[ad_1]
The City of Loveland’s efforts to address homelessness will further accelerate in 2024 thanks to two grants from the Colorado Housing Authority.
On Tuesday, Allison Heid told the Loveland City Council that about $800,000 in state funding will help launch a street outreach program and support shelter services at two city facilities.
“Once this is appropriated and we are able to sign a contract, it is our intention to publish a request for proposals so that community partners can do the actual work,” Hade told council.
Among other measures, Hade said street outreach programs will help engage unsheltered residents and connect them with needed services, including medical and behavioral health treatment.
The street assistance grant totals $595,000 to be used over three years, and the city plans to match funding from the national opioid settlement, giving Loveland approximately $1 million over 18 years. It will bring in dollars.
Opioid funding comes from four drug manufacturers and distributors accused of contributing to the opioid crisis (Johnson & Johnson, AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal Health, and McKesson) that are providing state and local governments with funding. This is part of the proposed 2022 settlement. The companies have agreed to pay a total of $26 billion, of which $385 million will go to Colorado.
In 2022, the Loveland City Council voted to “opt in” to the settlement rather than hand over its share to Larimer County, which received about $14 million. The city received its first payment of $106,000 in early 2023.
Although not specifically targeted at opioid users, street assistance programs are allowed to use the funds, Heid explained.
Hade said the request for proposals for street outreach agencies will be made public once funding is received.
She went on to explain that last year, while grant funding was still pending, the city tried to find partners for street outreach, but no agencies responded. But after talking with local nonprofits, she expects more participants this time.
“We didn’t have any takers because we wanted something bigger than we felt any organization could take on,” Hade said. “We’re still looking at asking for the moon, but it will be a collaboration between organizations where we can bring in the work we’re already doing without having to expand our staff.”
The city will also receive a $200,000 grant from the state that will be used to support the operations of the Loveland Resource Center on South Lincoln Avenue and the night shelter on South Railroad Avenue.
[ad_2]
Source link
