Fran Olliver of Mercy Ministries is not a responsible agency. Give it to a program that expects something back from whom they help like the Salvation Army.
The city of Augusta is seeking partners to help house the homeless, and today's the deadline for agencies wanting the job to state their interest.
The Housing and Community Development Department is preparing an application for federal grants through U.S. Housing and Urban Development's Continuum of Care Homeless Assistance Program. Community Development Manager Vicki Johnson said Augusta will apply for $770,250. Of that, $448,314 will be dispersed to Hope House, Goodwill Industries, CSRA Economic Opportunity Authority Inc. and the city government for a homeless tracking system.
Ms. Johnson said the remaining $321,936 could go toward permanent, affordable housing for people living on the streets or in shelters. Surveys and head counts in 2007 put Augusta's annual homeless population at about 7,000.
Depending on which developers, nonprofits or other agencies step forward and what plans they propose, the city could seek hundreds of thousands more. One program offers $231,075 if the plan is to house families with children where parents face such issues as job loss, mental illness, substance abuse and poor credit. Another program offers $115,538 toward housing the chronically homeless.
More than one program could be applied for, and more than one agency could be chosen, Ms. Johnson said.
Applications are due to Housing and Community Development by Sept. 11, but to be eligible, agencies must register with the HUD Web site by today and give their password to Ms. Johnson.
The city's application to HUD is due Sept. 24.
Reach Johnny Edwards at (706) 823-3225 or johnny.edwards@augustachronicle.com.
HOW TO REGISTER
To create a profile online, go to www.hud.gov/esnaps. Register, then call Vicki Johnson at (706) 821-1797 and give her your password.
LOCAL DISBURSEMENT OF THE CONTINUUM OF CARE HOMELESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
City of Augusta (for its Homeless Management Information Systems): $181,027
CSRA Economic Opportunity Authority Inc.: $119,081
Goodwill Industries Inc.: $89,664
Hope House Inc.: $58,542
Source: Vicki Johnson, community development manager for Housing and Community Development
Comments
Fran Olliver of Mercy Ministries is not a responsible agency. Give it to a program that expects something back from whom they help like the Salvation Army.
These people expecting handouts should be required to have drug tests. They should also have to work at least a 4 to 6 hour day doing something for the county. Cleaning the buses, cleaning downtown or picking up trash. That way they are at least doing something to contribute to society not sitting there watching TV all day. If they expect a free meal and a place to hang out and sleep let them work for it. There is no reason that five or six single mothers cant combine their time to watch the kids while two watch the kids and the other four go to work and pay their bills! Why cant we get a program to do something like this?
Posted by FedupwithAUG on Tue Aug 26, 2008 10:30 PM
sarg, you're right! people should be expected to put back in what they take out, accountable for their expenses and this free stuff at tax payers expense should be considered more like assistance not free. Records ought to show who is capable of putting something back into the system. If Augusta is expected to act like parents to the homeless then these 7,000 people should work together to assist Augusta.
Right on smt!!!!! But that would't work, it would make these people become somewhat responsible for their actions.
Sargent you are absolutely right!!!!!!!
Thanks for the repost Sarg!
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