 PHOENIX — The Arizona Department of Housing (ADOH) on June 7 awarded nearly $20 million in grants to local governments from the newly-created Homeless Shelter and Services (HSS) Fund to provide shelter and other services to people experiencing homelessness. The new budget signed by Governor Hobbs included $60 million for the new fund with $20 million to be allocated immediately before June 30th.
“I’m proud of the immediate relief our bipartisan budget is delivering to the people of Arizona,” said Governor Katie Hobbs. “With the Homeless Shelter and Services Fund and the historic $150 million deposit into Arizona’s Housing Trust Fund, we are making real progress toward ensuring affordable housing for every Arizonan.”
The new HSS Fund is administered by ADOH who can award grants to counties, cities, towns, tribal governments, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Continua of Care for programs that serve the unsheltered population. Below is the list of awardees and grant amounts:
· City of Flagstaff $840,000
· City of Mesa $1,000,000
· City of Phoenix $13,300,000
· City of Scottsdale $940,000
· City of Tempe $929,000
· City of Tucson $2,733,000
· Coconino County $133,000
“The timeliness of this funding was a key part of the new budget signed by Governor Hobbs,” said ADOH Director Joan Serviss. “These dollars will have an immediate impact on our most vulnerable.”
“The City of Phoenix is grateful for this new partnership with the Arizona Department of Housing, and we are looking forward to seeing the results of collective investments from cities across the state,” said Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego. “Together, we can make real progress towards finding long-term solutions to house each and every Arizonan.”
“I want to thank Governor Hobbs and the Arizona Department of Housing for awarding Tucson $2.7 million dollars in funding, to help us expand our emergency shelter capacity and purchase an additional property to serve people with our Housing First program,” said Tucson Mayor Regina Romero. “The investments that this Governor and Legislature are making in addressing unsheltered homelessness are crucial for our City to continue implementing our Housing Affordability Strategy for Tucson.”
“This timely support for local programs to address homelessness will be put to immediate good use in the City of Mesa,” said Mayor John Giles. “Our Off the Streets and Community Court programs are getting people on a path to stable housing, but there is more to be done. We appreciate the recognition by the state of the importance of these issues to our city and to Arizona.”
“Scottsdale is grateful to be a Homeless Shelter and Services Fund grant recipient,” Mayor David D. Ortega said. “This award bolsters our efforts to provide homeless individuals and single parent families with access to healthy, safe and decent temporary housing and supportive services.”
“We are grateful for the leadership and partnership of the Arizona Department of Housing in supporting Tempe’s work to assist unsheltered individuals and families in finding housing,” said Tempe Mayor Corey Woods. “This grant is critical to meeting a broad range of needs in Tempe, such as adding new HOPE outreach specialists to help people locate permanent housing and plan for their futures, upgrading our city-run emergency shelter and doubling occupancy and funding the rehabilitation of four shelter rooms damaged during a recent fire.”
“The City of Flagstaff is excited about the benefit these valuable funds will provide in our community,” said Flagstaff Mayor Becky Daggett. “We will be partnering with our local homeless and housing service providers to facilitate transitional housing and move-in assistance for households experiencing homelessness – providing a Housing First model and fostering permanency.”
“We appreciate the Arizona Department of Housing recognizing the urgent need for these resources in Coconino County,” said Kim Musselman, Coconino County Health and Human Services Director. “The ADOH funding will allow Coconino County to provide safe shelter through hotel vouchers and vital wrap-around services to unsheltered persons that are impacted by the closure of sober living homes and residential facilities, the expiration of the Public Health Act, and individuals exiting incarceration and unable to find shelter.”
Director Serviss is available to the media to discuss how each awardee plans to use the HSS funding to help address unsheltered homelessness. For more detailed information on each project, media can contact the awardee directly.
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