Albany, NY – March 3, 2010 – (RealEstateRama) — The State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) today announced that nearly $4.7 million has been awarded to fund homeless housing and related support services in the cities of Utica and Ithaca.
JCTOD Outreach, Inc., in Utica, and Tompkins County Community Action Agency, in Ithaca, will use the funds from OTDA’s Homeless Housing and Assistance Program (HHAP) to create over 20 units of permanent housing for homeless women.
“Supportive housing is often the first, essential step in helping families and individuals build foundations for a better future,” said Kristin Proud, Deputy Secretary for Human Services, Technology and Operations, who is currently overseeing OTDA. “It is critical that we do all we can to help some of our most vulnerable individuals – the elderly, victims of domestic violence, the mentally disabled and homeless youth – move toward economic security. This project will help accomplish that goal.”
Tompkins County Community Action will use $2.7 million from HHAP to construct 14 studio units to house homeless single women and women with children, with a priority of securing housing for those who are in recovery from alcohol and/or drug addiction. The project, called Magnolia House, will be adjacent to Chartwell House, a Tompkins Community Action supportive housing program for men in recovery, which was funded by HHAP in 2000. This project includes constructing a central core joining Magnolia and Chartwell House, where supportive services will be centralized.
JCTOD will use $1.9 million in HHAP funding to renovate two two-family houses that will house homeless women with mental health disabilities. The City of Utica has committed $211,724 in HOME funds for the project, which will be used for acquisition and development-related costs.
Both organizations have received HHAP funds before through OTDA. Excluding the current awards, JCTOD has received nearly $3 million in HHAP funds since 1996 and Tompkins County Community Action has been awarded over $1.5 million since 1999.
OTDA has awarded $30 million in HHAP funding this year, providing capital grants and loans to not-for-profit corporations, charitable and religious organizations, municipalities and public corporations to acquire, construct or rehabilitate housing for those who are homeless, or at risk of homelessness, and are unable to secure adequate housing without special assistance.
HHAP meets a distinct need in New York by providing funding to develop housing for various special needs populations. Since the program’s inception, it has assisted in the development of housing for families, adolescents, persons in recovery, mentally ill individuals, persons living with HIV/AIDS, individuals recently released from incarceration and veterans. HHAP is designed to help all families and individuals move out of homelessness and poverty and achieve the highest level of independence possible.
New York State, through HHAP, has been at the forefront in recognizing the value of providing supported housing for homeless families and individuals. HHAP has been utilized successfully by community organizations to develop more than 13,000 units of housing in New York State. In many instances, HHAP is the only State resource available to fund the capital development of these types of projects.
