SAN DIEGO REGION WINS ADDITIONAL $1.7 MILLION IN FEDERAL HOMELESS FUNDING

Survivors of Human Trafficking/Commercial Sexual Exploitation Among Those Getting Help  

March 18, 2012 (San Diego) -- Four new regional projects have received more than $1.7 million in federal funding for the first time thanks to efforts by County Housing and Community Development, the lead agent for the Regional Continuum of Care.  The new projects will provide transitional and long-term housing and support services for homeless people. 

The Board of Supervisors, at the request of Supervisor Dianne Jacob, District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis and Sheriff Bill Gore, is supporting legislation to strengthen penalties for crimes related to human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation.

“The missing piece has been housing,” said Supervisor Dianne Jacob. “Now the federal government is providing $200,000 over two years to fund six transitional housing beds and services for homeless women who are survivors of human trafficking or commercial sexual exploitation.”

The project will be located in an unincorporated area of the County and is sponsored by the non-profit organization GenerateHOPE.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded more than $14 million to support homeless funding in San Diego County in December but new projects were under still under review. Tuesday, HUD announced this award to the San Diego region for four new projects. The other three are:

·         $783,158 for the Vista Terrace Project, a 47-unit complex in Vista, sponsored by North County Solutions for Change

·         $610,000 for the new Connections Housing Project in the rehabilitated World Trade Center in downtown San Diego sponsored by People Assisting the Homeless

·         $134,000 for the Homeless Management Information System to help the Continuum of Care meet changes in federal data collection and reporting requirements, sponsored by the Regional Task Force on the Homeless