Members of the Homeless Task Force received an update during the Aug. 25 meeting on a center designed to help individuals who are homeless or have other needs.
The center is located in a building on the campus of the Salvation Army’s Kroc Center at 1833 Broad Street.
It opened in 2011 as the First Stop Social Service Center to offer multiple services in a single location.
Under the homeless task force’s strategic plan, the center is being re-purposed.
“So, what it’ll help do is make it where it’s less complicated for those that are seeking services to stay in their home,” said Maj. Jonathan Raymer of the Salvation Army. “It also will have all of us, all of these different nonprofits and even the government being in the same building will allow us to collaborate on a level that we haven’t maybe done before.”
The center, working with partner agencies, will focus on keeping families in their homes and homelessness. Its proposed mission statement says it strives to “provide a central point of access to services across the community for a holistic approach to help individuals and families maintain stable housing.”
Among the partner agencies, the United Way of the CSRA will provide rental assistance and the CSRA Economic Opportunity Authority will help with foreclosure prevention and homebuyer education. The Bar Association will provide legal advice for those facing eviction.
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The Jud C. Hickey Center for Alzheimer’s Care will be available to provide referrals for loved ones with dementia.
Raymer cautioned this will not provide all services people may need. Rather, it will be the first stop for people needing assistance to keep from becoming homeless.
The center is scheduled to open Oct. 3 with an open house.
Task force members also heard an update from Daniel Evans, planning development supervisor with Augusta’s Department of Housing and Development, on the Continuum of Care Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to address unsheltered and rural homelessness.
Evans said HUD does not define Augusta-Richmond County as having rural areas, so the city is not eligible to apply for that component.
He explained the county is eligible to apply for funding through the unsheltered component.
“Augusta has the ability to submit project applications from eligible nonprofit organizations or non-government organizations totaling up to $1,410,724. That means we can get anywhere from $1,410,724 down to zero,” he said, adding the county currently receives $650,000 from COC grants. “So, an opportunity to grow that by more than 100% potentially would be monumental in comparison to where we are right now.”
The HUD website said up to $322 million is available. Applications must be submitted by Oct. 20 at 8 p.m.
The funding can be used for permanent housing, supportive services and street outreach programs.
Dana Lynn McIntyre is a general assignment reporter for The Augusta Press. Reach her at dana@theaugustapress.com
