The Long Beach Continuum of Care (CoC) announced Tuesday it has been given its largest award—$8.17 million—from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to combat homelessness in Long Beach.
CoC, led by the Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services – Homeless Division, works with the Multi-Service Center to take in clients to help them get back on their feet, find housing and learn about supportive services. The Multi-Service Center averages 26,000 client visits annually, according to a statement from the City of Long Beach.
The $8.17 million award is divided into two parts. $1.06 million of it is aimed to expand housing and support services, while the remaining $7.11 million will be used to support ongoing homeless projects and add new planning capabilities.
“These competitive grant awards represent the confidence of our federal partners in our compassionate approach to homelessness,” said Mayor Robert Garcia in a statement.
During the 2013 HUD competition, the CoC was designated as a Unified Funding Agency (UFA), and is only one of two CoCs nationwide to receive this status. The UFA establishes greater local control and decision marking authority over federal funding for homeless individuals, according to the city’s statement.
The grant will help fund two new projects to support the UFA planning activities in Long Beach, according to the CoC.
“Obtaining the Unified Funding Agency designation demonstrates our ability to effectively manage resources and build partnerships to address homelessness in Long Beach,” said Kelly Colopy, Director of the Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services, in a statement. “The Continuum of Care’s performance-based approaches and targeted local resources for Veterans and chronically homeless individuals as well as the engagement of diverse stakeholders are key aspects of our work, which allow us to meet the critical needs of the Long Beach community.”