Area cities, agencies share $2.65M to fight homelessness

MONTGOMERY — The cities of Florence and Huntsville and agencies in Marshall and Cullman counties are among entities to share $2.65 million to fight homelessness, the governor’s office announced Tuesday.

Gov. Kay Ivey said her office is awarding $2.65 million to help Alabamians who are homeless or at-risk of becoming homeless obtain shelter and other related services.

The funds from the federal Emergency Solutions Grants program will assist 12 governments and nonprofit organizations to provide shelter, legal and health services and other assistance to help individuals and families who face losing their homes or are already homeless.

“Helping others in need is the Alabama way, and our folks’ unrelenting desire to do so is one of the many things that makes our state so special,” Ivey said. “Unfortunately, homelessness is a very real issue facing our communities, and it’s on us as Alabamians to change that.

“I’m proud to allocate these funds towards ensuring those less fortunate have a safe, warm shelter to spend the holidays.”

The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) is administering the grants from funds made available by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. ADECA administers an array of programs supporting law enforcement and traffic safety, economic development, energy conservation, water resource management and recreation development.

“Emergency Solutions Grants are intended to help people with immediate and often temporary needs,” said ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell. “I join Governor Ivey in commending these local governments and other agencies who are providing that helping hand to individuals and families who are going through rough times.”

Listed are the awarded agencies, the amount, area served and sub-recipient agencies.

• City of Florence – $300,000 to contract with Safeplace Inc., the Community Action Agency of Northwest Alabama and the Salvation Army to offer homelessness prevention assistance, rapid re-housing and related services to residents in Colbert, Franklin, Marion, Lauderdale, Lawrence and Winston counties.
• City of Huntsville – $400,000 to contract with AshaKiran Inc., Catholic Center of Concern, Community Action Partnership of Huntsville/Madison and Limestone Counties Inc., Crisis Services of North Alabama, Disabled American Veterans, Family Services Center, First Stop, North Alabama Coalition for the Homeless, New Futures Inc. and Wellstone Inc. to provide services in Huntsville.
• Marshall County Home Place Inc. (Guntersville) – $31,500 to provide emergency shelter in Marshall County.
• The Link of Cullman County (City of Cullman) – $250,000 to provide emergency shelter, homelessness prevention, street outreach and rapid re-housing for victims in Cullman County.