WAFB 9: Mayor announces new initiative to combat homelessness in East Baton Rouge Parish
BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome announced at a press conference Tuesday morning a significant homelessness prevention initiative underway in Baton Rouge, along with an overall progress update in combating homelessness in our parish.
“This week, I am sending multiple proposals to the Metropolitan Council to address homelessness in Baton Rouge further, including efforts to house families and to contract with a homelessness prevention coordinator for City-Parish,” said Mayor Broome. “Since the beginning of my administration, I have publicly committed to addressing homelessness in Baton Rouge, and I continue to follow through on that promise. I am committed to a housing-first model in coordination with mental health partners, shelter providers, homelessness prevention advocates, and law enforcement.”
St. Vincent de Paul Non-Congregate Shelter
Mayor Broome has approved $1 Million of HOME American Rescue Plan funds to construct the first non-congregate shelter in East Baton Rouge Parish at St. Vincent de Paul. The funds will leverage an additional $5 Million from the Louisiana Housing Corporation.
As Baton Rouge’s first non-congregate shelter, the facility will bridge the gap to housing for hundreds of families annually. In addition to being the first non-congregate shelter, the facility will also be the first 24-hour shelter in East Baton Rouge Parish.
The benefits of a 24-hour shelter include allowing families to stay in their rooms throughout the day while children attend school and parents get back on their feet. It will also reduce the need for people to be on the street during the day.
The shelter, located at the corner of North Blvd and Brice Ave, will be a two-story building with 32 rooms, four beds in each room, for a total of 128 beds. The shelter can host individuals and families with children and have conjoining rooms to allow families with up to eight people to stay together.
This is not the first time Mayor Broome has partnered with St. Vincent de Paul to increase shelter capacity in Baton Rouge. Mayor Broome provided $1.3 Million to construct the St. Vincent de Paul Bishop Ott Emergency Disaster and Overflow Shelter, which opened in March 2020. Because of this investment, St. Vicent de Paul provided 30,000 shelter bed nights to individuals in 2023.
The proposed shelter will go before the Metropolitan Council at a later date.
Shelter Operations
Additionally, Mayor Broome’s administration has awarded $515,036 of Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) funds for operational expenses at five shelters in East Baton Rouge Parish:
St Vincent De Paul, Bishop Ott: $125,342
St. Vincent De Paul, Sweet Dreams: $178,890
Youth Oasis: $97,339
Catholic Charities, Sanctuary for Life: $63,456
Catholic Charities, Joseph Homes: $50,007
The final contracts will go before the Metropolitan Council for approval at a later date.
Also, Mayor Broome proposes $200,000 in American Rescue Plan funds for operational expenses at the One Stop day shelter, operated by the Capital Area Alliance for the Homeless. The proposal will be voted on at the Metropolitan Council on February 28, 2024.
HIV/AIDS Rental Assistance
Mayor Broome’s administration has also awarded $2,166,086 of HOPWA funds to six partner organizations to provide rental assistance for people living with HIV/AIDS in East Baton Rouge Parish:
Open Health Care Clinic’s HAART Program: $453,288
Volunteers of America: $419,755
Start Corporation: $300,000
Metro Health: $290,258
Brightside Clinic: $150,000
Division of Human Development & Services: $552,784
The final contracts will go before the Metropolitan Council for approval at a later date.
Emergency Rental Assistance Program
Additionally, Mayor Broome approved $1 Million of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for administrative costs in the Emergency Rental Assistance Program. This will allow the remaining $4.5 million in rental assistance to focus on three areas:
Homelessness Prevention
Eviction Diversion
Housing instability for families at high risk for violence
Since 2021, the Emergency Rental Assistance Program, under Mayor Broome’s administration, distributed $55.3 Million of assistance to 10,945 households in East Baton Rouge Parish
The $1 Million ARPA proposal will be voted on at the Metropolitan Council on February 28, 2024.
Affordable Housing
Currently, Mayor Broome’s administration is reviewing proposals for $2 million of HOME American Rescue Plan funds to develop permanent housing units for unhoused families and individuals. Proposals will ultimately go before the Metropolitan Council for approval at a later date. Since 2021, Mayor Broome has provided funding for the construction of 1,000 affordable housing units in East Baton Rouge Parish through the Mayor’s Office of Community Development.
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