Future funding for local homeless folk

Santa Cruz County Homeless
Action Partnership's RANKING COMMITTEE Meets and Reviews 2010 Submissions for Federal Funding Stream

Linda's Hearth note: I was one of six participants who comprised this year's ranking committee. We met to deliberate last Wednesday afternoon. Our rules: no one could have even a sniff of "confilct of interest" relative to the funds being requested, and each of us would bring a relevant perspective about dealing with local homelessness to the table. We were elected by the executive committee for HAP(described below). Some of us have historical involvement with HAP; some, new to Continuum of Care's federal agenda. Our deliberations hinged on HUD's definitions of terms such as "homelessness," and relied on HUD's prescribed "points" system.

Sunday, June 20, 2010
dateline Santa Cruz - The Homeless Action Partnership's Ranking Committee, convened annually, met June 15 to review and approve local proposals for HUD Continuum of Care funding needed in Santa Cruz County. Tony Gardner, HAP's admin consultant reported "with pleasure" that local proposals reviewed were all approved for submission in the County's annual HUD Continuum of Care application for 2010.

The local organizations whose proposals were approved: Page Smith Community House Transitional Housing—Homeless Services Center; Homeless Management Information System--County; Clean & Sober Transitional Housing--Families In Transition; Scattered Site Transitional Housing--FIT; Brommer Street—Housing Authority/FIT; Sudden Street Transitional Housing—PVSS; Corner House Permanent Housing—Salvation Army; Anderson Homeless Permanent Housing—Santa Crux Community Counseling Center; Freedom Cottages Permanent (supportive) Housing—SCCCC ; MATCH Permanent Housing – Homeless Persons Health Project.

Money For New Program "Hard Costs" Next Year

Each of these renewals are expected to be renewed. Additionally, 'MATCH 2 Permanent Housing', from HPHP, requests funding for a new shared housing project potentially serving half a dozen to a dozen adult individuals, is considered a "bonus" request by HUD.

Gardner, who provides legal support for our HAP -- countywide collaborative -- offered thanks from HAP and from it's CofC function to those project representatives who visited the Ranking Committee for short interviews, answering questions and sharing pertinent information which doesn't particularly fit on HUD computerized grant request forms.

Information and insights, "were invaluable in helping the Ranking Committee understand the full importance" of specialized services being offered on behalf of homeless subgroups in Santa Cruz County, Gardner said. The Continuum of Care is managed via County's Planning Department, in case you want to volunteer or attend regular HAP meetings.

For more information contact Tony Gardner -- tonygardnerconsulting@yahoo.com