The funding will help ensure the Yonkers Housing Authority’s Medical and Substance Abuse Outreach remains in operation through the current year.
“We know these modest investments in housing and serving our homeless neighbors not only saves money, but saves lives,” HUD Director Shaun Donovan said in a statement. “These local programs are on the front lines of the Obama Administration's efforts to prevent and end homelessness as we know it once and for all.”
The Yonkers program was one of 40 homeless assistance programs in New York to receive grants, which totaled $6,047,574 statewide and $72,189,033 nationally.
Nearby, three locations in White Plains were awarded a total of nearly $300,000 and the City of Mount Vernon was awarded about $33,000.
These are the second of three rounds of funding HUD is expected to award this year. The first grants were awarded March 11 and totaled about $1.54 million.
The competitive grants, part of the Continuum of Care program, are awarded to local projects to support services like street outreach, assessment programs and transitional and permanent housing for the homeless.
HUD officials said it is part of a strategic plan to help prevent and end homelessness, a problem that rose in New York by 9.6 percent in 2012. The number of sheltered and unsheltered families with children increased in 2012, according to HUD.
“This federal funding also provides respite to so many dedicated organizations; staff, advocates, and volunteers that see the need and work tirelessly to assist the men, women, children, and veterans that still need shelter and a place to call home,” said Acting Regional Administrator Mirza Orriols.
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