Carbon County agencies report strained homelessness services, HUD funding uncertainty

Carbon County housing and service providers and county officials described stretched resources, rising demand and federal funding uncertainty during a multi‑agency meeting on homelessness services.

County law enforcement and service providers said they continue to respond to encampments and calls as they come in, while shelters and outreach programs reported high call volumes and long wait lists. A regional Continuum of Care representative said the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has sent a “very cryptic” notice that could change a two‑year funding cycle promised to providers.

The discussion matters because local agencies said their ability to place people in housing, run warming shelters and provide case management could be reduced if federal or state funds are cut. Providers described ongoing outreach, planned landlord recruitment efforts and limited program capacity.

“We handle call volume as it comes in,” Chief Abelovsky said, describing patrol and outreach constraints and noting staffing limits. “We try to do the best we can with the manpower that we have at the times that things come in.”

Mary Penny, a representative of the Eastern Pennsylvania Continuum of Care (CoC), said HUD earlier signaled it would fund a two‑year Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)…