A new report released today by the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty indicates that the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)’s Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program (HPRP) falls far short of the rising need.
Recent studies have indicated a significant rise in homelessness across the country. One report showed a 20 percent increase in foreclosures and a four percent increase in the number of families experiencing homelessness in the United States from 2008 to 2009. Another report indicated an even greater climb in family homelessness – showing increases of an average of nine percent in cities across the country.
To respond to this growing need, HUD created the HPRP program with $1.5 billion in funding as a part of the 2009 economic stimulus package. However, despite some successes, the need for these funds remains great. In one of the more dramatic examples, Detroit distributed an estimated 50,000 applications to homeless or near-homeless people for its 3,500 HPRP grants on the very first day the funds were available. And other major cities such as Wilmington, DE (87%) and Tallahassee, FL (84%) have already used most of their available funds. At current spend-down rates these cities will run out of money well before HPRP ends in 2012.
The National Law Center’s report, “On the Edge: How HUD Can Improve the Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program,” offers an in-depth analysis of the program, assessing its effectiveness and making recommendations for future HUD homelessness prevention efforts. It is based on a survey of 121 service providers one year after HPRP funds were made available.
On Tuesday, February 9, at 2 p.m. EST, the Law Center will present a free webinar reviewing the report. The webinar will also feature presenters from direct service providers who have successfully used HPRP to assist people at risk of or experiencing homelessness. Click here to register for the webinar.
Source: Nat’l Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty, January 26, 2011
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- Interview w/ Arlene Hylton, Program Director, San Francisco Independent Living Skills Program
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- Newly released TAYSF Progress Report 2011
