FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 18, 2005

LANSING – Today, Governor Jennifer Granholm and Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) Director Michael DeVos announced that MSHDA has approved $10 million in combined federal and state dollars to assist eight communities in Michigan in establishing permanent supportive housing programs for the chronically homeless.

A chronically homeless person is defined as an unaccompanied individual with a disabling condition who has been continuously homeless for more than one year. These individuals often have mental health problems, are unable to earn a steady income, and have no way to receive the services and income supports to which they are entitled. In Michigan, it is estimated that approximately 6,000 to 8,000 men and women – approximately 15-20 percent of the total homeless population – across the state are chronically homeless.

“For our state and our economy to be to truly strong,” Granholm said, “we must do all that we can to get all of our citizens the care and support they need to become productive members of our communities. I am pleased to see state and local governments collaborating with local shelters and nonprofit service providers to address the needs of Michigan’s most vulnerable citizens.”

Battle Creek, Benton Harbor, Detroit, Flint, Lansing, Muskegon, Pontiac and Saginaw will share the MSHDA grant. In Detroit, $3 million has been committed, and each of the other seven communities will receive up to $1 million. Communities were selected based on the number of chronically homeless; the number of existing shelter beds, number of bed nights, and capacity to meet the need; and poverty levels within the community.

Communities receiving the grants will receive technical assistance and project review through an Interagency Service Team comprised of staff from the Michigan Department of Community Health, the Department of Human Services, the Department of Corrections, and MSHDA. The funds may be used for development costs associated with the new construction, acquisition/ rehabilitation, or master leasing of existing units to create permanent supportive housing for people who are chronically homeless.

DeVos cited a statewide plan to end homelessness, which is being developed by a partnership of government and local agencies and is expected to be completed by spring 2006.

“Over the years, many innovative programs have been created around the state to address the housing and service needs of Michigan’s poorest citizens – homeless individuals and families. For the first time, communities and the state are working together in a coordinated way to end homelessness in our state,” DeVos said. “Through this collaboration of state agencies, local governments, and service providers, we can provide the poorest members of society with housing, services, and needed income supports and work toward the goal of eliminating chronic homelessness in Michigan.”

The announcement was made during Homeless Awareness Week, a statewide campaign to educate the public about the many reasons people are homeless, the shortage of affordable housing for low-income people, and the diligent work that homeless assistance providers are doing to bring relief to those most in need.

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