Ann Goebel, director of programs, for St. Vincent de Paul, said its grant will go for transitional housing for families and single men aimed at moving people “out on their own.”
Goebel said the money helps support 26 families around the county, an additional 14 families at a single site in Kettering — in which the heads of the households are disabled — and an additional 13 disabled men at a single site in Dayton.
Roy Craig, executive director of Places Inc., said the grant will help support programs for 32 formerly homeless mentally ill people housed in supervised apartments and a group home. They’re also provided support services, he added. “It would be a huge struggle for us if this wasn’t funded,” he said. His clients, he said, typically are afflicted by bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and major depression and have long gaps in employment and spent long periods living on the streets.
Homelessness has declined slightly this year, HUD said last week in announcing its 2011 estimate of the number of homeless people in America.
Approximately 3,000 cities and counties reported 636,000 homeless people on a single night in January, a 2.1 percent decline from the year before. “This reduction in homelessness was noticed among all population groups including individuals, families, and those experiencing long-term or chronic homeless,” HUD said.
“In addition, HUD’s estimate reveals a 12 percent reduction in homelessness among veterans.”
The number of homeless people counted in Montgomery County on January 25 was 965, 38 of whom were not in shelters, said Joyce Probst MacAlpine, manager of housing and homeless solutions for Montgomery County.
Nationwide, $1.47 billion will go to renew funding to more than 7,100 local homeless programs.
“Today’s grants will help agencies in Ohio meet critical needs of those who experience the crisis of homelessness as we work together to prevent and end homelessness throughout the Midwest,” said Antonio R. Riley, HUD’s Midwest Regional Administrator.
About the Author