$3.7 Million Of HUD Funding To Help Baltimore Combat Youth Homelessness
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Millions of dollars from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development was allotted to Baltimore to help meet the needs of Baltimore City's homeless youth.
Mayor Jack Young, Senators Ben Cardin, and Chris Van Hollen and Congressman John Sarbanes announced $3.7 million in federal funding from HUD's Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program.
"I'd like to thank our federal partners for providing access to these critical funds," said Mayor Bernard C. "Jack" Young. "This grant will allow the City of Baltimore to develop a data-driven plan focused on the needs of unaccompanied youth and to initiate programs to better serve those in need of housing and supportive services. I have made it a priority in Baltimore to make homelessness, especially for our youth, rare and brief."
The money will help link Baltimore's homeless youth with city programs that can help get them the services they need.
We want to ensure that every child in our city has a safe and stable place to call home," said Senator Ben Cardin.
"Together, we will keep working to ensure that all Maryland families have access to safe and affordable housing," said Senator Chris Van Hollen.
Baltimore is currently working on a three-year action plan to make homelessness brief, and rare.
"We'll listen to children, and we're going to develop a plan, because quite frankly, we're proud of what Baltimore's taking on, but we hope we can have a news conference to say there's not a single homeless child in Baltimore City."
The funding can be used for permanent housing, transitional housing, supportive services, Homeless Management Information Systems, or homelessness prevention.
Baltimore is one of 23 cities receiving grants from HUD's Office of Special Needs Assitance Programs.
