Help for Homeless May Be On Way to Washington County

HAGERSTOWN, MD News (8/2/2023) – In the latter part of July 2023, the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development made a momentous announcement, disclosing a substantial funding of $7.1 million for the Homelessness Solutions Program. This initiative aims to extend support to various organizations across the state, addressing the urgent issue of homelessness. The funds will be allocated to Continuums of Care throughout Maryland, with the primary objective of diminishing reliance on emergency shelters and expediting access to permanent housing for the state’s unhoused population.

As part of this program, Washington County is seeking a considerable share of $831,773 from the overall $7 million fund. The funding distribution for the greater Hagerstown area will encompass $652,433 for renewing existing projects, along with an additional $179,340 designated for enhancing permanent housing and shelter diversion programs, as directed by the Maryland DHCD.

Jake Day, the Secretary of the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development, emphasized the fundamental belief that every resident of Maryland deserves a secure and stable permanent housing situation. He stressed that the allocated funds are intended to accelerate the process of providing a secure and dignified home for the most vulnerable individuals experiencing homelessness.

Under this program, Continuums of Care will actively collaborate with residents to ensure prompt connections to permanent housing while offering tailored supportive services to meet individual household needs. The allocation of funds to grantees will be determined based on a formula that considers each jurisdiction’s proportion of the state’s homeless population and local Fair Market Rents.

Moreover, the department is set to undertake a comprehensive review of all shelters supported by the Homelessness Solutions Program, with a focus on prioritizing permanent housing outcomes. This review process will involve personalized shelter assessments and improvement plans, identifying opportunities to reallocate funds from shelters to permanent housing, thereby increasing the number of households transitioning out of homelessness. Shelters will also be required to meet the department’s policies, standards, and service criteria during the review.

The interplay of funding and review aims to ensure that Continuums of Care across Maryland can rapidly facilitate housing solutions for the state’s most vulnerable populations while aligning with the department’s overarching goals.

The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development has embraced nationally recognized best practices, including Housing First, Rapid Rehousing, and Permanent Supportive Housing, which have demonstrated substantial success in reducing homelessness. Thanks to these approaches and substantial state investments, Maryland has achieved a commendable 36 percent reduction in homelessness since 2015, as per the HUD Point-In-Time Count.