HIRONO ANNOUNCES MORE THAN $10.7 MILLION FOR HAWAII HOMELESSNESS REDUCTION EFFORTS

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Mazie K. Hirono announced more than $10.7 million in federal funds for Hawaii homelessness reduction programs. This investment is part of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Continuum of Care Program, which supports programs including street outreach, client assessment and housing assistance. Hawaii organizations receiving funding include: City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii Department of Human Services, Legal Aid Society of Hawaii, United States Veterans Initiative, Salvation Army, Steadfast Housing Development Corporation and others.

“Homelessness is heartbreaking, especially when it affects families and children,” said Senator Hirono. “I recently met a bright young woman at an Oahu public high school who achieves excellent grades and is a leader on campus, yet she and her family remain homeless. Her principal actually lets her and her brother into the school early each day so that they can shower. These significant Continuum of Care grants are good news for the organizations who are helping end and prevent tragic stories like this. We must continue to fight to ensure that these kinds of resources remain available even in the difficult budget environment in Washington.”

According to HUD, Continuum of Care grants are awarded competitively to local projects to meet the needs of individuals and families experiencing homelessness in their community. The grants fund a wide variety of programs from street outreach and assessment to transitional and permanent housing for homeless persons and families. HUD funds are a critical part of the Obama Administration’s strategic plan to prevent and end homelessness. According to research from the University of Hawaii, nearly 14,000 people in Hawaii received support from either homeless shelters or other outreach services in the 2013 fiscal year. Of these individuals, nearly 20 percent had either a part- or full-time job, almost 16 percent were families with children and nearly 10 percent were veterans.