Mayor Reed Joins Federal and State Officials for Permanent Supportive Housing Grant Announcement

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Over $4 million in rental assistance to prevent homelessness or unnecessary institutionalization among Georgia’s low-income individuals with disabilities

ATLANTA – February 18, 2013 – (RealEstateRama) — Mayor Kasim Reed joined officials from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the State of Georgia’s Department of Community Affairs (DCA) today to announce the Section 811 Project Rental Assistance Demonstration Program (PRA Demo) major grant award. HUD and HHS awarded the Georgia Housing and Finance Authority (GHFA) $4.1 million for Georgians with disabilities who are likely to become homeless or unnecessary institutionalized.

“My administration is committed to reducing street homelessness in the City of Atlanta, and this grant will help our efforts tremendously,” said Mayor Kasim Reed. “We’ve already made great strides, and this grant furthers the Obama administration’s comprehensive strategy of preserving public housing for the working families, providing access to critical services and stemming the current loss of thousands of public housing units annually. I would like to thank the Obama Administration, HUD, HHS and the Georgia Department of Community Affairs for their collaboration and support in addressing this important issue and working to make a difference in the lives of families.”

GHFA will use this source of federal funding to offer rental assistance to 150 extremely low-income persons with disabilities, many of whom are transitioning out of institutional settings or are at extreme risk of homelessness. By working together, HUD and HHS are helping states like Georgia to offer permanent housing and critically needed supportive services to ensure these at-risk individuals find their place within the fabric of their community.

“This type of innovative and collaborative approach at the federal, state and local levels works to offer tangible and lasting solutions for those vulnerable persons who might otherwise be institutionalized or living on our streets,” said HUD Southeast Regional Administrator Ed Jennings, Jr. “We’re assisting states to reduce their health care costs, improve the quality of life for persons with disabilities, and are working to end homelessness. That is smart government.”

HUD’s support of these state agencies is made possible through the Section 811 Project Rental Assistance Demonstration Program (PRA Demo) which enables persons with disabilities who earn less than 30 percent of median income to live in integrated mainstream settings. The state housing agencies are working closely with their state Medicaid and health and human service counterparts to identify, refer, and conduct outreach to persons with disabilities who require long-term services and supports to live independently.

“We are pleased that this partnership will provide much needed assistance to thousands of low-income individuals,” said Renard L. Murray, D.M., CMS Regional Administrator – Atlanta and Dallas Regional Offices. “Many who receive Medicaid are moving from institutions into home- and community-based care. Many of these people are living with disabilities and are at risk of homelessness, and this partnership will give them freedom and resources to get the care they need in their own homes.”

Mike Beatty, Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, noted, “This is one of the most comprehensive partnerships we’ve entered into, with two major federal agencies and three Georgia agencies, plus the City of Atlanta, all working together to address a true problem for extremely low income citizens with disabilities, and I’m proud of the team that has developed this new program for Georgia.”

The Georgia Housing and Finance Authority, whose programs are administered by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, joined with the Georgia Department of Community Health, the state’s Medicaid Agency, in the development of Georgia’s Section 811 PRA Demo Program to further the state’s commitment to provide integrated housing opportunities with support services to extremely low income persons with disabilities. GHFA is the state entity allocating federal and state Low Income Housing Tax Credits and is the recipient of funds from the Department of Housing and Urban Development under the federal HOME Investment Partnerships Program and Continuum of Care programs.

The rental assistance announced today supports the Obama Administration’s strategy to prevent and end homelessness. The Dedicating Opportunities to End Homelessness (DOEH) Initiative is a joint effort by HUD and the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) to help communities match their homeless supports with other mainstream resources such as housing choice vouchers, public housing, private multifamily housing units, and other federally funded services. The initiative is beginning in 10 critically important communities: Atlanta, Chicago, Fresno County, Los Angeles County, Houston, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Phoenix/Maricopa County, Seattle, and Tampa.

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For more information about the City of Atlanta, please visit http://www.atlantaga.gov or watch City Channel 26. Follow the City of Atlanta on Facebook and Twitter @City_of_Atlanta. Follow Mayor Reed on Facebook and Twitter @Kasim Reed

Contact:

Sonji Jacobs, Director
404-330-6558, office
404-276-6866, cell

Reese McCranie, Deputy Director
404-330-6006, office
404-886-2334, cell

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