The bulk of the funding would come through the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act.
A pair of introductory ordinances before the Lafayette City-Parish Council Tuesday evening would amend the 2009-2010 fiscal year budget upwards by more than $1.3 million for the receipt of federal grants to aid the homeless in Lafayette.
The lion's share of the funding - nearly $1.2 million - would come from the federal government's Homeless Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program, part of the stimulus plan, with the state Department of Social Services serving as the conduit for the money. The funding is earmarked for three agencies: S.M.I.L.E. ($426,912), Acadiana Outreach ($416,697) and Acadiana C.A.R.E.S. ($313,275). More than $29,000 of the grant is set aside for the cost of administering the program.
Community Development has also been awarded $125,897 from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for the Emergency Shelter Grant Program; this funding, if approved by the council, would also come through the state DSS. Beneficiaries of this funding would be Acadiana C.A.R.E.S. ($24,000), Acadiana Outreach ($14,000), S.M.I.L.E. ($14,000), St. Joseph Shelter ($13,500), Faith House ($13,400), Acadiana Recovery ($12,400), Acadiana Youth ($12,400), Gatehouse Foundation ($12,000) and Salvation Army ($10,197).
If approved Tuesday, the ordinances would be up for final adoption on April 6. To read Tuesday's CPC agenda and for documents related thereto, click here.