COLUMBUS, Ohio) — The Ohio Department of Development today announced $15.7 million in grants to help Ohioans facing housing instability and homelessness find temporary, emergency shelter and permanent housing.
“Ensuring all Ohioans have the opportunity to live up to their full potential starts with access to safe and stable housing,” said Lydia Mihalik, director of the Department of Development. “With this investment, we’re making a meaningful impact on the lives of Ohioans facing housing challenges and empowering local organizations to expand their reach and effectiveness in addressing the immediate and longer-term needs of housing in their communities.”
In total, $15,745,200 in Ohio Housing Trust Fund (OHTF) dollars are being awarded through the Homeless Crisis Response program to assist 40 nonprofit and local government agencies across the state with homelessness prevention, rapid re-housing, and emergency shelter services. The funds will assist 31 agencies operating 37 emergency shelters and support 12 housing stability programs to benefit an estimated 39,000 Ohioans.
LOCALLY: The Caring Kitchen, Inc. (Champaign County) will receive a $135,900 grant to operate a 17-bed emergency shelter serving homeless men, women, and households with children in Champaign County. Funding will support shelter operations, and the grantee will provide housing search and placement, housing-focused case management, and referral to mainstream resources. The program expects to serve 285 people during the two-year grant period. Caring Kitchen projects 40 percent of people will find permanent housing after an average stay of 40 days.
The Homeless Crisis Response Program has two components: Emergency Shelter Operations and Housing Stability. The Emergency Shelter component provides for shelter operations, administration, and data evaluation in emergency shelters, while the Housing Stability component includes homelessness prevention, rapid re-housing, administration, and data evaluation.
Each of Ohio’s 88 counties is located within one of 25 homeless planning regions throughout the state. Grants are awarded yearly, with approximately half of the regions receiving funding every other year for two years.
The Ohio Department of Development empowers communities to succeed by investing in Ohio’s people, places, and businesses. Learn more about our work at development.ohio.gov.
