Birmingham Getting $5 Million To Battle Homelessness
Birmingham will receive just more than $5 million to combat homelessness from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s American Rescue Plan Act, it was announced Thursday.
The funding will come through HUD’s Home Investment Partnerships Program and is intended to help cities create affordable and supportive housing and services for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. It’s separate from the $148 million Birmingham already has been awarded from the American Rescue Plan.
“With this Home money, we can do things like purchase residences or hotels … to house people and put them in stable, permanent housing,” HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge said Thursday during a press conference that also included Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin. Between this funding and President Joe Biden’s proposed $2 trillion economic plan, Fudge said she was “very, very confident that we can eradicate homelessness.”
In addition to the construction of new housing, the funds can be used to provide rental assistance; they also will be made available for people fleeing domestic violence, Fudge said.
Birmingham is one of five Alabama cities receiving supplemental allocations from the American Rescue Plan Act. Huntsville will receive $2.7 million; Mobile, $3.08 million; Montgomery, $3.3 million; and Tuscaloosa, $1.7 million. Jefferson County separately will receive $3.6 million in funding, while Mobile County will receive $2.2 million. The state will receive a further $41.6 million to distribute among areas with populations of less than 50,000.
A full list of Home program funding allocations is available on HUD’s website.
George Foreman, the fearsome heavyweight who became a beloved champion, dies at 76
The heavyweight who lost the "Rumble in the Jungle" to Muhammad Ali before authoring an inspiring second act as a 45-year-old champion and a successful businessman was 76.
Voice of America staff sue Trump administration for shutting down network
Six Voice of America journalists and a director at its parent agency have sued the Trump administration, alleging its moves to shut down the U.S.-funded network are unconstitutional.
Homeland Security makes cuts to civil rights and immigration oversight offices
DHS confirms it is implementing a reduction in force in three oversight offices as part of the effort to cut the federal workforce.
What’s the ideal age to reach a life milestone? Many Americans say it depends
Owning a home, starting a family or retiring: If these are things you want, what's the best age to do them? The Pew Research Center surveyed 3,600 U.S. adults to find out.
What we know about the case of detained Georgetown professor Badar Khan Suri
The Indian national and postdoctoral fellow is the latest scholar detained or deported by the Trump administration for speaking in support of Palestinian rights or criticizing Israel's actions in Gaza.
Screens and sleep. Maybe not so bad?
We hear a lot about how screens impact our sleep, but how significant is the disruption? And how much does exercise predict sleep quality? This story first appeared in the Body Electric newsletter.
