Grant renewals for $3.3 million for homelessness service providers in North Dakota under the US Department of Housing and Urban Development Continuum of Care, or CoC program, are now written into law.
Late last year, HUD informed many providers the grants would not be renewed at the last minute. Attorneys general from 20 different states sued the federal government, and a judge ordered a pause on the action that stopped the funding. And in the meantime, lawmakers have had to advocate to secure the funding again.
Erin Prochnow is CEO of YWCA of Cass Clay. She says Senator John Hoeven has been instrumental in getting this done.
"The sad reality is that, you know, we've had to advocate to Senator Hoeven about these issues, and he's had to take such significant action into writing it into federal legislation to do something that has been happening for more than 30 years, on a renewal basis, with proven results and YWCA being recognized as such a model program. It was so difficult, and belabored."
Prochnow says Hoeven was able to get the wording into the law the requires the grants to be renewed.
The legislation secures housing for one hundred people at the YWCA.
Prochnow also says Hoeven has invited her to Washington DC to meet with HUD Secretary Scott Turner and others to advocate for how vital these grants are for vulnerable populations.
