Cumberland County commissioners on July 10 approved seeking Emergency Solutions Grant funding through the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development and approved a contract addendum to expand emergency shelter funding for domestic violence services. Mary Cooney, speaking for the Housing Redevelopment Authority, said the county would apply for $481,400 on behalf of three local providers: Safe Harbor, Community Cares and Domestic Violence Services of Cumberland and Perry County. "This year, we would like to ask the county to apply for $481,400 that would be for 3 entities in the county: Safe Harbor, Community Cares, and our domestic violence services of Cumberland and Perry County," Cooney said. She described the grant as focused on emergency housing — "emergency shelter, rapid rehousing, street outreach" — and explained the county applies through DCED because it is not large enough to receive certain federal funds directly. Cooney told commissioners the county typically requests more than it receives. "Each year DCED sort of gives us half of what we request," she said, adding the county aims to spend awarded funds promptly so future requests are viewed favorably. Separately, Kim Lynch of the Department of Aging and Community Services presented an addendum to provide additional funding for emergency shelter operations, including hotel placements when shelters are full. "This addendum is for domestic violence. This is for the 24-25 fiscal year to give additional funding, for emergency shelter services," Lynch said. Commissioners moved and seconded both items and approved them during the meeting. The application would list Cumberland County as the applicant and the Housing Redevelopment Authority as the administrator that would manage distribution to the three subrecipients if funds are awarded. The transcript indicates expectation that DCED will likely award a reduced amount compared with the county’s request, and agencies named plan to use funds for rental assistance, case management and shelter operations. Details on how any award would be allocated among the three agencies, or an exact award timeline, were not specified at the meeting. The board also approved the domestic-violence shelter addendum without further public discussion. The move positions the county to continue funding emergency housing services for people experiencing homelessness and survivors of domestic violence pending DCED’s award decision.