Arizona distributes $16 million in grants to homeless services providers

Arizona is awarding $16 million in grants to community organizations and local governments to expand homeless shelters and support services across the state.

Gov. Katie Hobbs and the Arizona Department of Housing (ADOH) announced the funding Oct. 23, which comes from the state’s Housing Trust Fund. The grants will help organizations construct additional shelter units and maintain services for Arizonans experiencing homelessness.

A total of 19 organizations and local governments will receive funding, including several in the Phoenix area.

UMOM New Day Centers and Flagstaff Shelter Services will each receive $2 million, the largest individual grants announced.

“This investment will help UMOM provide safe shelter, stability and a pathway forward for hundreds of women experiencing homelessness each year,” UMOM CEO Monique Lopez said in a news release.

Other major recipients include the City of Phoenix, the City of Tucson, Keys to Change, COPA Health and Primavera Foundation, which will each receive $1 million.

In the Phoenix area, additional grants include:

• Central Arizona Shelter Services: $901,000
• Phoenix Dream Center: $700,000
• A New Leaf: $500,000
• Justa Center: $500,000

The funding also will support organizations in Mesa, Tucson, Flagstaff, Prescott, Sierra Vista, Kingman and Bullhead City.

“Access to safe shelter is critical for the security and well-being of Arizonans,” Hobbs said. “With this funding, we will ensure more Arizona families have a roof over their heads and the services they need to get back on their feet.”

ADOH Director Ruby Dhillon-Williams said the department received 78 applications for the $16 million in available funding.

“Our focus is on meeting that need and putting forth funding solutions that help reduce the number of unhoused Arizonans,” Dhillon-Williams said.

The grants are part of broader investments in homelessness response and transitional housing made during the Hobbs administration.

Those investments include $60 million for the Homeless Shelter and Services Fund, $38 million through the State Housing Trust Fund for housing insecurity prevention and rapid rehousing, and $13.5 million for eviction prevention and homelessness response.

Additional funding has gone toward housing programs for veterans and people re-entering communities after involvement with the criminal justice system.

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