HPRP

Scales and Streeter point out both the importance of economic development in rural areas and the pitfalls that often befall rural communities due to globalization and resource depletion (331). Locally, we have seen many towns be hit hard by an economic downturn after the shuttering of the town's mill. This downturn in the economy then leads inevitably to large-scale unemployment and the threat or realization of homelessness. The LA Times just ran an article that focused on this very problem.

But there are also programs and individuals who are actively working to combat this issue. This past week I started some work through the HPRP program. On Wednesday I attended the weekly meeting that includes all the different service providers involved in the program, and on Thursday I went to Scotia to participate in the first full-blown community outreach with the program. All together I am very excited to have an opportunity to participate in any way with this program, as I think it offers a fantastic opportunity to combat homelessness before it happens.

The Homeless Prevention and Rapid Re-housing Program (HPRP) is a program that is federally funded and is intended to stop families from becoming homeless or rapidly re-house them if they have already become homeless. The original HUD press-release described it as a program that would provide “a total of $1.5 billion for communities to provide short - and medium-term rental assistance and services to either prevent individuals and families from becoming homeless or help those who are experiencing homelessness to be quickly re-housed and stabilized,” that works by offering “a variety of short- and medium-term financial assistance to those who would otherwise become homeless, many due to sudden economic crisis. This can include short-term rental assistance (up to three months), medium-term rental assistance (up to 18 months), security deposits, utility deposits, utility payments, moving cost assistance, and hotel vouchers.”

The experience in Scotia was both startling and exciting. It was startling to see a town so devastated by the economic downturn and the shutting down of the mill, and exciting to see how effective the HPRP could be in helping people who live in the town. An aspect that I found particularly interesting was watching the degree of community organization that had occurred. There were multiple non-profits, the County, and other volunteers all cooperating to address a social issue that effects every member of the community: homelessness.