More than 4,000 people were helped by area homeless prevention programs paid for by federal stimulus money that are now winding down, federal and state officials say.
But with the economy still struggling, advocates for the homeless will have to find other ways to keep people out of shelters at the same time the Tarrant County Homeless Coalition projects a 9 percent increase in evictions in the county this year, coalition Executive Director Cindy Crain said."We are deeply concerned that prevention dollars are once again going to return to the levels of 2008," Crain said. "It was not enough then when evictions were 20 percent less than what we are experiencing now and our family shelters were not at near 100 percent capacity."About $7 million in Homeless Prevention and Rapid Rehousing Program funds were awarded in two-year grants in 2009, and most are over now or are ending, Crain said.The stimulus money was part of $1.5 billion distributed nationally by the Housing and Urban Development Department. It was intended to provide short-term help paying rent and utilities for people in danger of homelessness.Only five agencies still offer the prevention services, Crain said.Tarrant County Human Services has spent $376,885 helping 137 households and recently certified 15 more, Executive Director Gerald Smith said.But the agency is no longer taking applications, he said.Social service leaders will have to collaborate to strengthen programs and create initiatives, just as they did when funding for other services ended, Smith said."I believe that the referral network within Tarrant County ... will be very active in the months to come to ensure that families are presented with opportunities to avoid homelessness," Smith said.'Worth all the headaches'Tarrant County and the cities of Fort Worth and Arlington received stimulus funding that they awarded in grants to agencies that serve the county. Almost 2,800 people were helped as of June 30, the most recent reporting period available, according to HUD.The state, which also received stimulus money, gave the Community Storehouse in Keller almost $1 million and the Salvation Army DFW Command almost $900,000, said Gordon Anderson, spokesman for the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs.Together, they helped about 1,300 people and spent all but about $4,000, he said."I think the money was spent wisely and well in Tarrant County," he said.Not all opinions are as enthusiastic. While officials with organizations that participated say the program clearly helped some families avoid homelessness, confusing and rigid federal rules caused frustration along the way.The red tape was daunting, the forms that needed to be filled out changed during the process and reimbursements from Fort Worth were delayed, they said. If someone at an agency made a mistake certifying a person for help, the agency later had to repay the money.Clients who got help were also sometimes hard to track down later, making it hard to determine how effective the assistance was."In hindsight, I wish we had never done it," said an official with one local organization who spoke on condition of anonymity.Taryn Freeze, director of supportive services at the Cornerstone Assistance Network, said she believes, overall, that the program worked."In the grand scheme, it was worth all the headaches along the way," Freeze said. "They had to get all the programs started so quickly that it's sort of remarkable there wasn't more drama."New moneyNot all agencies are finished with the program. Texas ReEntry Services, which helps ex-offenders readjust to society, has struggled at times to find applicants who are eligible, founder Kay Smith said.She expects to offer services through May, she said."We have people coming in, but sometimes they don't meet the criteria or fall within the boundaries," she said. "They may not be in as much jeopardy as they think because they are actually just spending unwisely."HUD will soon propose regulations for a new Emergency Solutions Grant Program to provide more funding for homeless prevention, Crain said. The money can pay for operating a shelter or for short-term homeless prevention assistance.The grants, however, will be much smaller than the stimulus awards, Crain said."These don't compare to the recovery funds," she said. "But at least it is something to help prevent people from becoming homeless."Alex Branch, 817-390-7689Have more to add? News tip? Tell us
