Texas side receives nearly $280K to help the homeless

TEXARKANA, Texas — The city has been awarded nearly $280,000 for homelessness assistance through a competitive grant under the Texas Homeless Network Continuum of Care Program.

The $277,667 grant is funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Continuum of Care Program. It provides housing assistance and support services for individuals, families, minors and domestic violence survivors experiencing homelessness.

Vashil Fernandez, the city’s director of planning and community development, said the grant will be used to support local organizations that assist those facing homelessness.

“This will provide transitional housing for up to 30 individuals for a period of up to 24 months for our unhoused population, and ensure they have access to all the services they need to become financially independent and self-sufficient when they exit the program,” Fernandez said.

Jennifer Lacefield, executive director at Randy Sams’ Outreach Shelter, said the shelter is grateful for the grant.

“We can administer the funding to those experiencing homelessness through the provision of financial assistance and case management services for up to two years as needed per homeless housing client,” Lacefield said. “The provision of financial assistance toward rent and utility costs for the homeless we house through the grant helps them to afford the up-front costs of housing and to save money on the front end while looking for employment.”

Lacefield said the case management services help clients to set and reach goals.

“For some people, taking the steps needed to get their lives together and overcome the obstacles that caused their homelessness can be scary,” she said. “The ongoing guidance and support provided through the program’s case management services helps them to navigate this new phase of their lives via an ongoing professional partnership, thereby increasing the chances of a long-term successful outcome of independence, stability, and health once exited from the program,” Lacefield said.

The Continuum of Care Program is designed to provide critically needed housing and support services to individuals and families experiencing homelessness. The program uses an approach that removes the common barriers often found in housing assistance programs and contributes to the overall goal of making homelessness rare, brief, and non-recurring, according to a release from the city.