The Lafayette city and parish councils are expected to allocate additional federal funds this month to benefit the city’s emergency homeless shelter and other services for those experiencing homelessness.
The councils approved an introductory ordinance last week to allocate $250,000 to Catholic Charities of Acadiana from the $2.25 million the city-parish government received from the American Rescue Plan Act’s HOME program. The funds are dedicated to assist Lafayette Parish residents who are experiencing homelessness, are in danger of becoming homeless or are fleeing domestic violence.
The ordinance is up for final adoption Oct. 15.
Catholic Charities of Acadiana plans to use the funds for case management, which includes conducting initial evaluations and verifying eligibility, coordinating services and developing individualized housing and service plans, including a path to permanent housing stability. The nonprofit also plans to use funds for outreach services, which include transportation, addressing urgent needs, providing meals, clothes or toiletries, and actively connecting and providing people with information and referrals to homeless and mainstream programs.
“The impact is that we are able to continue to address the needs of people experiencing homelessness through the supportive services we offer, including but not limited to accompanying them from their current experience of homelessness to permanent housing,” said Ben Broussard, spokesperson for Catholic Charities.
The Lafayette councils dedicated an additional $290,000 in HOME-ARP funds to Catholic Charities in August for case workers assisting homeless individuals. Another $800,000 of the federal funds were dedicated in August to the Acadiana Outreach Center to build a non-congregate shelter for homeless families, and $289,800 went to the Acadiana Regional Coalition for Homelessness and Housing’s HoldFast: Housing Stability program. The remaining HOME-ARP funds were to be made available later to nonprofit organizations for future eligible activities.
Like much of the nation, Lafayette is facing a growing housing crisis that has only grown more dire in recent months.
At the beginning of the fiscal year in July, Catholic Charities reduced the capacity of its emergency homeless shelter by 30 people in an effort to reduce expenses.
The nonprofit is applying for any and all possible funding opportunities and is fundraising in the local community, Broussard said. He declined to provide specific numbers about how much funding the nonprofit has been able to secure.
