Hampton to receive $800,000 in federal and state to aid homeless during pandemic

Lisa Vernon Sparks, The Daily Press
·2 min read

Hampton is on tap to receive $800,000 from federal and state sources to aid people without homes during the pandemic.

The Hampton City Council expects to approve the COVID Homelessness Emergency Response Program funds Wednesday to cover costs for emergency shelters and rehousing incurred from April 2 through Sept. 20, 2022.

Hampton’s social services department will receive $560,000 from U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) sources and $240,000 from Virginia.

The state portion benefits homeless who rely on emergency shelters daily, but should be placed in separate facilities, such as hotels, to help minimize the viral spread, says Wanda Rogers, director for Hampton’s human services department. The federal portion goes toward helping homeless to find permanent housing and to retain housing and receive supportive services, such as credit counseling and budgeting, she added.

The grant will fund agencies with the Greater Virginia Peninsula Homelessness Consortium, which serves Hampton, Newport News, Williamsburg and Poquoson; and the counties of York and James City. According to GVPHC point of time count in 2019, there were 427 persons counted, with 129 who are in Hampton.

“With the first month’s rent and the deposit ... to help them get into the housing and out of shelters,” said Matthew Stearn, executive director with the Hampton Roads Ecumenical Lodgings and Provisions. “That will more than likely support some of our clients this winter... to take some of the folks who are in hotels now.”

There are many grants out there that are supporting the group’s emergency shelters and its day support center that has laundry facilities and has shifted to portable showers during the pandemic, he said.

Also, finding permanent housing for the homeless can take long, especially trying to find the right combination of landlord and tenant, Stearn said.

“We still lack affordable housing in the area and finding renters to rent to folk who maybe don’t have good credit,” he said.

Lisa Vernon Sparks, 757-247-4832, lvernonsparks@dailypress.com

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