For Immediate Release (December 20, 2005)
For More Information Contact: Dar Baum, 605-773-3617
South Dakota Homeless and At-risk Populations to Benefit from more
than $1.1 Million in Federal Funding
(Pierre) – The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced today that four South Dakota projects were awarded funding under the Federal Continuum of Care Grant Competition.
My Home, receiving more than $300,000 in renewal funds for operating expenses, is a permanent supportive housing project in Sioux Falls that will provide intensive supportive services to people with severe mental disabilities, the majority of whom are chronically homeless. The project will provide 24 newly constructed apartments with common kitchen and living areas once it’s complete.
Cornerstone Rescue Mission will receive more than $640,000 and is a transitional housing project for homeless families with children in Rapid City. This program will provide up to 24 months intensive supportive services to help participants establish a plan to attain self sufficiency. It will assist families to receive financial assistance, job training, and establish good credit so they may work their way off the program. The project mirrors the highly successful program, Heartland House I & II in Sioux Falls.
Goodwill Industries in Sioux Falls continues to be a highly successful jobs training program that provides necessary skills and training to people who are homeless that have exited the Corrections System, but are unable to find suitable employment and are, therefore, unable to afford suitable housing due to limited job skills. This program continues to fill the gap between existing programs and continues to assist these people with the basic skills they need so that they can get suitable employment. Goodwill industries was awarded more than $53,000.
The final recipient, Sioux Fall Housing and Redevelopment Commission, will provide a continuation of an existing program that currently serves 19 households. This tenant based rental assistance program will serve homeless persons with serious mental illness, some of whom may also have chronic substance abuse problems. All participants receive supportive services and case management from Southeastern Behavioral Healthcare to help them to stabilize their lives and live in permanent housing. Sioux Falls Housing was awarded nearly $111,000.
The Continuum of Care Grant was submitted by the South Dakota Housing Development Authority of behalf of the State’s Housing for the Homeless Consortium. The Housing for the Homeless Consortium was created in 2001 to unite all who work to provide service for the homeless. The primary focus of the group is to identify gaps and programs and services that make it difficult for people to make it on their own. Since its inception, the statewide consortium has received grants totaling more than $6.7 million to provide development, operating, and supportive service funding to a variety of homeless programs across the state. For more information about the South Dakota Housing for the Homeless Consortium visit www.housingforthehomeless.org.
“This recent funding announcement is a big boost to our efforts in creating service-enriched, permanent housing opportunities for the homeless populations of South Dakota a goal of the State’s 2010 Initiative,” said Dar Baum, SDHDA Executive Director.
The South Dakota Housing Development Authority (SDHDA) is an independent, quasi-public agency that finances and develops affordable housing opportunities for low and moderate-income residents throughout South Dakota. SDHDA is totally self-supporting and receives no tax money, appropriations or other funding from the State. SDHDA does not discriminate against any person because of race, color, creed, religion, sex, handicapped, familial status or national origin. SDHDA is a proud partner of the State’s 2010 Initiative to “Brand and Develop South Dakota’s Quality of Life as the Best in America.” For more information, visit www.sdhda.org or www.2010initiative.com.
The South Dakota Housing Development Authority…Building a Better Quality of Life.
Note to reporters: For more information on the specific projects mention contact the following:
My Home: Supportive Housing Program (New Project). Contact: Bill Podhradsky with Development for the Disabled at (605) 224-5336 or bpodhradsky@tie.net
Cornerstone Rescue Mission Transitional Housing Program: Supportive Housing Program (New Project). Contact: Jim Castleberry, Executive Director, Cornerstone Rescue Mission at (605) 341-2741 or jimcsrm@rushmore.com
Goodwill Industries Vocational Success Program: Supportive Housing Program (Renewal). Contact: Betty Durfee, Goodwill Industries, (605) 731-1932 or durfeeb@goodwillscia.com.
Sioux Fall Housing and Redevelopment Commission: Shelter Plus Care (Renewal project). Contact: Shireen Ranschau, SF Housing at (605) 332-0704 or s_ranschau@siouxfallshousing.org.
