Status of $9 million grant to help Richmond's homeless unclear
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Advocates worry a $9 million federal grant earmarked to help the Richmond region address homelessness could be under threat as a result of the Trump administration's ongoing federal government cuts.
Why it matters: The number of people currently experiencing homelessness in the region is "essentially unchanged" from the 9-year high recorded last year.
- That's according to the just-released count of the region's homeless population from Richmond-based nonprofit Homeward.
State of play: In January, Homeward announced that the region was awarded $9.39 million by the Department of Housing and Urban Development to address homelessness in the region.
- At least 10 local agencies were set to get a portion of the funding, which would ultimately provide housing assistance to more than 1,500 people in the Richmond region, per Homeward's news release.
- The money allocated for Richmond was just a slice of the $3.6 billion HUD announced in January to help 6,700 homelessness programs nationwide, Bloomberg reported.
- The grants were announced on Jan. 17, before the new administration took office and DOGE started hacking away at federal spending.
The latest: There have been no updates from HUD, which is unusual, Homeward's executive director Kelly King Horne tells Axios this week.
- The lack of communication came amid reports that $120 million in HUD contracts were under review by DOGE and as service providers across the country told Bloomberg they too weren't receiving updates.
Yes, but: A spokesperson for HUD responded to an Axios inquiry about the grant status Tuesday evening and said the agency's homelessness services programs "will go forward."
- "Grantee letters will go out this week or next. The program will go forward," HUD spokesperson Kasey Lovett said in an emailed statement to Axios.
By the numbers: 660 people were experiencing homelessness in the Richmond region in January, according to Homeward's twice-annual point-in-time count, released last week.
- 517 people were living in shelters, including 80 children.
- 143 people in Richmond were living outside or in cars.
- Last year, Homeward recorded 681 locals experiencing homelessness, 206 of whom were living outdoors or in cars.