Fla. Gets $85.8M to Address Housing Instability, Homelessness

By Kerry Smith

The money goes to rental assistance, emergency shelters and street outreach programs that connect unsheltered homeless people with local housing and essential services.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – On Friday, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced that Florida received $85.8 million in CARES Act funding to address housing instability and homelessness. The funds are being released in two separate disbursements ($20 million and $65 million), and will be used for rental assistance, emergency shelters, and street outreach programs that connect unsheltered homeless people with local housing and essential services.

“This federal funding will ensure those experiencing homelessness have the necessary level of support and can access the wraparound services they need to get back on their feet and begin or continue on their journey to economic stability and independence,” DeSantis said in his announcement.

In March 2020, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) allocated $2.96 billion through Emergency Solutions Grants to help homeless Americans, or those at risk of homelessness a due to financial setbacks caused by the pandemic.

The Department of Children and Families (DCF) will administer Florida’s Emergency Solutions Grant, which totals $85,896,094. DCF is a single point of contact for 27 Continuums of Care (CoCs) and other agencies, organizations and stakeholders serving Florida’s homeless population.

For more information on DCF’s Homelessness Program or a list of Continuum of Care Lead Agencies, visit the Florida Department of Children and Families’ website.

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