Federal Grant Money Distributed for Homeless
Initial payments from a $4.1-million federal grant to aid the homeless were distributed Friday to approximately 150 emergency food and shelter agencies in Los Angeles County.
The funds, which represent the county’s share of $124 million allocated by Congress nationwide under the McKinney Homeless Assistance Act, were awarded by the Emergency Food and Shelter Program Local Board, a public-private coalition of 17 local organizations. The local grant is about the same as last year’s allocation.
“Though $4 million sounds like a lot of money and Los Angeles County got the largest allocation of any place in America,” said Gilbert D. Smith, chairman of the agency’s local board, “we will be able only to scratch the surface in terms of regional need.”
The grants were given to agencies that provide emergency shelter, rental assistance and meals to the homeless, who number an estimated 35,000 to 50,000 in the county.
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