U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Marcia Fudge on May 17 announced the allocation of $5 billion in American Rescue Plan funds for emergency housing vouchers for individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness.
The supplemental funding is allocated through the Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) program. Through EHV, HUD is providing 70,000 housing choice vouchers to local public housing authorities (PHAs) across the country to help Americans find and remain in housing.
Fifteen housing authorities in New Jersey will receive a total of 1,595 vouchers to provide homes to vulnerable residents who have endured the COVID-19 pandemic.
“While most of us spent more time in our homes than we ever have, more than half a million Americans had to spend the last year either in crowded shelters or sleeping outside,” said Fudge. “With HUD’s swift allocation of this $5 billion in American Rescue Plan funding, we are providing communities the resources to give homes to the people who have had to endure the COVID-19 pandemic without one. Congress now needs to pass the President’s American Jobs Plan. This once-in-a-generation investment would bring the United States closer to ending homelessness and housing instability.”
“Even prior to the pandemic, homelessness was increasing in New Jersey. HUD’s emergency housing vouchers will provide vital resources to communities across the Garden State to house individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness or those at risk of homelessness,” said Justin Scheid, HUD Newark Field Office director.
The $5 billion in EHV-ARP funding is the second of two homelessness-related funding opportunities from the American Rescue Plan that HUD released. In April, HUD announced the allocation of $5 billion in ARP funds to increase affordable housing to address homelessness.
