BISMARCK, ND – The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded a $2.1 million competitive grant to North Dakota’s Homeless Continuum of Care (CoC) to support the work of nonprofit providers, public housing authorities and government agencies that provide housing and support services to people experiencing homelessness.
“Addressing homelessness in an impactful way takes a coordinated community effort. We, in North Dakota, are fortunate to have local agencies and government partners committed to working together to provide shelter as well as understand and address the root causes of homelessness,” said North Dakota Housing Finance Agency (NDHFA) Executive Director Dave Flohr.
The HUD grant supports:
- fifteen programs across the state that provide housing and supportive services to individuals and families experiencing homelessness using a Coordinated Entry system.
- a Homeless Management Information System used to collect data on the provision of housing and services.
- funding for CoC planning.
“Homelessness rarely comes with a singular solution. Once safe housing is secured for an individual or a family, other issues like employment, medical concerns, and even addiction can be tackled. These funds will help the CoC with its mission of getting individuals and families who’ve experienced homelessness into permanent, stable housing, with the support services they need,” said Shawnel Willer, ND CoC Coordinator.
The goal of HUD’s CoC program is to promote a communitywide commitment with the goal of ending homelessness. The program provides funding to support efforts to end homelessness, promotes access to and effective utilization of programs, and optimizes the self-sufficiency of individuals and families experiencing homelessness. HUD’s funding notice, the CoC’s collaborative application, and funding results are available online.
ND CoC’s geographic area encompasses all 53 of North Dakota’s counties, its cities, towns, and unincorporated areas, as well as the state’s five federally recognized tribes. More information about the CoC and the state’s homeless service providers is available on the CoC website. Individuals and families in immediate need of assistance should call FirstLink’s 2-1-1 helpline.
A self-supporting and mission-driven state agency, NDHFA is dedicated to making housing affordable for all North Dakotans. The agency staffs the CoC and is the collaborative applicant, developing the grant application on the CoC’s behalf. The North Dakota Industrial Commission, consisting of Governor Doug Burgum as chairman, Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring and Attorney General Drew H. Wrigley, oversees NDHFA.
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