Funding for housing programs
Berks County has been awarded $545,000 in federal funds to help support housing programs during the coronavirus pandemic.
The county will get $245,000 through the Homeless Assistance Program and $300,000 through the Emergency Solutions Grant Program. The money is a portion of the $2.2 trillion CARES Act approved by Congress in March and signed by President Donald Trump.
The Homeless Assistance
Program helps to ensure that homelessness can be avoided, that people who are homeless can find refuge and that clients are assisted in moving toward self-sufficiency. The Emergency Solutions Grants are to support homeless Pennsylvanians and individuals at risk of becoming homeless because of hardships caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, such as job loss, wage reduction or illness.
“This pandemic has put a financial strain on nearly every part of our community,” Commissioner Michael S. Rivera said. “The county is grateful to have these additional funds to help and protect residents who are now faced with the additional stress of keeping a roof over their heads.”
The funding was part of a nearly $19 million allocation to recipients in 52 counties throughout the state to assist in mitigating the impacts of the coronavirus on homeless families and to prevent future homelessness across the state.
Dr. Edward B. Michalik, the county’s mental health/developmental disabilities program administrator, helped to secure the funds. He said the money should help offset the amount of court proceeding the county is expecting to see once the statewide moratorium on evictions is lifted at the end of August due to the economic downturn caused by the public health crisis.
The funds will be distributed by the Berks Coalition to End Homelessness. Michalik said the coalition had to stop processing applications for assistance due to a lack of funds and now has more than 125 applications waiting to be reviewed. “It’s going to be a huge help,” Michalik said of the new funds. “I’m hoping that it will get us through the fall.”