Montgomery County Receives Nearly $5 Million in HUD Grant Funding & 30 Vouchers to Support Effort to End Homelessness by 2025

Per Montgomery County: Montgomery County recently received $4,870,352 from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) as part of its Continuum of Care (CoC) grants program. It is the only jurisdiction in Maryland to receive a Special Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) award to address unsheltered and rural homelessness, which is a first-of-its-kind funding initiative.  In addition to the $4.8 million in programmatic funds the county received 30 Stability Vouchers that will be allocated through direct referral through the County’s Coordinated Entry System for households experiencing homelessness. These vouchers will be used to ensure people can stay in homes and avoid homelessness. They will be administered by the Housing Opportunities Commission of Montgomery County and Rockville Housing Enterprises.

The County’s Interagency Coalition on Homelessness recently reiterated its commitment to end homelessness for all populations by 2025 through its Zero for All campaign. The recently awarded $4.87 million will add to the $10 million already awarded annually from HUD’s CoC NOFO process and the anticipated $84 million allocated in the County Executive’s recommended FY24 operating budget for homeless prevention and services to end homelessness.

Montgomery County pursued this funding in light of an increasing number of households experiencing homelessness within the County and across the region over the past year. A full report of Montgomery County’s Point-in-Time Count will be included in a regional analysis and annual report on homelessness by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) Homeless Services Planning and Coordinating Committee, scheduled to be presented to the COG Board of Directors on May 10, and subsequently available at mwcog.org/homelessnessreport.

“Montgomery County is all-in to end homelessness in our County,” said County Executive Marc Elrich. “With the pursuit of these grant funds, we are showing that we will be aggressive in competing for any funding that can assist in fulfilling our ambitious goals. We thank our federal partners at HUD for these funds, which combined with money in our proposed operating budget, will go a long way to putting us on a strong path forward.”

In February 2023, HUD announced its first round of 46 local communities to receive over $300 million in CoC grants. Several days ago, HUD announced another round of $171.2 million in grant funding for 115 additional projects in 29 local communities, including Montgomery County.

“I’m thrilled that our community will receive nearly $5 million in stability vouchers from HUD to pursue accessible housing solutions across Montgomery County,” said Congressman Jamie Raskin, who represents Maryland’s Eighth Congressional District, which includes the majority of Montgomery County. “These vouchers show our commitment to providing the resources needed to help people find and maintain permanent housing. This funding will help our local leaders address our shared priority of expanding access to housing and ending homelessness.”

The money from the HUD CoC grant funding that Montgomery County was awarded will go towards the following items here in the County:

• Planning funds to conduct an environmental scan of unsheltered homelessness to include data review, analysis of service delivery, and interviews with individuals experiencing street homelessness. The results will influence and direct the work of the Street Outreach Program Manager.
• Street Outreach Program Manager to coordinate services for those experiencing unsheltered homelessness. This includes access to behavioral health and crisis services, health services, entitlement program, etc. The manager will also work with other agencies such as libraries, police, urban districts, businesses, hospitals, faith-based organizations and those serving underserved populations to provide training and engagement. Additionally, they will coordinate a tactical team to support households matched with housing in making that transition from outside to inside.
• Through a partnership with Bethesda Cares, Mary’s Center and The Coordinating Center the County will expand intensive street outreach services and add 42 permanent supportive housing units to the continuum.
• Six Critical Time Intervention positions will be created to provide intensive support to individuals experiencing street homelessness and support them in their transition to housing.
• Thirty of the new permanent supportive housing units will be supported through the Housing Stability Vouchers awarded from HUD in partnership with this program. HOC has committed first right of access to leasing for another 10 units. The County will be providing funds to support the leases at the 12 non-voucher units. Additionally, Mary’s Center will provide medical, dental and behavioral health care in partnership with the street outreach teams.

“This federal funding to help solve homelessness will go a long way in Montgomery County,” said Congressman David Trone, Maryland’s 6th District representative. “Working together on the local, state, and federal levels, we are helping folks get back on their feet and taking care of those in the shadows of life – all while making our communities healthier and safer in the long run. I look forward to working with County Executive Elrich on delivering this funding and continuing to build a better tomorrow for Maryland.”

Congressman Glenn Ivey, who represents Maryland’s 4th District, sees this initiative as vital to the health of our community.

“It is important for federal authorities to partner with our local leaders to stabilize housing opportunities for those who need assistance,” said Congressman Ivey. “This grant from HUD is a good step in the right direction in addressing the immediate housing and sheltering needs in Montgomery County and throughout the region.”

For more information about the Montgomery County ‘Zero for All’ campaign, visit the County’s ending homelessness website. If you or someone you know is experiencing homelessness or at risk of eviction, call 311 to be connected with DHHS services.

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