Monroe County/City of Rochester
News Release
(Monday, Feb. 8, 2010) – Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks and Rochester Mayor Robert J. Duffy announced today that the Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-housing Program (HPRP) entitled ‘Heading Home’ is now operational and accepting applications for assistance from residents of Monroe County.
‘Heading Home’ received $4,471,913 from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 through the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development. The program offers financial assistance and a variety of services to prevent individuals and families from becoming homeless and also helps those that are homeless be quickly re-housed and stabilized.
“‘Heading Home’ will provide critical assistance to many individuals and families in Monroe County who have been affected by the current economic climate,” said County Executive Maggie Brooks. “This public-private partnership is an excellent example of our community coming together to address a serious need.”
“This program will help prevent people from falling through the cracks as well as those who are currently homeless,” said Mayor Duffy. “I would like to thank our local community service agencies who work with this population every day as well as those who were instrumental in developing the program model. They are to be commended for helping those in need.”
‘Heading Home’ funding is intended to reach the following household populations:
• Individuals and families who are currently in housing but are at risk of becoming homeless and need temporary rent or utility assistance to prevent them from becoming homeless, or assistance to move to another unit (prevention), and
• Individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness (that is, residing in emergency or transitional shelters or on the street) and need temporary assistance in order to obtain and retain housing (rapid re-housing).
‘Heading Home’ assistance may include stabilization services such as: case management, rental arrears, credit counseling, security deposits, utility payments, legal services, moving and storage costs, short-term rental assistance, and housing relocation.
Applicants must work through a local community resource agency and have applied for assistance from the Monroe County Department of Human Services to participate in the program. Local community resource agencies will refer individuals to the Heading Home program. Self-referrals into the program are not allowed.
The ‘Heading Home’ initiative is administered by Coordinated Care Services, Inc. (CCSI) on behalf of the County and City. Partner agencies include: The Housing Council in the Monroe County Area, Legal Aid Society, Monroe County Legal Assistance Center, Volunteers of America, Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) and Catholic Family Center.
For more information, visit the Heading Home Web site at www.RocHeadingHome.com or call 1-866-669-1688.
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News Media: For more information, contact Julio Saenz, Heading Home Supervisor, The Housing Council at 546-3700, Ext. 3022 (jsaenz@thehousingcouncil.org).