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Catholic Charities USA:
Calling the Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing Act (HEARTH) a comprehensive and balanced approach to addressing homelessness in America, Catholic Charities USA today called on Congress to pass the bill, which reauthorizes the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Programs administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
According to Catholic Charities USA, the HEARTH Act provides greater decision making at the local level, expands HUD's definition of homelessness, increases emergency shelter and supportive services, provides a framework for greater homeless prevention activity, and allows a range of housing solutions.
At a briefing this week on Capitol Hill for Congressional staff on this new bill, Arlene McNamee, executive director of Catholic Social Services in Fall River, MA, stressed the importance of expanding HUD's definition of homelessness to include those who are living in doubled-up situations with family or friends or are forced to live in hotels or motels for lack of other options.
McNamee detailed how families with children who are the fastest growing segment of the homeless population are being hurt by current federal homeless policies that do not reflect the reality of the situation.
By expanding the definition, many more children, youth, and families would eligible for HUD homeless assistance.
Each year, Catholic Charities agencies nationwide provide over a half million housing services ranging affordable housing production to homeless street outreach to foreclosure prevention.
Posted on March 8, 2007 08:19 PM
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