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Council accepts state and federal homelessness funds; HomeSafe partners secure 14 supportive units at Belmont Lofts
Summary
Council accepted VHSP and HUD entitlement funds to support coordinated entry, prevention and rapid rehousing. Deputy manager and homeless-services staff said HomeSafe combined ARPA and HOME-ARP funds to secure 14 HUD fair-market units at Belmont Lofts for permanent supportive housing, with move-ins expected as early as Nov. 1.
Council approved a series of measures accepting state and federal homelessness funds and appropriating HUD entitlement dollars as part of its Oct. 21 session.
Matt Alexander (homeless services) described the Virginia Homeless Solutions Program (VHSP) award as the city’s primary state funding stream for coordinated entry, prevention, rapid rehousing, HOPWA and HMIS. "These fund staff pay for a staff position to help us coordinate that system," he said, explaining the coordinated entry assessment, community queue and case-conferencing that match clients to housing resources.
Deputy City Manager Roman updated council on the HomeSafe program and a grant agreement with Belmont Lofts: 14 units will meet HUD fair market rent standards and be designated for HomeSafe participants out of 32 total units. Roman said HomeSafe combined the city’s ARPA funds with HOME-ARP to address shortages of HUD-fair-market units; he noted last year 50 voucher-holders could not use their vouchers because of rental-unit shortages. Staff said prospective tenants would be able to tour units and that move-ins could start as early as Nov. 1.
Council passed the VHSP resolution and related budget ordinance and also approved acceptance and appropriation of HUD entitlement funds (CDBG, HOME, ESG) by unanimous roll calls. Council members asked staff to provide clearer public explanations of how entitlement dollars are allocated and eligibility requirements.
