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The Las Vegas City Council today approved $276,760 of general funds for regional homeless coordination and to help fund the inclement weather shelter. These funds are part of an interlocal agreement between the city, Clark County, North Las Vegas, Henderson and Boulder City that addresses the problem of homelessness in Southern Nevada on a regional basis.
The funding approved today makes up 34 percent of the annual budget of the Southern Nevada Regional Planning Coalition’s Committee on Homelessness. The funding is used for the inclement weather shelter, regional coordination of homeless services, the Homeless Management Information System and the Homeless Street and Shelter Court.
In addition, the city funds and operates several other programs designed to assist the homeless. Facia, a local 14-year-old singer, songwriter and performer, who was honored as the Citizen of the Month at today’s council meeting, was assisted by one of these city programs earlier this year. Facia and her family found themselves living out of their car in January after her father, Michael DiBenedetto, suffered a heart attack and could not work.
The family looked to the city of Las Vegas for help and was assisted by the city’s emergency housing assistance program.
“No one would help us, but then someone called the city and we had a roof over our heads the same day,” DiBenedetto said. “When you are on the streets you can get a hopeless feeling, but the city gave us a bridge so that we wouldn’t be homeless.”
Mayor Oscar B. Goodman recognized Facia for her charitable work with causes including breast cancer and HIV.
“Facia and her family are there for others in their time of need, and I’m happy that the city could be there for this family and so many other families when they are going through difficult times,” Goodman said. “This is an example of the types of outreach that the city does everyday.”
The city of Las Vegas is implementing a responsive, strategic, regional approach to the issue of homelessness.
“Our goal is to assist the homeless in getting the services they need including mental health services, intensive case management, substance abuse treatment and counseling so that we can end the cycle of homelessness for those living on the streets,” Goodman said.
Along with the annual regional funding the city also utilizes its resources and programs to target the gaps that create homelessness, and has spent more than $14 million in federal and general funds since 1999 on housing services, shelter and construction of new projects for the homeless. Some of the city programs currently in place include:
- Emergency Housing Assistance Program - Created in 2004 the program has served nearly 400 individuals and provides rent, utility and other supportive services such as furniture, case management, income management, substance abuse treatment, mental health services and employment referrals.
- Evolve - Created in 2003, this program has assisted more than 500 ex-offenders by providing housing, transportation and employment related services.
- Chronic Inebriate Program - This program provides individuals an opportunity to participate in a diversion program that offers access to drug and alcohol treatment, aftercare support services, housing, and reentry/discharge planning as an alternative to incarceration.
- Municipal Court Homeless Assistance Program - This program is designed to assist homeless individuals currently participating in a rehabilitation program with pending court matters without having to go to court.
- Westcare Community Triage Center - The city of Las Vegas along with regional partners jointly fund this center to provide additional mental health care and services to homeless individuals.
The city also continues to work on its 10-year plan to end homelessness, a plan that has been lauded by Philip F. Mangano, the executive director of the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness.
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