Homelessness

Overview

This office is responsible for administration of the State's Consolidated Homeless Fund (CHF) as well as planning related to the crisis of homelessness.



Consolidated Homeless Fund

The Consolidated Homeless Fund has brought together various resources available to support homelessness programs into a single, coordinated effort. The Consolidated Homeless Fund includes -

• Pawtucket Emergency Solutions/Shelter Funds
• Providence Emergency Solutions/Shelter Funds
• State of RI Emergency Solutions/Shelter Funds
• Title XX Shelter/Homeless Service Funds
• Housing Resource Commission Shelter/Homeless Service Funds

The Consolidated Homeless Fund provides grant funds to units of general local government and non-profit organizations that provide services to the homeless.  Units of general local government and non-profit organizations are encouraged to apply for funding for one or more the eligible activities listed below:

Eligible Activities:

• Essential Services Support for individuals and families who are in an emergency shelter. 
• Renovation Costs including major rehabilitation costs of an emergency shelter or conversion of a building into an emergency shelter. The emergency shelter must be owned by a government entity or private nonprofit organization.
• Shelter Operations - Eligible costs are the costs of maintenance (including minor or routine repairs), rent, security, fuel, equipment, insurance, utilities, food, furnishings, staffing and supplies necessary for the operation of the emergency shelter.
• Rapid Rehousing/State Rental Assistance - CHF funds may be used to provide housing relocation and stabilization services and short and/or medium-term rental assistance as necessary to help a homeless individual or family move as quickly as possible into permanent housing and achieve stability in that housing.
• HMIS Lead Eligible Costs - CHF funds may be used to pay the costs of contributing data to the HMIS designated by the Continuum of Care for the area, including the costs.

The Consolidated Homeless Fund does not provide direct support to individuals and families who are homeless.   For individuals and families who are homeless and looking for help, please click here.

Accomplishments

More than 4,000 persons annually find themselves in a homeless shelter or a place not meant for human habitation. This population is almost exclusively served by programs supported by the Consolidated Homeless Fund.

The Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program expired in 2012, after operating for 3 years and serving approximately 3,500 persons who would have been homeless but for this assistance. ESG funding will, in part, continue these successful efforts.

Housing First - At the end of 2011, the program housed 190 families. Participants in this program were homeless an average of 335 days the year prior to entering the program and were off and on homeless for an average of 7.6 years. Housing proved to be stable, with 80% of placements still housed after 12 months.