The program provides assistance for rent and utility bills, intervenes during evictions and offers emergency lodging and other services aimed at keeping Connecticut families and individuals from losing their homes.
"This program helps those in need of housing as quickly as possible," Rell said in a statement. "Our Rapid Re-Housing plan uses a swift and well-coordinated approach from experienced, local providers. The funding will make a real difference for those going through great financial difficulty because of the loss of a job."
The $10.8 million was awarded to six community service providers in the state. The agencies begin services this week, following competitive bidding and contracting by the state Department of Social Services.
Journey Home, Inc. of Hartford, a non-profit agency serving the Greater New Britain and Greater Bristol areas, received $3,041,698.
Journey Home, Inc. is the service provider for several north central communities including Berlin, Bristol, Burlington, Farmington, New Britain, Newington, Plainville, Plymouth, Rocky Hill, Southington and Wethersfield.
Journey Home Executive Director Sarah Gallagher said there is no breakout of the $3 million earmarked for both New Britain and Bristol. The agency received the funds Sept. 30.
"Allocation [of funds] will be based on family need," she said. "The money will be used for support services, for housing stabilization - legal services, eviction prevention, financial assistance for folks who may need help with back rent."
Gallagher added that funds will also be used for financial management and counseling.
"Our focus is not only on saving housing, but making sure people are secure in their housing and not at risk for homelessness," she said.
Over the past year Journey Home in collaboration with other agencies has housed 25 families in the Greater Hartford area. Now with federal stimulus funds Journey Home will be ramping up its efforts.
To administer funds the agency will locate staff at the One Stop Career Center in New Britain and the Salvation Army in Bristol.
The governor said this infusion of dollars from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 will enable the Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program to help more than 1,000 people a year over the life of the three-year stimulus grant.
"Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing is an especially creative initiative because it pulls together a variety of tools and measures that really work," said Michael Starkowski, social services commissioner. "Human service professionals in the community will be able to quickly customize services to help people from slipping into homelessness, and to help get people back into an apartment if they lose housing. This prevention aspect is perhaps the most important factor. Federal stimulus dollars will help us build on the thinly stretched services."
Partnering with DSS and service contractors will be the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness. The coalition provides training, technical assistance and data analysis.
"It's [an] opportunity to transform Connecticut's homeless intervention system from one that temporarily shelters people who are homeless to one that provides housing for those facing homelessness," said CCEH Executive Director Carol Walter. "It's a new approach leaders in the state and the governor have supported and embraced this year, even before federal funds became available."
Richard Porth, United Way of Connecticut president and CEO, said people from all over Connecticut have called United Way's 2-1-1 phone number for help on housing concerns, including homelessness.
"Thanks to the Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing project, our 2-1-1 staff can now have access to more service options to help people avoid homelessness," Porth said.
The governor noted that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has awarded more than $6 million in Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing funding directly to the cities of Bridgeport, Hartford, New Britain, New Haven and Waterbury. This brings the total Connecticut allocation to more than $17 million.
For more information about the homelessness prevention program, those who are at risk of becoming homeless or are currently homeless, may call 2-1-1.
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