Public and private entities cooperate to address homelessness in GOW region
Press release:
Independent Living of the Genesee Region (ILGR), which works to improve the quality of life of people with any disabilities in the Genesee, Orleans, Wyoming County (GOW) area, has support from the Homeless Alliance of Western New York (HAWNY), the lead Continuum of Care (CoC) agency for most of Western New York, via a grant to The Housing Council at PathStone in Rochester, to offer the federal Rapid Rehousing Program (RRP).
This is an exciting new resource for individuals and families which have faced long-term homelessness, particularly that due to disabilities.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has designed Rapid Rehousing as a "best-practice model" for alleviating homelessness by helping families and individuals quickly exit homelessness with both housing identification and financial assistance, and to help them achieve long-term housing stability.
In addition to housing identification, other core components of RRP are move-in and rental assistance, and case management and services. In particular, the program is focused on assisting the homeless who are currently staying at shelters.
Its intent is to secure permanent, stable housing as the foundation for addressing other challenges they face. RRP can serve families, individuals, or be used as a bridge for the chronically homeless while they are waiting for Permanent Supportive Housing.
Rae Frank, the director of ILGR, notes that program eligibility will be determined based on a number of criteria, including the results of a housing assessment and the need to accommodate participants' disabilities.
More information is available from Dominique Johnson at djohnson@wnyil.org and (585) 815-8501, ext. 405.
The program for GOW builds on the lessons learned in the initial 2014 demonstration project, the Buffalo Rapid Rehousing Program (BRAP), which resulted in the Rapid Rehousing Performance Benchmarks and Program Standards.
Independent Living of the Genesee Region (ILGR) is a member of the Western New York Independent Living Inc. family of agencies that offers an expanding array of services to aid individuals with disabilities to take control of their own lives.
