Posts (RSS)Families of Foreclose Homes Get Help from Nonprofit Groups
Families of foreclose houses who are in danger of homelessness may find help with Community Storehouse, a nonprofit organization based in Keller, Texas. The nonprofit organization is set to receive about $1 million from the federal stimulus program.
The nonprofit organization will use the money to provide roof to struggling families. According to industry experts, more and more families are becoming homeless due to the worsening economic recession and foreclosure crisis.
Community Storehouse is one of the nonprofit organizations in North Texas that has been approved to identify individuals and families who will be eligible for assistance, including rent and utility payments.
Community Storehouse executive director Barbara Board said that problems such as utility bills, health emergencies and layoffs are a great burden to both middle class and working families.
The federal stimulus money that the nonprofit organization will receive is part of the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs funding assistance for North Texas under its Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program. The funds will be made available in September.
Other recipients of the federal funds intended to be used to help struggling families, including those who lost their homes to foreclosures, to have a place to live in are Catholic Charities Diocese of Fort Worth and the Christian Community Action in Denton County.
Housing and Community Affairs community services section manager Stuart Campbell said that the state of Texas stands to receive a total of $41 million for its program. He added that several cities in Texas also received over $60 million that they will use to fight homelessness.
Families who qualify for the program will receive rent and utilities payment assistance for 90 days up to 18 months.
According to Campbell, recipients of the program will be linked with various social services and government agencies for case counseling assistance. It is a requirement that program beneficiaries should re-certify every three months.
To become eligible, families should have an income of not more than 50 percent of the area?s median income. The median income in Tarrant County is $66,000 so for a family to quality for the program, they must have an income of $33,000.
The Community Storehouse provides assistance to families living in the Northwest and Keller school districts that include neighborhoods with a high number of foreclosure properties. Foreclosure filings were made on 1,135 properties from January up to date.