Camillus House receives $12.6 million to provide rent assistance to combat homelessness in Miami-Dade

For Immediate Release

Miami, FL – As Camillus House expands its permanent housing program to serve a growing number of homeless in Miami-Dade County, the nonprofit just received a vote of confidence from the Biden Administration.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced last week it has selected three Camillus House projects to fund with a $12.6 million, three-year grant. The funding is part of a $21.21 million grant secured by the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust on behalf of non-profits and municipalities servicing the homeless community in the county. Miami-based Camillus House is one of the largest and most comprehensive providers of housing and services for the homeless in South Florida.

“We are honored to be receiving nearly 60 percent of the funding allocated to combat homelessness in Miami-Dade County,” Camillus House CEO Hilda Fernandez said. “It is only with the support of both the public and private sectors that enable us to provide wrap-around services positively impacting our homeless clients. Being able to move individuals off the street into emergency and temporary housing and ultimately into permanent supportive housing is the goal.”

The three-year $12.6 million grant will fund the following programs:

Brother Richard PSH: $6,844,461 for 3 years

Rent assistance for 50 one-bedroom units of Permanent Supporting Housing. Under this program, Camillus House identifies privately-owned apartments throughout the community that will rent to Camillus House’s clients. The organization uses a multidisciplinary community treatment team model that includes a clinician, case manager, nurse and housing navigator to ensure housing retention.

Brother Raphael PSH : $2,877,019 for 3 years

Supportive services for 75 clients placed through Stability Vouchers in privately-owned apartments throughout the community. Camillus House clients receive services provided through our multidisciplinary community treatment team. Vouchers for rent assistance for the 75 units are provided through three local housing authorities: Miami-Dade Public Housing and Community Development, Hialeah and Homestead PHA.

St. Michael TH-RRH-PH: $2,852,869 for 3 years

Transitional Housing to Rapid Rehousing to Permanent Housing Program that places 17 individuals at a time (up to 30 per year) into shared apartments at Camillus Houses’s St. Michael’s Residences. The typical stay is up to 6 months, during which time they are provided intensive case management and counseling to prepare for independent living with support services through our multidisciplinary community treatment team.

“The funding we will receive for these projects can provide new life and hope for the current on-the-street homeless population,” said Paul Lowenthal, Camillus House Board Chair expressed. “It is indispensable because not only will this award kick-start the proposed programs but attract additional funding to sustain them for the long term.”

The financial award is timely as Miami faces one of the worst housing crises in decades. In January, the homeless population in Miami-Dade jumped by 9 percent to 1,068 people, compared to a year ago. Calls to the County’s Homeless Prevention Helpline managed by Camillus House have climbed by 30% since the onset of COVID as individuals and families are at risk of homelessness due to rent increases. Clients currently in emergency housing who are ready to move are equally stymied in their efforts to secure stable, affordable housing.

Camillus House serves more than 33,000 individuals and families every year. Currently, more than 1750 men, women, and children sleep in a bed provided by the nonprofit. Nearly 98 percent of Camillus House clients placed in permanent housing supported by a multidisciplinary treatment team stay housed.

Camillus House’s Permanent Supportive Housing Programs provide rental assistance and ancillary services to those transitioning from emergency shelter, treatment programs, or the street. This powerful, proven approach to combating homelessness gets those experiencing homelessness into housing quickly – and it helps them stay there. People with secure housing are freed up to focus on finding employment, overcoming substance abuse, or other challenges that may have led to their homelessness in the first place.

About Camillus House

Camillus House has provided humanitarian services to persons who are poor and homeless in Miami-Dade County, Florida since 1960. As a ministry of the Hospitaller Brothers of St. John of God, Camillus House was originally established to serve homeless Cuban exiles. From its humble beginning as a small soup kitchen, Camillus has grown into a full-service organization offering a comprehensive “system of care” including food, clothing, emergency, transitional and permanent housing, physical and mental health care, and substance abuse treatment. Camillus House serves more than 186,000 free, hot meals annually.