WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Senators Tom Carper and Chris Coons, along with Representative Lisa Blunt Rochester (all D-Del.) announced the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded $8,948,979 to 31 programs in Delaware that work to end homelessness and improve the lives of Delawareans.

This funding comes from the FY 2021 Continuum of Care (CoC) Competition Awards that aim to provide funding to communities to help individuals and families experiencing homelessness move into permanent housing with access to supportive services, with the overarching goal of long-term stability. The CoC program is the largest source of federal grant funding for homeless services and housing programs servicing people experiencing homelessness.

“Delaware has made great strides in its work to provide shelter and support to the homeless, but providing these folks with permanent housing continues to be a challenge,” said Senator Carper. “I am proud that the organizations receiving this funding will work together to help provide affordable permanent housing to so many Delawareans in need.”

“We need to dedicate resources to address the challenge of homelessness in our state,” said Senator Coons. “As the first Delaware senator on the Appropriations Committee in four decades, I’m proud to have helped deliver a broad array of resources to help ensure that all Delaware families have access to safe, sanitary, and affordable housing, and I’m glad to see some of this funding reaching dozens of amazing charitable organizations in Delaware who will use the money to provide housing and supportive services for our most vulnerable neighbors.”

“It’s of the utmost importance to me to ensure that Delawareans have access to safe, reliable, and affordable housing here in the First State,” said Representative Blunt Rochester. “I’m pleased that Delaware is receiving nearly $9 million in federal funding from HUD for 31 projects to do just that – help Delawareans experiencing homelessness secure permanent housing opportunities and homeless services through these projects.”

In Delaware, 31 projects were chosen and a full list can be found here. These projects aim to do the following:

  • End homelessness for all persons experiencing homelessness;
  • Use a Housing First approach;
  • Reduce unsheltered homelessness and reduce the criminalization of homelessness;
  • Improve system performance;
  • Partner with housing and health agencies, including to leverage and coordinate American Rescue Plan resources;
  • Advance racial equity and addressing racial disparities in homelessness; and
  • Engage people with lived experience of homelessness in decision-making.

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