Charlotte and other area cities and towns are in line for millions of dollars in new federal housing aid as part of the American Rescue Plan that passed Congress last month.
The federal Department of Housing and Urban Development has allocated nearly $5 billion from the bill to help cities and towns create affordable housing and services for people experiencing homelessness or at risk.
Charlotte and surrounding towns are getting $11.6 million, Gastonia $2.8 million and Concord $4.8 million. (See a full list of North Carolina allocations below.)
“This $5 billion in homelessness assistance provided by the American Rescue Plan will deliver much-needed resources for communities to give homes to the people who have had to endure the pandemic without one," HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge said in a statement.
HUD said it expects to announce additional funding in the coming weeks for emergency vouchers for people experiencing and at risk of homelessness.
This initial round of funding will come in the form of additional grants through HUD's HOMES program. Communities have until 2030 to spend it.
Charlotte Housing & Neighborhood Services Director Pamela Wideman said it's too soon to say how the city will use the money.
"We are currently working on a strategy for these funds," she said.
The money would go to the city and partners in the Charlotte HOME Consortium, including Mecklenburg County, nonprofit organizations and the towns of Mint Hill, Matthews, Davidson, Huntersville, Cornelius, and Pineville.
Here are allocations for North Carolina, according to the Department of Housing and Urban Development:
- North Carolina Non-Entitlement funding - $65,590,727
- Winston-Salem consortium - $4,887,567
- Gastonia consortium - $2,850,611
- Asheville consortium - $4,699,862
- Surry County consortium - $2,110,180
- Lenoir consortium - $4,182,773
- Haywood County consortium - $1,965,737
- Orange County consortium - $1,371,401
- Durham consortium - $4,346,151
- Greensboro consortium - $6,601,747
- Concord consortium - $4,772,338
- Rocky Mount consortium - $1,476,477
- Charlotte consortium - $11,566,783
- Wake County consortium - $3,511,550