More than $2.1 million in federal grant funding has been awarded for homeless assistance programs in Somerville and Arlington through the federal Continuum of Care Program Competition for FY14, Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone announced this week.

The Somerville-Arlington Continuum of Care (CoC) was awarded $2,125,646 from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). That funding will help fund permanent and transitional housing for homeless individuals and families, as well as case management and other services including job training, money management training, health care, mental health counseling, and substance abuse treatment. It also includes a planning grant for the Somerville-Arlington CoC. The projects and programs awarded funding are:

“I’m thankful that the Obama Administration is giving our local providers the financial support they need to serve the most vulnerable members of our community,” said Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone. “Our core value of making our community an exceptional place to live, work, play and raise a family must be extended to every resident, regardless of their station in life or challenges they face—otherwise it is an empty promise. As we do our part on the local level to tackle the regional problem of housing affordability, we must reach those members of our community who have become victims of homelessness, and especially work on preventing homelessness.”

The Somerville-Arlington CoC is the local organization that coordinates housing and services funding for homeless individuals and families. The City of Somerville serves as the lead for the CoC. In February, the city conducted a survey of young residents up to the age of 24 who are currently homeless or may be at risk of becoming homeless, in cooperation with the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) and utilizing youth ambassadors from Youth Harbors, Teen Empowerment, Wayside and Just a Start. City officials estimate that there are approximately 76 homeless youth currently in Somerville between pre-kindergarten and high school. The local survey coincided with the annual federal point-in-time count held on the overnight of Feb. 25 to Feb. 26 that captures the number of individuals and families in emergency and transitional shelters and on the street in Somerville and Arlington for that night.

— City of Somerville