Chester County Receives $1.5 Million In Federal Grants To End Homelessness

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photo credit: Red Blanket via photopin (license)

Chester County has received $1.5 million in Continuum of Care grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to support its Decade to Doorways program – an initiative that aims to prevent and end homelessness by providing critically needed emergency housing and support services to individuals and families.

Commissioner Terence Farrell said the funding will help support the work of the more than 100 volunteers who are working on the initiative.

“A portion of the $1.5 million will fund Chester County’s coordinated assessment system, ConnectPoints, which helps to divert, prevent and rapidly re-house homeless citizens,” said Commissioner Kathi Cozzone. “Every day, ConnectPoints maximizes our county’s housing resources by directing people who are experiencing homelessness into available beds.”

“Another critical component of the Decade to Doorways program that is being bolstered by the Continuum of Care grants is rental assistance for individuals and families,” said Commissioner Michelle Kichline.  “Having a resource for rental assistance greatly enhances the ability of individuals and families to remain housed in a stable environment, rather than facing the prospect of homelessness.”

The federal Continuum of Care program is designed to promote a community-wide commitment to the goal of ending homeless. Continuum of Care funds awarded to communities are based on data collected in the annual Point in Time count which counts the number of individuals and families experiencing homelessness on a given night.

When the county conducted its Point in Time count on the night of Jan. 29 and morning of Jan. 30, 2014, workers found 684 homeless people.

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Top photo credit: Red Blanket via photopin (license)

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