More than $200,000 in federal funding will be granted to Chautauqua County to support homeless housing and service programs.

Last week, The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced nearly $2.2 billion in grants to support thousands of local homeless assistance programs across the nation. HUD’s Continuum of Care grants will provide critically needed support to approximately 6,593 local programs on the front lines, serving individuals and families experiencing homelessness.

New York state local homeless housing and service programs will receive $214,895,469 for 520 projects. This is an increase of $15,144,347 from the past year.

“The nearly $215 million in grants being awarded today by the Trump Administration marks yet another year of record level of funding aimed at reducing homelessness in New York,” said Lynne Patton, HUD regional administrator for New York and New Jersey. “HUD recognizes the importance of supporting New York’s local homeless assistance programs.”

Chautauqua County will receive $211,121 for four programs. The Shelter Plus Care Project will receive $84,288, Chautauqua Rapid Rehousing will receive $82,242, Chautauqua County Planning Department will receive $23,615 and Chautauqua Homeless Management Information System will receive $20,976.

HUD continues to support state and local planning organizations called “Continuums of Care” to support highest performing programs that have proven effective in meeting the needs of persons experiencing homelessness.

HUD Continuum of Care grants are designed to assist individuals and families experiencing homelessness, particularly those living in places not meant for habitation, located in sheltering programs, or at imminent risk of becoming homeless. Each year, HUD serves more than a million people through emergency shelter, transitional, and permanent housing programs.

HUD’s 2019 Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress found that 567,715 persons experienced homelessness on a single night in 2019, an increase of 2.7% since 2018 but nearly 11% decline since 2010. The number of families with children experiencing homelessness declined 5% from 2018 and more than 32 since 2010. Local communities also reported a continuing trend in reducing veteran homelessness across the country — the number of veterans experiencing homelessness fell 2.1% since January 2018 and by 50% since 2010.