Housing Assistance In West Texas

This week Odessa Links and Abilene Hope Haven bolstered their efforts to assist families with the Texas Homeless Management Information System (HMIS). Recently, the Texas Balance of State awarded HUD Continuum of Care grants to both providers to provide transitional housing. HMIS enables providers to coordinate case management and track their clients' progress toward self-sufficiency and stable housing.

Odessa Links provides access to resources and follow-up care in partnership with local organizations. At full capacity, Links' Project Hope will provide transitional housing in the form of much-needed rental assistance to 20 families experiencing homelessness.

Abilene Hope Haven offers up to 14 families transitional housing for up to one year while they "work to remedy their homeless situation". Dedicated staff facilitate these work plans with personalized case management, child care, food and transportation.

On behalf of Texas Homeless Network, I'd like to congratulate both providers on their grant awards. We look forward to working with your staff to prevent and end homelessness in West Texas.

Haunting portraits

Amateur photographer Lee Jeffries was in London four years ago to run the annual marathon. While walking around Leicester Square the day before the race, he snapped a photo of a homeless girl across the street.

Click here to visit CNN's webpage for the rest of the story and to view the portraits. 

Agencies in the Texas Balance of State Awarded $2.2 million

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has announced $2.2 million in awarded renewals for the Continuum of Care grant to projects in the Texas Balance of State Continuum of Care. Twelve organizations received renewal funding that will allow their projects to continue providing or furthering housing and supportive services for homeless families and individuals. 

Read the full press release here. 

2011 Awards

Congratulations to the 2011 Texas Homeless Network Award winners!

To read about all of the nominees, click here.

Permanent Supportive Housing in Laredo

This week The South Texas Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse (STCADA) in Laredo enrolled its first resident in a brand-new permanent supportive housing program for chronically homeless individuals with co-occuring disorders, funded by the Texas Balance of State Continuum of Care.

Once fully operationally, the program - the first of its kind in Laredo - will have the capacity to serve upwards of 20 individuals who would otherwise lack access to housing combined with treatment.

STCADA's efforts are assisted by THN's Homeless Management Information System (HMIS), which allows staff to streamline often time-consuming paperwork, track treatment plans and effectively manage cases in a safe and secure environment. I'd like to thank all the staff who worked to make this program possible and those who participated in yesterday's HMIS training.