As most of you know, Monroe County, NY lost $1,498,465 in Tier 2 funding of our $13,399,429. This means 87 households (individuals and families) currently receiving Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) rental vouchers funded by HUD will lose their housing unless our other PSH programs with vouchers can absorb them into their programs. Unfortunately, this also means people in emergency shelters or living on the streets will not be able to move into PSH until we secure vouchers for those 87 households. Our current waitlist for PSH is 184 households and will swell to 271 when we add the 87 needing to be absorbed. With the current housing shortage, it takes an average of 45 days to house an individual/family.
In addition to losing Tier 2 funding, none of the HUD approved renewal programs in Tier 1 have received contracts from HUD. As a result, some agencies are already providing services without funding.
Our community houses 2,414 individuals (1,718 adults, 696 under 18 yrs) and there are 141 staff members all over Monroe County that provide the support services needed to assist our most vulnerable residents. If the HUD contracts do not come through, those households will no longer receive rental assistance, and will be evicted, and the staff serving them will lose their jobs. This will increase the number of homeless people in our community and the emergency shelter system is already over capacity. The economic impact will be substantial.
In losing Tier 2 funding, the economic impact to this community is $2,502,436.55 (.67 cents for every dollar lost).
If HUD does not follow through with the approved funds and issue contracts, the economic impact will be over $22 million.
Steve Piasecki, State Policy Manager at the Supportive Housing Network of New York forwarded the message below to Congressman Joe Morelle’s office asking him to sign on to a letter to HUD regarding current funding.
If your agency is interested in sharing the impact funding cuts and missing executed contracts are having on the people you serve, Congressman Morelle is asking that we complete the Community Impact Form ASAP.
Congressmen Morelle Community Impact Form
Thank you.
Tree Clemonds
Executive Director