Taking aim at homelessness

Arlington gets funds to help with rent subsidies, security deposits, moving costs and emergency lodging

Virginia has awarded Arlington County more than $363,000 in an effort to prevent homelessness.

The two-year grant will go toward the area's Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program, a national initiative to help people stay in their homes, connect them with resources and benefits and develop housing stability plans.

"Homelessness is and continues to be a very real problem here in Arlington," said Arlington County Board Chairman Barbara A. Favola (D). "What this does is enable us to protect our safety-net programs. These families are hardworking. The last thing you want to happen in these difficult times is to have families become homeless because they were victims of the economy."

Those who qualify for the program are eligible to receive rent subsidies, security deposits, utility deposits and payments, moving costs and emergency lodging, said Cindy Stevens, Arlington's housing bureau chief. The program will re-house and stabilize those who are homeless, she said. Only Arlington residents are eligible to receive the funds.

"This is short- and medium-term help to help people get back on their feet," Stevens said. "It's for people who don't have any support."

According to county officials, the state's grant will enable the county to offer financial aid to about 50 households and to provide management and outreach to 90 households. Arlington's Department of Human Services and Northern Virginia Family Service, a nonprofit organization, will use the grant money to provide support and case management services to families.

At its Oct. 27 meeting, the County Board appropriated the grant from the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development. That cleared the way for the funds to be distributed.

The county received $728,000 for the program in stimulus funds in July from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The Arlington Street People's Assistance Network (A-SPAN), the Arlington-Alexandria Coalition for the Homeless and Doorways for Women and Families will provide housing assistance and homelessness-prevention services using the federal funds.

"These are people who are on the edge," said Kathy Sibert, executive director of A-SPAN. "In the past, we didn't have money to help them. Now, we have money to help them get stabilized."

The federal government granted Virginia $11.4 million under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. After Virginia received the money, officials solicited competitive grant proposals from various nonprofit groups and governments. Arlington submitted its proposal in June and was one of several winners.

Organizations have begun taking applications from those seeking assistance. Anyone interested in learning more about the program should contact the county's Department of Human Services at 703-228-1300 or call Northern Virginia Family Service at 703-769-4617.