Harford County Receives Federal Grant for Homelessness Efforts

Harford County government has been awarded almost $867,000 in federal grant funding aimed at combating homelessness, to be distributed to local nonprofits.

The grant, announced by the county last week, is part of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Continuum of Care program, and is 6 percent higher than last year's grant to the county, according to a release.

“We are very pleased with HUD’s decision to increase CoC funding in Harford County, allowing us to give more to the nonprofits who serve our most vulnerable citizens,” Harford County Executive David Craig said in the release. “This funding is a critical part of our strategic plan to prevent and end homelessness in Harford County.”

A point in time survey taken by state officials in January found that Harford County has 2 percent of the state's homeless population, and that the homeless population in the county is on the decline, according to the release, from 243 in 2011 to 166 in 2013. The increase in grant funding is to account for fair market rents, according to the release.

“During this challenging budget climate, we must make certain that we don’t balance our books on the backs of our most vulnerable citizens,” HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan said in the release. “When we make even modest investments in these programs, we see a measurable decline in homelessness.”

County officials will distribute the grant funds competitively to local nonprofits, funding programs including street outreach and assessments for traditional housing, according to the release.