Three-year program will serve 90 unsheltered persons annually
NEW YORK, May 25, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Jericho Project was awarded $8,906,646 by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) as part of a nationwide effort to address street homelessness among unsheltered people in cities and rural communities. Jericho is a nationally-acclaimed nonprofit that for 40 years has combatted the root causes of homelessness and improved the lives of thousands of New Yorkers annually with supportive housing and the vital services to sustain it.
Jericho will serve 90 unsheltered homeless participants per year over a three-year grant period. This is part of the total $60-million that HUD distributed in funding to the New York City Continuum of Care (CoC) for the Unsheltered Homeless Initiative. Overseen by the Department of Homeless Services, the funds were applied for by the Department of Social Services.
"As a longstanding advocate for permanent supportive housing, Jericho is thrilled to be able to move unsheltered New Yorkers into stable housing and provide ongoing counseling to support them. We applaud HUD and our local Continuum of Care for their leadership in helping some of our most vulnerable neighbors in their time of need," said Tori Lyon, CEO of Jericho Project.
Jericho will execute the program using its Rapid Rehousing Program, which helps speed individuals and families into affordable apartments through Jericho's network of landlords who are sympathetic with the plight of homelessness. In addition to helping secure the housing, Jericho provides tenants with ongoing counseling in managing finances and maintaining housing stability to ensure a good experience for both the tenants and the landlords.
The program will provide Temporary Financial assistance (TFA) and HUD is providing long-term vouchers for each participant at the conclusion of the TFA period to ensure long-term housing stability.
To facilitate this program, Jericho will hire 15 staff members to provide intensive case management services, clinical therapy, housing, and other supportive services. The project is slated to begin July 15th.
Jericho has a positive track record in Rapid Rehousing. In 2022, it served 450 veteran families, moving 170 into permanent housing, and moved 91 other households into permanent housing, on average in less than 30 days.
Overall, Jericho currently provides more than 600 units of housing in the Bronx and Harlem in eight residential buildings which are upgraded for sustainability. With 24/7 staff and onsite counselors, the residences are designed to cultivate a community of camaraderie and wellness.
Jericho also enables families to achieve stable, safe housing in apartments throughout the city, including 80 studio and one-bedroom units for adults and 35 one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments for families.
About Jericho Project: Jericho Project empowers individuals and families experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity by providing housing and person-centered services to address social inequities. For 40 years, Jericho has provided supportive housing and counseling services to thousands of individuals experiencing chronic homelessness, mental illness and substance abuse.
Jericho Project employs rigorous fiscal discipline and works with valued public-private partnerships and a foundation of dedicated donors, to advance its mission. Jericho's housing and extended services cost $18,000 per person annually, compared to $50,000 for a single adult shelter, $74,000 for a room in a family shelter, $115,000 for a city jail cell and $1000+ per day for a hospital bed.
For more information: jerichoproject.org | @jerichoproject1983
Media Contact
Lynthia Romney, Jericho Project, 914-589-2140, [email protected]
SOURCE Jericho Project
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