Page 2 - aruba-today-20220326

A2 UP FRONT
Saturday 26 March 2022
Continued from Front campments and upwards
"I want to protect that and of 2,500 people sleeping
I want to protect my invest- on the street most nights,
ment. It would take away is putting more than $106
all my anxiety." million towards homeless-
Detroit has turned to the ness. That is in addition to
$350 billion in Coronavirus the $110 million that Travis
State and Local Fiscal Re- County, home to Austin, is
covery Funds to partly fi- putting towards the prob-
nance the project. Part of lem.
the $1.9 trillion American The funds will help move
Rescue Plan approved last the homeless into tempo-
year, the money is meant rary housing and eventual-
to help communities recov- ly into permanent units that
er from the pandemic and offer services like counsel-
can be used for everything ing and rental assistance.
from job creation to child There is also funding for
care to housing. 1,300 new housing units set
More than 60 states, coun- aside for the homeless and
ties and cities, including the city has acquired sev-
Detroit, are tapping the eral hotels with the money.
funds for housing programs. "We are focused on build-
With President Joe Biden's ing a system that doesn't
Build Back Better bill floun- just move people off the
dering and federal Emer- streets into shelters but is
gency Rental Assistance Tilicia Owens and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan, center, listen focused on resolving their
running out in some places, to Detroit Water and Sewerage Department director Gary Brown in her basement Friday, Feb. 18, housing crisis," said Dianna
the funds have become 2022, in Detroit. Grey, the city's homeless
a critical source of money Associated Press strategy officer.
to address a shortage of Several cities are using the
affordable housing and a ing to additional shelter made significant commit- million for homeowner as- funds to save homes bat-
growing homelessness cri- beds to helping homeown- ments, according to a Feb- sistance. New York City tered by years of neglect
sis. Prioritizing housing is also ers repair their air condition- ruary report from the Na- plans to spend nearly $329 and to ensure impover-
a reminder that the long- ing and stay in their homes tional Low Income Housing million to increase access ished families can remain
running shortage of afford- when temperatures heat Coalition. Southern states, to rental assistance vouch- housed. Milwaukee wants
able housing, especially up. Typically, the county long known for having ers. New Jersey is spending to spend $15 million to re-
in communities of color, has a few million dollars to among the weakest tenant $750 million in rental and habilitate up to 150 city-
has worsened during the spend each year on these protections, have commit- utility assistance and cre- owned, foreclosed houses.
pandemic, a time when a services. ted very little. ating a statewide eviction Detroit has set aside more
looming eviction crisis and "We'll be able to make sig- Among the biggest areas prevention program. than $83 million for housing-
rising housing prices threat- nificant changes, not just of investment is a promise "A lot of people who nev- related spending, including
ened millions of families. that will impact today, but to build more affordable er thought they would be $27.5 million to repair 1,000
"There was already grow- will impact lives for years to housing. housing unstable ... are in roofs — tripling the amount
ing awareness before the come," she added. Massachusetts has allot- this situation. And so it is it spends on its low-income
pandemic in states and cit- But advocates say it still is ted nearly $600 million to scary and people don't home-repair program. It's
ies around the country that only a start and significant affordable housing, includ- know quite where to turn," also spending $14.2 million
affordable housing prob- federal investment — much ing $150 million for new said Janel Winter, the direc- to renovate vacant homes
lems that always existed of it in the Build Back Better housing and $150 million tor of New Jersey's Division and $6.4 million to set up an
were reaching an all time bill, passed by the House to maintain public housing. of Housing and Community online system allowing resi-
level and just had to be ad- but currently held up in the Colorado lawmakers have Resources. dents to find and apply for
dressed," said Stockton Wil- Senate — is necessary to fix proposed spending $400 "This provides them with low-income housing.
liams, the executive direc- the problem. million and Washington, that assistance. ... So every- Deputy Mayor Conrad
tor of the National Council According to the Center D.C., has set aside $323 mil- body who is in that court Mallett said the spending
of State Housing Agencies. on Budget and Policy Pri- lion, including $17 million understands their rights, un- priorities are aimed at pre-
"The pandemic has shown orities, 1 in 4 families eligible for community groups to derstands their responsibili- venting further declines in
a brighter light on that, es- for federal rental assistance provide housing for victims ties, is able to take advan- the city's population, which
pecially as they relate to received it before the pan- of domestic violence. Clark tage of whatever protec- has dropped dramatically
the most vulnerable renters demic. The National Low County, Nevada, home to tions are there for them." since the 1950s.
and homeowners." Income Housing Coalition Las Vegas, whose tourist Several communities are "If we are going to main-
For many communities, the estimates that $86 billion economy was hammered using the funds to help the tain population and attract
amount of money avail- annually is needed over by the pandemic, plans to homeless. North Carolina new people to the city, it is
able in the state and lo- the next decade for univer- spend more than a third of has set aside $15 million going to be because of the
cal fiscal recovery funds is sal housing vouchers and its funds, or $157 million, on to rapidly rehouse people housing opportunities that
also historic and more than housing funds. Another $70 housing. at risk of homelessness be- we can provide," he said,
many have spent on hous- billion is needed for public Others states, led by Wash- cause of the pandemic. adding that the city also
ing in a year or even a de- housing repairs. ington, Oregon and New Clark County, Washington, has to help those who have
cade. So far, more than $11 bil- Jersey, are working to shore is spending $4.4 million to remained in Detroit.
"This is certainly transforma- lion from the state and lo- up their eviction protec- fund homeless outreach "We are going to deliver
tional funding," Jacqueline cal fiscal recovery funds tions — something the U.S. teams while Burlington, service to the people who
Edwards, the director of the have been committed to Treasury Department has Vermont, plans to use $1.4 stayed," he said. "We are
Maricopa County Human housing-related programs, encouraged. million on 30 shelter pods not simply going to say to
Services Department in Ari- according to the Center, Washington is spending for people to sleep in and the people who endured,
zona, said of the nearly $85 which is tracking spending. $403 million to bolster its store their belongings. that you have no place.
million it has to spend on States in the West, Midwest emergency rental assis- Austin, Texas, which has We want you to stay. We
everything from new hous- and East have already tance program and $174 hundreds of homeless en- want you to succeed."q