Bond Announces Nearly $16 Million to Help Provide Housing for Elderly and Persons with Disabilities
Bond Announces Nearly $16 Million to Help Provide Housing for Elderly and Persons with Disabilities
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Kit Bond today announced nearly $16 million in federal funds to help provide supportive housing for Missouri’s elderly and disabled.
“These funds come at a very important time, as much of the nation was hit hard by a economic downturn and housing crisis, we need to make sure that Missouri’s elderly, disabled and most vulnerable still have a place to call home,” said Bond, the lead Republican of the Senate Appropriations Committee that funds the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Missouri will receive $15,876,900 as part of Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)’s Section 811 Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities Program and Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly Program. The HUD Section 811 program provides funds to nonprofit organizations to develop rental housing with supportive services for very low-income adults with disabilities, and provides rent subsidies for the projects to help make them affordable.
Similar to the HUD Section 811 program, the Section 202 program provides capital advances to finance the construction, rehabilitation or acquisition of structures that will serve as supportive housing for very low-income elderly persons. The program also provides rent subsidies for the projects to help make them affordable. The goal of both programs is to allow more elderly or persons with disabilities to live as independently as possible by increasing the supply of rental housing with supportive services such as cleaning, cooking and transportation services.
As one of Congress’ strongest housing advocates, Bond has fought to promote and enact affordable housing policies for many years. In serving as both Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee for Housing and Urban Development, Bond has secured funds for many key housing projects in Missouri. Some of those key projects include Laclede and Sarah, McCree Town, Cochran Gardens, and Covenant House in St. Louis and Columbus Park, Mount Cleveland Heights, Blue Hills and Ridgeview Heights in Kansas City. Earlier in his Senate career, Bond won a rule change that allowed for replacement of dilapidated public housing with vouchers and hard units, which formed the basis of the HOPE VI program. Since this change, HOPE VI has been successful in developing mixed-income housing projects and transforming distressed communities into revitalized neighborhoods.
Just last week, Bond announced $43 million to help Missouri families and neighborhoods suffering from the foreclosure crisis. The new federal funds announced today under the HUD Section 811 and 202 programs will go to and support:
· $1,165,800 for Burrell Behavioral Health, Inc. in Columbia to construct 9 one-bedroom residential units for very low-income persons.
· $1,165,800 for New Horizons Community Support in Jefferson City for 9 one-bedroom residential units for chronically mentally ill.
· $1,406,500 for Ozark Center in Joplin to construct 14 one-bedroom apartments to be occupied by adults diagnosed with chronic mental illness.
· $1,753,900 for Community Housing Network in Kansas City for 14 one-bedroom units, serving very low-income persons with disabilities.
· $1,064,200 for Family Counseling Center, Inc. in Poplar Bluff to construct an Independent Living Project that will consist of 9 one-bedroom units for very low-income and chronically mentally ill residents.
· $1, 416,900 for Burrell Behavioral Health, Inc. in Springfield to construct a 14 unit multifamily complex, serving very low-income persons with disabilities.
· $1,677,600 for Progressive Connections in St. Joseph to construct a 14 unit complex consisting of one-bedroom units for persons with developmental disabilities.
· $4,896,000 for Cardinal Ritter Senior Services in Dardenne Prairie for 38 one-bedroom units very low-income housing for the elderly.
