Blog: Homelessness Ends Here

According to an analysis from the Chronicle of Philanthropy, the Department of Housing and Urban Development would receive $7.4-billion in new federal spending in the 2010 budget the Obama administration released today. The department would receive nearly $48-billion next year, an increase of more than 18 percent.

More from the Chronicle article:

The Community Block Grants program would receive $550-million in new money, for a total of $4.5- billion, while programs to help the homeless would receive nearly $1.8-billion, an increase of $117-million.

“We are quite pleased that the president has included the initial capitalization for the housing trust fund in the budget, though we would like the money to come from a dedicated source of revenue other than HUD appropriations,” says Sheila Crowley, president of the National Low Income Housing Coalition, in Washington. “There are important increases in some other programs and we think overall it’s a very good direction.”

For information and analysis about the President's FY 2010 budget proposal from the National Alliance to End Homelessness, click here. The Alliance's highlights of funding for homeless programs include:

• $1.8 billion for McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grants, an increase of $117 million over FY 2009;
• $46.3 billion for HUD programs, an 11 percent increase;
• $1 billion for a National Affordable Housing Trust Fund;
• $68 million for the Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (PATH) program, an $8 million increase over the FY 2009 level;
• $19 million for a new DC Housing First Initiative to provide supportive housing to homeless individuals and families;
• $26 million for a pilot program to prevent homelessness for veterans.