Weekly Update

Friends,

As you may have seen earlier this week, we officially broke ground on the new Hub Campus operated by Hospitality Hub. I want to thank the City Council (particularly former Chair Kemp Conrad) and my Administration for helping to make this day possible. Additionally, I want to thank all the men and women of the Hospitality Hub for your dedication and your service to those in our community who need it most.

 

 

 

This year, there will be roughly 2,500 people who experience homelessness in Memphis and Shelby County, and for the overwhelming majority of them, this Plaza will be their first stop.

 

 

The new Hub Campus will include:

• The region’s first barrier-free shelter for women
• A 25,000-square foot public plaza
• A new 6,000 square foot central intake facility to house the Hub’s offices and programs
• Three outdoor greenspaces for Hub clients, guests, and staff

Women make up roughly 37 percent of those experiencing homelessness; however, only 6 percent of beds are open to women. At a critical point in their lives, when a calm and safe place is needed most, this new women’s shelter on the Hub Campus will offer safety, resources, and hope.

 

As we move forward, I hope the need for these type facilities continues to go down, but until such time, I’m proud of what we’re building together on this campus.

 

A deeper dive: In a normal year, we typically receive an annual allocation of approximately $550,000 in Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) funds that we can use for emergency shelter, street outreach, rapid re-housing, homeless prevention, and the homeless management information system.

 

This year, we received a little over $8 million.

 

Of the $8 million we received in ESG CARES Act funds through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, roughly $5.5 million has been allocated to eight agencies, including the Collins Chapel project and the rehab of a 16-unit facility for homeless women.

 

Additionally, we allocated $600,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) CARES Act funding through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for enhancements to the homeless hotline and for projects that support the homeless population that are not eligible for ESG. 

 

Each year, the City Division of Housing and Community Development actively works to deploy these funds to as many of our citizens in need as quickly as possible.

 

Rent and Utility Assistance update: Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Treasury granted a total of $28.2 million to the City of Memphis and Shelby County ($19.6 million to the City and $8.6 to the County) to administer the Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) program. This is aimed at helping renters across Shelby County.

 

The program can pay up to 12 months of owed rent and utilities to those affected by COVID-19. Those facing eviction can also receive free legal assistance. The program is open to Shelby County renters and is being administered by the City of Memphis and Shelby County Government.

 

To date:

• $10.1 million spent (checks cut and sent) as of today
• 2,970 households have received help with rent
• 3,800 households have received help with utilities
• 1,371 Eviction Settlements
• 911 Bulk Settlements (meaning negotiated with landlords to pay for more than 5+ tenants at a time)

We still have $18.1 million to spend of the initial $28.2 million and have until December 2022 to use these funds. Also, we will receive another $25 million later this year.

 

If you or someone you know needs rent and/or utility assistance, there are plenty of resources to help you. For more information, please go here.

 

Help is on the way: In case you missed it earlier this week, President Biden held a press conference to announce that American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars can be used to fund the work we’ve been doing for years. They will fund youth opportunities, second chance programs, and improving public safety; and, additional resources will be made available to Memphis and other cities to further help. Go here for more details on the President’s announcement.

 

Enjoy your weekend!

 

Yours,