CLEVELAND — The city of Cleveland confirmed to 3News on Thursday that over $2.2 million will be allocated to address homelessness.
Emily Collins, senior advisor for major projects to Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb, says the money comes from federal grants and will focus on rapid rehousing and current shelter programs.
"We are going to do this in a way that is compassionate and takes care of every resident's needs," Collins told us.
According to Collins, the city is looking to implement best practices from other parts of the country that have had success.
"With strategic and targeted outreach and engagement, we have seen municipalities achieve 90% of housing for their unsheltered residents," she added. For example, officials are looking at tiny home villages like the ones in Austin and Denver that have been successful.
One major problem that homeless advocates have shared is pushback with housing vouchers and property managers not accepting them. Another idea would be appointing a local shelter provider as a lease manager, not for a group home setting, but individual private spaces.
"For example, one of these shelter providers like Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry could be the master lease holder and is able to really think through the needs of both people who are exiting homelessness from a sheltered situation or from an unsheltered situation," Collins explained.
Another focus? Outreach and engagement to meet each individual and reduce barriers.
"Coming to a place where a past criminal record is not going to prevent you from having a roof over your head is absolutely a goal," Collins said. "So I think it's a question of what policies and practices are best for this community and standards as we go about that process of engagement."
On Friday, Bibb and Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne also announced a combined $3 million that will go to seven local agencies working to combat homelessness. The funds will come from the city's Department of Community Development as well as the county's Office of Homeless Services.
"Tackling an issue as large and systemic as this requires a more concerted effort — from us here at City Hall to our nonprofit organizations, our philanthropic partners, and other key stakeholders," Bibb said in a statement. "My administration is exploring additional ways that we, as civic leaders, can step up and become more directly involved in finding solutions to this problem. This is just the beginning. We're working with a tremendous sense of urgency and have more exciting announcements on the horizon."