April 12, 2021

HUD Announces $5B to Help Homeless; Fla. to Get $254M

By Kerry Smith

Of the Fla. cities and counties allocated funds for fighting homelessness, Miami-Dade County tops the list with $17.6M, followed by Broward with $14M.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Marcia L. Fudge announced that nearly $5 billion in American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds will go toward affordable housing and services for people currently homeless or at risk of becoming so.

In Florida, 38 counties or cities will share about $254 million. The largest dollar amount goes to Miami-Dade County at $17,686,235. The smallest allocation goes to North Miami at $1,088,181. The supplemental funding is allocated through HUD’s HOME Investment Partnerships Program to 651 grantees, including states, insular areas, and local governments.

“Homelessness in the United States was increasing even before COVID-19, and we know the pandemic has only made the crisis worse,” says Fudge. “With this strong funding, communities across the country will have the resources needed to give homes to the people who have had to endure the COVID-19 pandemic without one.”

The $4.925 billion in HOME-ARP funding gives states flexibility to meet the people’s needs, including through development of affordable housing, tenant-based rental assistance, supportive services, and acquisition and development of non-congregate shelter units. Funds must be spent by 2030.