Athens-Clarke County will be receiving some $2.5 million in federal funding to address homelessness and housing insecurity. With a concrete spending plan due to federal authorities soon, ACC commissioners will get a look at the proposal at a work session tonight.
The money can go towards a number of purposes, including creating affordable rental housing, rental assistance, and capacity-building for non-profit groups that serve homeless or housing-insecure people.
The most recent point-in-time count of homeless people in Athens-Clarke County dates from about a year ago. That report found 283 individuals experiencing homelessness, with 74 of those unsheltered.
County officials propose that the biggest chunk of the federal funding - $1.3 million of the $2.5 million – go towards the development of more affordable rental housing. That’s about 52 percent of the total amount. Another 25 percent - $625,000 – will go towards supportive services like employment assistance, mental health services, and housing search assistance.
There will also be a public comment period running through March 7. That public comment period includes a public meeting on Thursday at 3:00 pm at the Athens-Clarke County Library.
