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Feb. 5, 2010
Pat Kuehn
Community Information Specialist

DEADLINE EXTENDED FOR HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION APPLICATIONS

Volusia County residents who are at risk of becoming homeless may apply for financial assistance through the county’s Community Assistance Division. The application deadline has been extended beyond the previously announced deadline of Jan. 31. A closing date has not been established.
Applications are available online and the county’s six regional libraries. The libraries are:

• DeLand Area Public Library, 130 E. Howry Ave., DeLand
• Deltona Regional Library, 2150 Eustace Ave., Deltona
• New Smyrna Beach Regional Library, 1001 S. Dixie Freeway, New Smyrna Beach
• Ormond Beach Regional Library, 30 S. Beach St., Ormond Beach\
• Port Orange Regional Library, 1005 City Center Circle, Port Orange
• Volusia County Library Center – City Island, 105 E. Magnolia Ave., Daytona Beach

The Homelessness Prevention Program is a federally funded program for low-income individuals and families who are in housing but need temporary rent or utility assistance to prevent them from becoming homeless or who need assistance to move to another unit.

Funding is through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded Volusia County $805,614 for the Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program. County officials allocated approximately $268,000 to the Homelessness Prevention Program and approximately $497,000 to the Rapid Re-Housing Program, which is under development.

To be eligible, household income may not exceed $19,300 for one person, $22,100 for two persons, $24,850 for three persons, $27,600 for four persons, $29,800 for five persons, $32,000 for six persons, $34,200 for seven persons, or $36,450 for eight persons. In addition, the head of household, co-head or spouse must agree to case management, which requires obtaining and sustaining stable housing.

Applicants must be at risk of losing their home or live in housing that has been condemned by housing officials and show they cannot obtain subsequent housing or lack the resources to sustain housing. Applicants also must provide documentation showing at least three of the following risk factors:

• Extremely low income (less than 30 percent of the area median income)
• Sudden and significant loss of income
• Severe housing cost burden (more than 50 percent of income for housing costs)
• Physical disabilities and other chronic health issues, including HIV/AIDS
• Young head of household (under 25 with children or pregnant)
• Pending foreclosure of rental housing
• Recent traumatic life event, such as death of a spouse or primary care provider, or recent health crisis that prevented the household from meeting its financial responsibilities
• Sudden and significant increase in utility costs
• Mental health and substance abuse issues
• Homeless in last 12 months
• Current or past involvement with child welfare, including foster care
• High overcrowding (number of persons exceed health and/or safety standards)
• Past institutional care (prison, treatment facility or hospital)
• Credit problems that preclude obtaining housing
• Significant amount of medical debt

Applications will be accepted only by mail. They should be addressed to: Volusia County Community Assistance, 110 W. Rich Ave., DeLand, FL 32720. Eligible applicants will be notified by mail.

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