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Rental Assistance Programs for Homeless Toledo Public
Schools Students Announced
Special to The Truth
The City of Toledo -
partnering with the Toledo Lucas County Homelessness Board,
Toledo Public Schools, Lutheran Social Services of Northwest
Ohio, and financial opportunity centers - has launched two
new safety net grant programs to assist homeless families of
students currently attending the school district, Mayor Wade
Kapszukiewicz announced last week.
Up to $2 million of
Emergency Solutions Grant CARES Act funding will be used to
help approximately 300 families with rent payments for up to
three months, rent deposits, and utility payments. Families
at or below 60 percent of the area median income may qualify
and will be rapidly re-housed into permanent living
situations.
The Tenant Based Rental
Assistance program will use $100,000 provided by the U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development, HOME Investment
Partnership funding, to provide 12 months of rental
assistance, rent security deposits, utility payments, and
utility security deposits to an additional 10 homeless
families that have household incomes at or below 60 percent
of the area median income.
A case worker will work with grant recipients on the
benefits of a financial opportunity center, and provide
resources such as budgeting, credit repair, job searches,
and educational opportunities. The funds will be paid
directly to landlords and utility companies. The housing
unit must be safe, decent, and sanitary, and successfully
pass the City of Toledo's housing quality standards
inspection.
"Toledo is a compassionate
city that seeks to help those in need, and the goal of this
collaboration is just that," Mayor Kapszukiewicz said. "We
want to help decrease the percentage of TPS families who are
in shelters while providing housing stability and
wrap-around services."
Toledo Public Schools has
approximately 23,000 students. Of those, about 1,700 are
identified as homeless.
"TPS is proud to partner
with the City of Toledo, Department of Neighborhoods, and
the Lucas County Homelessness Board to serve our students,"
said Heather Baker, TPS executive director of student
intervention services. "As many know, roughly 1,700 of our
students are challenged with homelessness. During the
pandemic and remote learning, all of our students have
needed more support. Through this partnership, we can
provide them with the resources they need. We are grateful
for this opportunity."
"We are proud to partner
with the City of Toledo and Toledo Public Schools on this
important initiative to help bring stability to local
families," Rachel Gagnon, Toledo Lucas County Homelessness
Board executive director, said. "We know the effects of
homelessness on children are lasting - social and emotional
development are threatened, academic progress can be halted,
and physical health is jeopardized. Safe and secure housing
with appropriate supports provides the foundation necessary
for a successful future for our children and community."
City of Toledo Neighborhoods
Department Director Rosalyn Clemens said more funding is
needed to address the needs of homeless students in Toledo.
"This is just one of the
city's multiple housing programs, within the Department of
Neighborhoods," Ms. Clemens said. "This grant program
addresses yet another housing challenge - this one for
homeless students and their families - with the hope to
raise attention to the issue and also find more funding each
year."
Mayor Kapszukiewicz, Ms.
Baker, and Ms. Gagnon made the announcement during a news
conference at Jones Leadership Academy of Business, 430
Nebraska Ave.
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