You are here: Home → Departments → Planning and Development → Services → Community Development → Emergency Shelter Grant
Navigation
 
Document Actions

ESG Program

The Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG) program funds organizations that provide homeless persons with basic shelter and essential supportive services. It can assist with the operational costs of the shelter facility, and for the administration of the grant. ESG also provides short-term homeless prevention assistance to persons at imminent risk of losing their own housing due to eviction, foreclosure, or utility shutoffs.

ESG funds are available for the rehabilitation or remodeling of a building used as a new shelter, operations and maintenance of the facility, essential supportive services (i.e., case management, physical and mental health treatment, substance abuse counseling, childcare, etc.), homeless prevention, and grant administration.

The selection of recipients of Emergency Shelter Grants occurs annually with the deadline for applications occurring in February of each year. Organizations that receive an Emergency Shelter Grant must match grant funds dollar for dollar with their own locally generated amounts.

Please Note: On May 20, 2009, President Obama signed the Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing (HEARTH) Act of 2009. The HEARTH Act amends and reauthorizes the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act with substantial changes including changes to the ESG Program. 

A Draft Substantial Amendment to the 2011-12 Annual Action Plan is available for public comment through April 20, 2012.  This document outlines the planned use of Emergency Solutions Grant funds received as a supplemental allocation to the City's FY 11-12 grant.  These funds will support activities that assist households who are homeless or at-risk of becoming homeless to move into permanent housing or remain housed. 

The Draft Substantial Amendment may be viewed here. 

The Emergency Solutions Grant, as authorized under HEARTH, allows communities to set priorities on the use of funds based on the needs of the community.  These standards serve to outline the specific guidelines and priorities that will be used by the City of Lowell's Department of Planning and Development in awarding and administering ESG funds. 

A Draft set of Written Standards is currently available for review and public comment and may be viewed here.

Comments on both documents are due April 20, 2012.  Written comments may be mailed, faxed, or emailed to:

Allison Lamey, Community Development Director

50 Arcand Drive

Lowell, MA 01852

978-674-4252 alamey@lowellma.gov