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Catholic Charities seeks continued funding for security deposits; staffing request filed separately
Summary
Catholic Charities described a long‑running security‑deposit assistance program that helps households at or below 60% AMI with upfront move‑in costs; last year the agency reported assisting 89 households, an average deposit of $994, and asked the IURA to continue funding for the program and to consider a separate staffing request.
Catholic Charities’ Samaritan Center described its security‑deposit assistance program and requested continued IURA funding for a HOME‑funded security‑deposit pool. Leslie, Samaritan Center coordinator, said the program has operated for more than 25 years and fills a gap for households who are ineligible for DSS assistance but cannot afford first‑month rent plus a deposit.
Program details and usage: Catholic Charities said last year the program served 89 households representing approximately 150 people and that 56 percent of recipients were housed in the City of Ithaca. The average deposit paid in the last funding cycle was $994. The program typically serves households at or below 60 percent AMI and can assist roughly 65–100 households a year depending on deposit amounts and demand.
Eligibility and process: applicants usually must document a lease and landlord participation and historically the program required a DSS denial letter (the agency said that denial requirement was dropped to speed processing). Catholic Charities said the program often requires coordination with multiple agencies (DSS, landlords, employer verification and inspection entities) and that typical applications take about two weeks to process, though complex cases can take longer.
Staffing request: Catholic Charities additionally filed a separate staffing request tied to security‑deposit processing. Program staff said security‑deposit coordination consumes a large share of a coordinator’s time (roughly 40 percent of staff time according to the presentation) and that the organization relies on Human Services Coalition housing specialists and other community partners for placement assistance.
Risk and funding continuity: presenters said about 38 percent of last year’s recipients were homeless or housing‑insecure and warned that cuts to federal funding streams (notably HUD‑linked funds) would require pausing the program. Catholic Charities asked the IURA to consider both the deposit pool and the staffing request in the entitlement allocations.
Next steps: the IURA will review Catholic Charities’ security deposit and staffing requests as separate items in the entitlement process. Catholic Charities said the security‑deposit funding is strictly for deposits; funds do not cover ongoing rental arrears or stabilization services and clients in danger of losing housing are referred to other programs.
