Special to the Times
The Jefferson County Commission last week approved over $314,000 to local agencies fighting homelessness in Jefferson County. The funds will be administered through the Commission’s Community Services Department and come from the county’s federal funding sources.
“Using the county’s federal funds, these organizations in our community help provide emergency shelter and services to prevent homelessness in our community and allow the participant to gain skills they need to improve their quality of life,” said Director of Community Services Frederick Hamilton. “This is just one of the many ways we are trying to address the needs of the most vulnerable in our community and support wrap-around services.”
The Jefferson County Department of Community Services also provides funding through Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) for neighborhood housing improvements such as roofs, HVAC systems, plumbing, and other housing repairs, for citizens living within the Jefferson County HUD Consortium, which is all of the county except for Birmingham, Bessemer, Hoover, Sumiton, and Helena. Birmingham and Bessemer are HUD Entitlement cities and have received their own HUD funding allocations. Hoover, Sumiton, and Helena chose not to participate in the county’s consortium.
The Commission has also approved $530,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds toward seven Habitat for Humanity single-family homes for eligible participants, two of which were just completed at the beginning of July.
The following agencies are set to receive funding:
- Pathways – Emergency Shelter Operations: $50,000 CDBG funds
- Pathways – Homelessness Prevention: $31,836 ARPA funds
- One Roof – Entry System grant agreement: $50,000 CDBG funds
- One Roof: $47,202 – Federal Emergency Solutions Grant Funds
- Bridge Ministries – Homelessness prevention: $85,000 Federal ESG funds
- Cooperative Downtown Ministries – Emergency Shelter Operations: $50,000 CDBG funds
For more information on the Jefferson County Commission, visit JCCAL.org.
