Coalition to End Homelessness gets biggest HUD grant yet
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – The Coalition to End Homelessness in Wichita and Sedgwick County is getting its biggest grant ever from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
At $3.2 million, it's $300,000 more than last year.
This year, more funding is available to help keep up with inflation. The money is going toward maintaining Sedgwick County's Continuum of Care program, which is managed by the coalition. The program connects several organizations working to match people with homes to create a more streamlined process.
Area nonprofits say maintaining those programs with adjustments to funding is essential.
'For everybody, the cost of living has increased,' said Deann Smith, executive director for United Methodist Open Door. 'It costs more to have food, it costs more to have rent.'
The boost in funding this year is allowing existing programs to be maintained.
The Salvation Army offers help with unpaid gas bills
'All of our ongoing projects were sustained, as opposed to we had to cut a program,' said Pete Najera, president and CEO of United Way of the Plains, which manages the continuum of care program.
The money is divvied up among eight different entities.
It helps pay for the United Way's management of the Continuum of Care program, including maintaining a database of information about people who need homes and coordinating services.
'You need those pieces first, and then you bring in the nonprofits that are doing the work,' Najera said.
Those nonprofits are also pulling from HUD funding to pay for housing programs. Each nonprofit targets a different demographic.
The network of housing services is necessary to connect unhoused people to housing through the planned Multi-Agency Center.
'These programs that are funded today will hopefully create good, affordable options for people to find housing,' said Steve Dixon, the Multi-Agency Center Board Chair.
Having affordable housing options is especially important, as past efforts from the city to get money to build affordable housing as part of the multi-agency center have been unsuccessful.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Yahoo
Anderson hosts Hurricane Helene town hall meeting
ANDERSON, S.C. (WSPA) – State officials will host a town hall in Anderson, on Tuesday, June 10, to gather input on the $150 million Hurricane Helene recovery plan. The plan aims to help South Carolina communities recover from the effects. From 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Westside Community Center in Anderson, the South Carolina office of Resilience (SCOR) will present their plan that outlines how the state intends to use $150.3 million in federal disaster relief funds awarded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The funds from HUD come from the community development block grant. It provides flexible grants for long-term recovery in communities affected by presidentially declared disasters, like Hurricane Helene. According to the draft plan, funds can be used to fix or rebuild single-family homes and/or affordable rental housing, to buy property from willing owners and support projects that reduce damage from future disasters. Tuesday night, residents from any county in South Carolina, will be able to speak with SCOR's Disaster Case Management team members (DCM) who are able to assist with ongoing financial, physical, or emotional needs that stem from Hurricane Helene. All spoken and written input from the meeting will be summarized and added to the final action plan. Those unable to attend the meeting can contact the team directly via the statewide hotline at 803-898-2511. Members of the public may review the draft action plan and submit comments in advance at Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Yahoo
Navicore Solutions Supports Americans Amid Shifting Financial Habits and Growing Uncertainty
MANALAPAN, N.J., June 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In today's uncertain economic climate, a growing number of Americans are making serious efforts to take control of their finances. A recent national survey shows that over three-quarters of U.S. adults have adjusted their spending habits in response to financial instability. From building emergency savings to avoiding credit card interest, individuals are clearly seeking ways to better manage their money. While these behavioral changes are promising, navigating personal finances, especially during difficult times, can be overwhelming. Navicore Solutions plays a critical role in providing unbiased, quality personal financial counseling and debt management solutions for consumers looking to improve their financial position. This renewed focus on increasing financial stability stems from consumers' growing concern about their overall financial well-being, according to the survey. 'We're seeing more people reach out for help with budgeting, debt repayment, and credit education,' says Mike Leon, Senior Director of Counseling at Navicore Solutions. 'Financial stress doesn't have to be faced alone, working with a certified credit counselor can provide clarity, structure, and peace of mind.' Navicore Solutions provides services designed to help people regain control of their financial lives. These include: Budget Counseling: Clients work one-on-one with a certified counselor to develop a personalized budget that helps them manage income, control expenses, and plan for both short- and long-term financial goals. Debt Management Plans (DMPs): A structured repayment strategy that may lower interest rates, reduce monthly payments, and stop collection calls. Housing Counseling: HUD Certified counselors explain options to individuals and families who are looking to purchase a home, or concerned about their ability to make rent or mortgage payment for their current home. Financial Education: Tools and resources that improve long-term financial habits, from saving and investing to understanding student loans and housing costs. These services are especially helpful for those who feel uncertain or overwhelmed about where to begin. About Navicore Solutions Founded in 1991, Navicore Solutions is a national leader in the field of nonprofit financial counseling with a mission to strengthen the well-being of individuals and families through education, guidance, advocacy, and support. Navicore counselors provide a wide range of services including credit counseling to consumers in need; education programs through workshops, courses and written material; debt management plan to provide relief for applicable consumers; student loan counseling for those struggling with student loan debt; and housing counseling services in the areas of rental, pre-purchase, default and reverse mortgage. The agency is an advocate of financial education helping communities achieve and maintain financial stability. Contact:Lori StratfordDigital Marketing ManagerNavicore Solutionslstratford@navicoresolutionError while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
USA Today
a day ago
- USA Today
Trump budget proposal could tighten access to housing vouchers in Nevada
Trump budget proposal could tighten access to housing vouchers in Nevada More than 15,000 households in Nevada rely on federally funded housing vouchers, with thousands more waiting years to access vital rental assistance. Representatives from the local housing authorities worry many would be locked out of vouchers and other assistance under President Donald Trump's proposed budget, which calls for billions of dollars in cuts to housing programs. 'Based on our current average monthly subsidy in our Housing Choice Voucher Program, we've estimated that for every million-dollar reduction in housing assistance, it would be approximately 93 fewer households that we would be able to serve,' said Dr. Hilary Lopez, the executive director for the Reno Housing Authority. An estimated 15,300 people in Nevada rely on housing choice vouchers, formerly known as section 8 vouchers, which provide rental assistance subsidies for low-income people, seniors and people with disabilities, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. The number doesn't include other types of specialized vouchers, such as emergency solutions housing vouchers designed to pay rent for people and families at risk or experiencing homelessness. Another 2,500 people live in public housing throughout the state, according to data from CBPP. Trump's budget requests, which have been formed into the 'One Big Beautiful Bill,' were passed overwhelmingly by House Republicans in late May and are currently being debated in the Senate. The proposal, which aims to slash Medicaid and food assistance programs, would reduce the Department of Housing and Urban Development's budget by more than 40% amid a national housing and homeless crisis. The cuts to homeless assistance dollars include a $27 billion reduction in funding to the State Rental Assistance Block Grant, which funds housing vouchers. The recommendations released by the White House in May said the proposed cuts 'would encourage States to provide funding to share in the responsibility to ensure that similar levels of recipients can benefit from the block grant.' If these proposed cuts are approved it 'would be staggering in both scale and impact,' Renee Willis, the president of the National Low Income Housing Coalition, said in a press call last week. 'Rather than preserving and strengthening the federal rental assistance program that serves as a lifeline for these communities, the budget proposed consolidating HUD's five largest rental assistance programs into a single state-run block grant,' Willis said. 'It also imposed a two-year time limit on assistance.' She added that the budget proposal is not only 'misguided but fundamentally unjust' but that it 'abdicates the government's responsibility to address poverty and housing stability.' While the full scope of these cuts, or the state and local impact of reductions, has yet to be determined, social service providers and local governments fear any cuts to HUD funding would reduce Nevada's already fragile social safety net to tatters. The Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority declined to answer questions about the proposed budget cuts as well as how it currently used federal funding dollars. 'While federal funding changes are uncertain at this time, we remain laser focused on our mission to provide safe, sanitary and affordable housing to eligible residents within our jurisdictions – housing that will provide an environment that fosters independence, self-sufficiency and community pride,' Lewis Jordan, executive director of the Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority said in a statement. Bill Brewer, the executive director for the Nevada Rural Housing Authority, said he is still waiting to see what the final budget will look like. Any amount would mean less people in rural areas being served. 'Worst case scenario, if we took a 40% cut to our vouchers, then we would be looking at cutting about 500 households off of assistance out of our approximately 1,275 voucher holders,' he said. 'If it was just 12% or 10%, then we're still looking at losing 120 to 130 households' 'They'll simply lose their support' The Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority currently oversees the lion's share of housing assistance, around 12,000 vouchers for low income residents. Reno Housing Authority, which provides assistance throughout Washoe County, allocated around 2,094 housing choice vouchers last year. Nevada Rural Housing Authority oversaw about 1,100 vouchers, not including specialized housing assistance. Reno Housing Authority relies on two main federal funding sources: $32 million from the federal government to provide housing vouchers along with $3 million to administer public housing. 'It does fluctuate on an annual basis and really depends upon federal appropriations,' Lopez said. Of the more than 2,000 households – roughly 3,600 people – that rely on housing choice vouchers in the Reno area, Lopez said close to three-quarters of clients who receive housing choice vouchers are seniors or disabled households. The breakdown is similar for the 600 households living in a public housing unit. Average income for those relying on housing vouchers is roughly $18,000, according to the authority's 2025 annual report. Nevada's housing shortage and skyrocketing rent prices have made it difficult for the authority to meet the demand for services, Lopez said. 'Over the last several years, we've seen those rents consistently rise,' Lopez said. 'What that means is that the average rental subsidy that we're providing has also been increasing over time and that also impacts the number of clients that we can assist.' The rural authority gets about $12 million for its housing choice vouchers, which funds its 1,077 vouchers throughout the rural areas. Additionally it received last year $786,340 for Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing Vouchers, which provides assistance for 76 veterans experiencing homelessness. Similar to the Reno authority, Brewer said roughly two-thirds of housing voucher recipients are elderly or disabled. 'They're not the kind of folks that can go out and get a job and take care of themselves,' he said. 'They're already living on Social Security or supplemental Social Security, and they simply can't afford a $1,500 a month rent payment. That's all the money they get in most cases.' Demand for housing assistance is growing. Reno's authority has about 4,000 people waiting to apply for housing vouchers while the rural authorities have 2,248 applicants waiting. 'What we try to do for households on our wait list, we try to serve them within anywhere from about 18 to 36 months,' Lopez said. The waitlist in rural Nevada opened last year and 'within a week's time, we had about 5,000 applicants on there,' according to Brewer. 'We had to close the list.' 'It will take us at least two years, if not longer, to work through that list,' he added. 'I think we still have a couple thousand names on there that we will work through.' Nevadans wait an average of 38 months, more than three years, to receive housing vouchers, according to 2021 data from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. In addition to housing choice vouchers, communities across the country, including those in Nevada, also began receiving funding for emergency housing vouchers through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 signed by President Joe Biden. Funding for that is expected to be depleted by the end of 2026. Willis from the National Low Income Housing Coalition said Trump's current budget request doesn't provide additional funding for these emergency vouchers and could 'put more than 60,000 households at risk of losing their assistance and being pushed into homelessness.' The rural authority received $455,616 for Emergency Housing Vouchers, which support 36 people. Washoe County previously told the Nevada Current 137 people rely on emergency housing vouchers in the county. In a 'normal year,' Brewer said the rural authority would just roll people relying on emergency housing voucher holders 'onto a regular Section 8 voucher.' He doesn't know if that would be possible if the proposed cuts are passed. 'If our voucher program overall is cut, we won't have any room to bring those people on to the (housing choice) vouchers,' he said. 'They'll simply lose their support.'
