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City of Seattle
Gregory J. Nickels, Mayor
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NEWS ADVISORY
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| SUBJECT: Seattle, King County receive homeless assistance award of $18.8 million
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
1/26/2005 4:00:00 PM |
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Office of the Mayor (206) 684-4000
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Seattle, King County receive homeless assistance
award of $18.8 million
SEATTLE - King County and the City of Seattle have been awarded $18,857,883 in federal McKinney Homeless Assistance funds for housing programs and support services for homeless people. The award, about $2 million more than last year’s award, was announced today by Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels and King County Executive Ron Sims following the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announcement of $1.4 billion awarded nationwide.
“This grant will not only help people get into safe housing, but will provide them with supportive services they need to stay off the streets,” said Nickels. “About $1.5 million in new money is going to a permanent housing development for chronically homeless men and women who are mentally ill. Programs like this one, which integrate services with housing, are critical to ending homelessness in our area.”
“This grant will mean the difference between life on the streets and the ability gain stable housing and support services for many vulnerable individuals and families in our region,” said King County Executive Ron Sims. “We are grateful for this local and federal partnership.”
Community-based organizations worked with the City of Seattle and King County to submit the joint application for renewal funding of 62 homeless programs, the Safe Harbors Homeless Management Information System, and funding for new projects. The $18.8 million McKinney grant significantly contributes to the effort to build a stronger network of homeless programs. The grant will be matched by an additional $35.3 million from other federal, state and local sources, including United Way and private foundations.
Most of the award will sustain existing programs that provide direct services to nearly every segment of the homeless population - families with children, single parents, single people, youth and young adults, women and children who are victims of domestic violence, persons with mental illness, and persons with disabilities. (See attached chart of awards for details.)
Approximately $12.9 million will support the ongoing operations of 62 programs that, together, provide 750 units of transitional housing, 603 units of permanent housing for homeless people with disabilities, two Safe Haven facilities that offer supportive housing for severely mentally ill adults who have been homeless, a variety of supportive services programs, and expansion of the Safe Harbors Homeless Management Information System.
For more information and for interviews with individuals and families who benefit from McKinney-funded housing services, contact Katia Blackburn, 206-684-0253. For details on the distribution of the grant, see the attached document.
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Office of the Mayor
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