FRESNO (KMJ) — Downtown Fresno’s Naomi’s House has lost a portion of its funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, due to what federal officials described as “below average housing outcomes.”
According to HUD, Safe Haven funding had been sent to Naomi’s House since 2002. The last grant was for Fiscal Year 2016, ending in June 2018. The money has since been reallocated by Fresno Madera Continuum of Care, the agency which manages HUD’s homeless housing funds locally. The reallocation means the federal dollars will be kept in the area for other homeless projects.
In a statement to KMJ News, HUD said Naomi’s House “achieved significantly below-average housing outcomes” in both Fiscal Year 2015 and 2016. Housing outcomes include criteria such as failing to meet targets on length of stay or the number of beds used. In March 2017 the Fresno Madera Continuum of Care (FMCoC) visited the shelter and offered technical assistance through its consultants.
“The consultants drew up a proposed plan of action to help bring Naomi’s House into full compliance with CoC policy and to improve Naomi’s House’s ability to place residents into permanent housing. However, rather than attempt to execute this plan, Naomi’s House chose to voluntarily reallocate its funding.”
In response, Poverello House, which manages Naomi’s House, said it made the decision not to reapply due to HUD’s decision to move away from Safe Haven for funding. While HUD has stopped offering Safe Haven grants for new projects following changes made in 2012, its website shows that money is available for existing projects (click here for more information).
Poverello House added that it has never been out of compliance, and that it continues to receive funding through both HUD’s Emergency Solutions Grant and from FEMA.
Hear the report from KMJ’s Dominic McAndrew as it aired:
