Endeavors was selected as a Rapid Re-Housing (RRH) service provider and awarded over $2 million from the City of Houston as part of the $65 million Community COVID Housing Program (CCHP). Initially announced in July, the CCHP is a joint project of the City of Houston, Harris County, and the Coalition for the Homeless to serve 5,000 people experiencing homelessness over the next two years to limit the spread of COVID-19.
Endeavors will work in collaboration with the Houston Housing Authority (HHA), who will be administering the rental subsidy. HHA’s rental assistance is funded by the City of Houston HOME TBRA program. The Community Development Block Grant Coronavirus Response Funds will support individuals impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We are glad to have Endeavors as a partner in the Community COVID Housing Program. With their help, we will be able to take on this highly ambitious project to make sure people experiencing homelessness in Houston and Harris County have homes where they can stay home and stay safe from the coronavirus,” said the Coalition for the Homeless Leadership Team.
Endeavors will provide case management, rapid rehousing, and temporary financial assistance for 200 clients who have been impacted by COVID and now find themselves homeless. Due to underlying health conditions and a lack of access to facilities, people experiencing homelessness are more susceptible to COVID-19 and at higher risk of experiencing severe symptoms.
“Houston’s crisis response program will be able to permanently house individuals experiencing homelessness and significantly reduce the homeless population,” said Chip Fulghum, Endeavors Chief Operating Officer. “Endeavors is proud to be a part of such an important initiative by providing rapid rehousing response efforts.”
The City of Houston and Harris County utilized various federal funds, including significant funding from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Together, the City and County are making the single largest investment in addressing chronic homelessness in the region’s history. The 2020 Point-in-Time Homeless Count & Survey found that approximately 3,700 people were experiencing homelessness in Harris County. The investment is expected to reduce chronic homelessness in the area dramatically. The nonprofit Coalition for the Homeless is the lead agency to the local homeless response system The Way Home and the project manager for the CCHP.
“We must take care of the most vulnerable among us during this time,” said Annie Erickson, Endeavors Senior Director of Veteran and Community Based Services. “The COVID-19 crisis has put many people’s living situations at an increased risk. Endeavors stands by the Housing First Initiative to help people improve their lives.” The CCHP will expand homeless outreach to those unsheltered living outside of Houston’s urban core, as well as mental health case management for high-risk individuals.
Local property managers will have a crucial role to play in solving homelessness. Landlords and property managers interested in participating in the CCHP, can contact Ashlie Young, Manager of Landlord Engagement, at ayoung@homelesshouston.org or call the “landlord hotline” at 832-531-6051.
Endeavors specializes in case management and provides financial assistance to homeless individuals and their families. Endeavors Case Managers work individually with clients to remove barriers to housing and provide connections to wrap-around services, including financial literacy education, job skills training, benefits enrollment, mental health services, and life skills training.
For more information about the program, please visit www.homelesshouston.org/CCHP. Homeless individuals looking for assistance can contact Endeavors at txhousing@endeavors.org.
ABOUT ENDEAVORS
Endeavors, a San Antonio based nonprofit, is a longstanding national nonprofit agency that provides various programs and services supporting children, families, Veterans, and those struggling with mental illness, disabilities, disasters, or emergencies. Endeavors has served vulnerable people in need since 1969 through personalized services. For more information, please visit www.endeavors.org.
CONTACT
Endeavors
210-431-6466 x 126 | media@endeavors.org