CLEARFIELD – Clearfield County will apply for an $87,260 Emergency Solutions Grant for rapid housing and homeless prevention assistance, announced Community Development Specialist Lisa Kovalick at Tuesday’s regular commissioners’ meeting.
The grant is being made available through the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. If awarded, Kovalick said it will be used to benefit homeless individuals and families by providing financial and rental assistance.
Additionally, she said assistance will be available to individuals and families facing eviction from their housing. She said the overall goal will be to keep individuals and families facing these types of dilemmas permanently housed.
According to her, any applicant will be required to work with a case manager to develop a housing plan. The plan will help them attain permanent housing, and the county will partner with Cen-Clear Inc. to provide the services.
Specifically, Kovalick said the county was applying for $33,394 in rapid housing funding and $27,561 for homeless prevention. She said both will include financial assistance, rental assistance and service costs.
She said the county, on behalf of Haven House in DuBois, is applying to acquire $23,355 in funding for the shelter’s operation to keep it open. She pointed out that over the past two years, the operating costs have risen by approximately 10 percent.
Finally she said the county will request $2,950 for its administrative costs.
The state’s DCED Department will have award notices out in 60 days, according to Kovalick, who said her office is proposing to have the program begin Jan. 1, 2018.