Spanberger announces $14 million grant to reduce homelessness

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) announced that $14 million in grants will be given to assist Virginia residents in finding housing and to reduce homelessness.

In a press release shared on Wednesday, March 11, Spanberger said that 61 projects that help Virginia residents find affordable housing that meet their needs will receive $14 million in Virginia Housing Trust Fund Homeless Reduction Grants.

The grant will go toward improving efforts to reduce homelessness in Virginia through supporting 19 permanent supportive housing projects, 29 rapid housing projects and 13 transformation projects for populations that are underserved.

“These projects represent our shared commitment to helping more Virginians find housing that meets their needs and helps create stability for their families,” Spanberger said in a press release. “With investment from the Virginia Housing Trust Fund, we are strengthening support for our neighbors and continuing to build a Commonwealth where every Virginia family has the chance to put down roots and thrive.”

“Housing is a core pillar of a strong community and a strong economy,” said Carrie Chenery, secretary of commerce and trade, in a press release. “This funding helps ensure that our most vulnerable Virginians have the support they need, and it brings us closer to a Commonwealth where episodes of homelessness are rare, brief and not repeated.”

The Virginia Housing Trust Fund (VHTF) provides financing to housing construction projects that work to develop affordable housing units, reduce the cost of affordable housing and increase homeownership, according to the release.

The statement also added that these investments go toward supporting moderate and low-income families. They will also support homelessness reduction grants to offer re-housing and long-term housing for those experiencing homelessness.

“When people have a stable place to live, they are in a much better position to take care of their health, provide for themselves and their families and move up the economic ladder,” said Marvin Figueroa, secretary of health and human resources, in a press release. “These investments help people to transition out of crisis and into housing that allows them to rebuild and get back on their feet.”

The VHTF Homeless Reduction Grant program is administered by the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD). It supports the Balance of State Continuum of Care, which is a local group that works for homeless service projects that is a part of an emergency crisis response team.

The grants announced will only represent 16% of the VHTF appropriation for this fiscal year. The remaining budget will assist with the production of rehabilitated housing units through the Affordable and Special Needs Housing Program, per the release.

For more information and to view the full list of programs that will receive funding, visit Spanberger's website here.