AG 2003 11 17 - Laserfiche WebLink

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September 6, 1994 Obtain Community Service Block Grant Fundinz - Mr. Vernon Cahoo~ Hr. Vernon Cahoot, Attorney with the Legal Se~-vices of Southern Piedmont and a member of the Cabarrus County Task Force for Homelessness, reviewed the work of the Task Force in addressing the problems of the homeless and near homeless citizens of Cabarrus County. He presented the Task Force's recommendation for a Homeless Coordinator to provide counsel£ng Co the homeless and work closely with such existing groups as the SAlvation Amy and Cooperative Christian Hinistry in providing needed services. Stating that the position could be funded through a Community Service Block Grant, he asked the Board Co send a letter to the Governor asking that services through the Community Service Block Grant program be made available to Cabarrus County and Chat the Salisbury-Rowan Community Service Council, Inc. be considered for administering the funds in Cabarrus County. UPON MOTION of Commissioner Carpenter, seconded by Commissioner Casper and unanimously carried, the Board authorized Chairman Barnhart to send a letter to Governor Hunt asking for Community Service Block Grant Funding for Cabarrus County and requesting that the Salisbury-Rowan Community Services Council be considered for administering =he funds available to Cabarrus County. The letter as authorized by the Board was as follows. Dear Governor Hunt: The Board of County Commissioners of Cabarrus County requests that services through the Community Service Block Grant and related programs be made available co our county through an eligible Community Action Agency. Our County has not had services through the Community Se=vice Block Grant in the paso. Cabarrus County is home =o 7,893 persons below poverty level. A subsCancial number of these individuals are homeless or face a serious risk of homelessness. A recent sur~ey undertaken by this Commission's Homeless Task Force ~dentified 253 households with 500 people as being without housing or in immediate danger of eviction. Of this 500, 176 were children and of these children 85 percent were 10 or under; 49 percent were 5 or under. Several households with children were identified as living in vehicles, abandoned buildings or simply "living in the streets.# Our homeless and near homeless citizens have a great need for a variety of services including emergency shelter, substance abuse services, employment or better paying employment and affordable housing. Our Task Force has determined that the needs of our homeless citizens would be well solved by the fundin~ of a position of a Homeless Coordinator. This individual would provide counseling =o homeless individuals and would work closely w~th existing groups to assure that the homeless are offered a continuum of se=vices as they move from homelessness to residents of affordable houstnz. It is envisioned that the Coordinator would assls~ groups seeking to supply low income housing with grant writing and other support. Our Task Force has studied the offered se=vices, or~anization and reputation of the Salisbury-Rowan Community Se=vice Council, Inc. and request that this CSBG grantee be given primary consideration by your office for administering funding available to our county. Commissioner Fennel called for local churches and citizens of the county to step forward to help solve =he problem of homelessness in Cabarrus County.