Welfare Council and The Foster Youth Issues Forum
- QIC on Non-Resident Fathers and the Child Welfare System Spring 2009 Newsletter
- Premanency or Aging Out: Adolescents in the Child Welfare System
- Addressing Disproportionality and Disparities in Child Welfare
