Eligibility

Federal program regulations require that ESG funding is used to serve persons who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. According to ESG program regulations, homeless means:

• An individual or family who lacks a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence.
• Individual or family who will imminently lose their primary nighttime residence.
• Unaccompanied youth under 25 years of age or families with children who do not otherwise qualify as homeless.
• Any individual or family who Is fleeing, or is attempting to flee, domestic violence.
• Other requirements:

1. Has no other residence.
2. Lacks the resources or support networks to obtain other permanent housing.

ESG Program regulations, “At Risk of Homelessness” means:

• An individual or family who:
  • Has an annual income below 30 percent of median family income for the area, as determined by HUD;
  • Does not have sufficient resources or support networks, e.g., family, friends, faith-based or other social networks, immediately available to prevent them from moving to an emergency shelter or another place and
  • meets one of the following conditions:
    • Has moved because of economic reasons two or more times during the 60 days immediately preceding the application for homelessness prevention assistance;
    • Is living in the home of another because of economic hardship;
    • Has been notified in writing that their right to occupy their current housing or living situation will be terminated within 21 days after the date of application for assistance;
    • Lives in a hotel or motel and the cost of the hotel or motel stay in not paid by charitable organization or by federal, State, or local government programs for low income individuals;
    • Lives in a single-room occupancy or efficiency apartment unit in which there reside more than two persons or lives in a larger housing unit in which there reside more than 1.5 people per room, as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau;
    • Is exiting a publicly funded institution or system of care (such as a health-care facility, a mental health facility, foster care or other youth facility, or correction program or institution); or
    • Otherwise lives in housing that has characteristics associated with instability and an increased risk of homelessness, as identified in the grantee’s approved consolidated plan;
• A child or youth who does not qualify as “homeless” under this section, but qualifies as “homeless” under section 387(3) of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (42 U.S.C. 5732a(3)), or

• A child or youth who does not qualify as “homeless” under this section but qualifies as “homeless” under section 725(2) of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Act (42 U.S.C 11434a (and the parent(s) or guardians(s) of that child or youth if living with her or him).