The Lancaster County Homelessness Coalition, in partnership with the Lancaster County Housing & Redevelopment Authorities, has released awardees for a new Transitional Housing Grant Program aimed at expanding housing opportunities for individuals and families experiencing homelessness.
Awardees represent expanded coverage areas of the county and include, Elizabethtown Community Housing & Outreach Services (ECHOS) awarded $52,062, serving Northwest Lancaster County, REAL Life Community Services awarded $51,062, serving Northeast Lancaster County, and Lancaster County Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (BHDS) awarded $43,375, serving all of Lancaster County.
“Transitional housing is more than a temporary solution; it’s a proven pathway and vital bridge from crisis toward independence,” said Noemi Martinez, Office for the Coalition’s Homeless Housing Program Coordinator. “These investments reflect our commitment to expanding access to safe, stable housing while ensuring individuals and families have the support they need to rebuild their lives and strengthening our communities in the process.”
This one-year funding opportunity is supported by the Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement (PHARE) Fund and provides a total of $145,500 in direct program funding to these service providers to develop or expand their transitional housing initiatives. The grant starts April 6, 2026, and runs through April 5, 2027.
Programs funded through this opportunity are expected to combine safe, temporary housing with targeted supportive services, including intensive case management, connections to mainstream benefits, and assistance securing long-term housing. From their submissions, awardees will assist 9-15 total households and a minimum of 15 individuals including children under the age of 18.
Advancing Local Housing Solutions
The Transitional Housing Grant Program reflects the Coalition’s broader commitment to creating a coordinated, data-driven system of care that makes homelessness rare, brief, and non-recurring. By investing in flexible housing interventions paired with supportive services, members of the Lancaster County Homelessness Coalition aim to strengthen pathways to permanent housing across Lancaster County.
Community organizations interested in becoming part of the Lancaster County Homelessness Coalition are encouraged to connect with the Office for the Lancaster County Homelessness Coalition.
For more information, please visit lchra.com or contact homelesscoalition@lchra.com.
In collaboration with the Berks Coalition to End Homelessness and the York County Coalition on Homelessness, the Lancaster County Homelessness Coalition was awarded $990,057 as part of $51.1 million in Youth Homelessness Systems Improvement Grants (YHSI) to 38 communities across 26 states nationwide. Berks County will act as the administrator for the award while the Office for the Lancaster County Homelessness Coalition, as part of the Lancaster County Redevelopment Authority’s Human Services department, will oversee the Youth initiatives and collaboration including hiring a Youth Program Coordinator for the three-county region. Representatives from the tri-county area believe that the opportunity afforded by the YHSI grant for Berks, Lancaster, and York counties to work together to improve the youth homelessness response system is a valuable one. The funding received will strengthen each county’s coalition with a youth voice and perspective, create system mapping and racial and gender equity survey to identify gaps/barriers and develop new resources and connections for youth.
Elise McCauley, Assistant Director of the Berks Coalition to End Homelessness states that, ” The Youth Homelessness Systems Improvement (YHSI) grant is a critical investment for Berks County. Our current youth homelessness response system is limited, and we know there are many young people in need who aren’t being served. This grant will allow us to finally understand the true scope of the problem by gathering much needed data. With that information, we can develop actionable plans to bridge the gaps and create a truly effective response system for our most vulnerable youth.”
The financial support afforded by the YHSI grant will strengthen the youth homelessness response systems across the tri-county area. Kelly Blechertas, Program Coordinator at the York County Coalition on Homelessness expressed enthusiasm for the opportunity, “As part of a regional grant collaboration with our partners Berks and Lancaster Counties, we are excited to have the opportunity to broaden the scope of our youth systems building, to ensure those youth who are moving between communities can still access the important resources they need. YHSI provides a unique opportunity within federal housing assistance to partner across communities, and we are excited to show the impactful growth that can come from allowing these types of collaborations.”
The YHSI grant program’s focus is on making systemic changes to improve or create response systems for youth at risk of or experiencing homelessness but does not provide funding for direct services or housing for homeless youth. The goal of this tri-county initiative is to address youth homelessness by incorporating the voice of youth with lived experience, mapping of the youth services system across the three counties, and performing a racial and equity analysis of the three counties, strengthening each county’s youth action board.
“This grant is vital because it involves youth in the development of programs and services tailored to their unique needs and compensates them for their valuable contributions. Their insights will shape solutions that bring about positive change for our vulnerable community members.” – Marjorie Shaffer, Homeless Housing Coordinator, who serves as the Youth Homelessness Liaison with the Lancaster County Office for the Homelessness Coalition
The Lancaster County Homelessness Coalition envisions a future with a sustained, safe, and quality home for all who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness in Lancaster County. To learn more about the Lancaster County Homelessness Coalition or to support our work please visit https://lchra.com/our-organizations/homelessness-coalition/.
The PA-510 Continuum of Care will be submitting their application to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development for their Entitlement Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) on September 28, 2023. Select Consolidated Application or Priority Listing for the documents.
The Lancaster County Homelessness Coalition (LCHC) has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for operating an emergency low-barrier shelter at Otterbein United Methodist Church (20 E. Clay St. Lancaster) for 29 months starting December 1, 2023.
Responses are due by 5:00pm on Friday, September 29, 2023, and should be submitted to Beth Dreyer-DeGoede at bdegoede@lchra.com.
A copy of the RFP is available for review on the website at https://lchra.com/resources/requests-for-proposals/.