This funding also included new dollars for several Domestic Violence housing programs and a Domestic Violence-specific Coordinated Access program. Domestic Violence survivors often find themselves facing a housing crisis, but for safety reasons have not been able to access The Way Home’s housing programs, due to privacy and confidentiality concerns. This new Domestic Violence Coordinated Access program will allow survivors to receive housing through The Way Home while maintaining their confidentiality and protecting their safety.

The Way Home CoC had initially applied for $37,007,152 but was awarded the more than $38 million to include increases in market rental rates, as well as the new funding. While the 2018 Homeless Count showed that 4,143 people experience homelessness in our region at any point in time, we know that tens of thousands of people access some type of homelessness or related service over the course of a year. In fact, the Coalition for the Homeless’ Research team projects that 54,000 people will access services in 2019 – anything from emergency shelter or contact with street outreach teams to employment or food pantry assistance.

This federal assistance combined with local philanthropic support and the monetary, in-kind, and volunteer assistance from the local community are sure to allow The Way Home to continue to lead the nation on solving homelessness.