Grant pushes Lincoln toward goal of ending youth homelessness

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded Lincoln’s Youth Homeless Demonstration Program with a $2.2 million grant on Sept. 15 to help end youth homelessness in the city.

Nearly 100 cities with a Youth Homeless Demonstration Program (YHDP) applied to be considered for this grant, and 44 programs were selected. These programs support rapid rehousing, permanent supportive housing, transitional housing and host homes.

Lincoln’s City’s Homeless Coalition and its Continuum of Care will help to put these funds to good use, according to Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird. These organizations are still creating a comprehensive plan on how to use the grant most effectively.

Lincoln’s Continuum of Care program intends to provide 5,000 rehabilitated or new affordable housing units by the year 2030, a long-term goal that will be assisted with the funds provided by this grant.

“We have a responsibility in our nation to care for all our children and with this funding, HUD is taking steps to make sure that every child under our care has a safe place to call home,” U.S. HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge said.

Sarah Bonn, a Lincoln resident, and University of Nebraska – Lincoln student, has seen first-hand how homelessness has affected her peers. “There were days where you could just tell that the kids in my classes didn’t have a safe place to sleep the night before,” Bonn said.

According to The Point in time count, homeless assistance data collection department of HUD states that there were 2,450 people living in shelters or the street in Lincoln last year. One fourth of those people were under the age of 18.

“This $2.2 million HUD grant gives us another tool that will help Lincoln reach its goal to end homelessness for everyone in our community, including our youth,” said Gaylor Baird. The mayor also said that Lincoln will serve as a national leader in the effort to end homelessness among young adults going forward.

“[The grant] provides our community with another opportunity to achieve our goal – to make sure every resident has a safe and secure place to call home,” said Gaylor Baird.