Overview of the 2006 McKinney-Vento Homeless Awards

Last month HUD released the 2006 Continuum of Care announcements. This was the third highest level of funding for New Jersey in the last six years. However, this was the second decline in a row since the peak level of funding in 2004. Please note that the 2004 awards were the last year that HUD allowed for the Samaritan Bonus to be equal to or larger than the pro rata need. Thus, 2005 and 2006 are more comparable.

Annual Awards Since 2001

2001 $20,724,115
2002 $22,051,544
2003 $26,315,940
2004 $34,962,954
2005 $31,080,076
2006 $28,511,721

This continued decline in statewide funding - totaling $2,568,355 dollars since 2005 - is a concern that all twenty-one (21) of New Jersey's Continuums of Care will need to address prior to submitting this year's application. Although, the final scores by each category are not known, the two areas that are likely causes are the increased emphasis on housing over supportive services and the performance of renewal grants. As more information is known we will provide it.

Monarch Housing's Ending Homelessness Team continued to serve an effective role in maximizing the level of funding for the eleven (11) Continuums of Care that they worked with in 2006. To view the overall scoring for last year's awards click here. Of the top ten (10) Continuums, Monarch's Ending Homelessness Team worked with seven (7) including for the third year in a row the top ranked project in NJ. The Average Score increase for CoC’s working with Monarch was two point eight (2.8). The Average Rank increase for CoC’s working with Monarch was one point seven (1.7).

Although the Ending Homelessness Team only worked with fifty-two percent (52%) of the state, fifty-five per cent (55%) of the state's funding was received by those eleven (11) CoC's.

In addition, in regards to funding for new projects, Monarch's CoC's received fifty-five percent (55%) of the total.

This new funding will result in the creation of eighty-nine (89) new units of permanent, affordable and supportive housing for the chronically homeless. Of these thirteen were housing first units.

To find out how each CoC click on the county name in the chart.

Homeless Trust Fund Gains Momentum

Momentum is building for the county-based Homeless Trust Fund. There are more than one hundred (100) organizations that have signed on to the Homeless Trust Fund.

If you are interested in helping with the campaign we encourage you to read the sign on letter and have your organization become one of the leaders in this important campaign. For a fact sheet click here or for a description of possible uses and populations to be served click here. For more information contact Randi Moore.

To see all who have signed up click here.

Why is your organization not on the list?

Project Homeless Connect New Jersey 2007 Serves 5,121 Individuals!

For more information and to view the power point presentation that reviews all of the accomplishments of the first Statewide Project Homeless Connect click here. For more information on Project Homeless Connect New Jersey click here.

Photos and Press Updates

The press coverage from the first ever Statewide Project Homeless connect has been overwhelming.

The best place to get updates is the Monarch Blog. This is updated daily. To sign up for the email digest click here.

Some of the current posts are on the sidebar and in this section. The best place to go for regular updates is the Monarch Blog. To view the more than thirty-one (31) posts on the Blog about Project Homeless Connect click here or use the headline banner at the bottom which provides the most recent postings. Click on one to read the details. Photos and news are added daily.