The Westmoreland County commissioners will institute a $1.8 million program to help people who have lost their homes or are in danger of losing them.

The three-year Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program, announced Friday, is being funded with federal stimulus money through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

Approved applicants will be able to receive benefits for 18 months.

"This program is to provide temporary financial assistance and housing relocation and stabilization services to prevent individuals and families from becoming homeless, and help those who are already homeless to get them quickly re-housed," said Terri Yurcisin, deputy director of the county's Department of Planning and Development.

It is difficult to recover from losing a job and, ultimately, a home, said county Commissioner Tom Ceraso. "[The program] is really going to do a lot to get them employed and move through this crisis that we're seeing throughout the country."

Under the program's guidelines, residents with an annual income below $31,250 for a family of four -- or below 50 percent of the area median income -- are eligible.

Based on their need, applicants may receive short-term help with rental security deposits, utility deposits, rent payment, overdue utility bills, moving costs and hotel vouchers. The program also offers workshops, one-on-one counseling and help with budgeting and financial planning.

"This is an example of how stimulus money can affect people's lives in a very positive way," Commissioner Tom Balya said.

Assistance is not offered for nonhousing services, such as child care, employment training, education, transportation, food, household items, clothing, mortgage assistance or payments on overdue credit card bills or car loans.

Three agencies were selected to provide the assistance: Private Industry Council of Westmoreland/Fayette Inc., Westmoreland Community Action and Westmoreland County Housing Authority. The county's Redevelopment Authority will administer the program.

John Sproull, vice president of finance for the Private Industry Council of Westmoreland/Fayette Inc., said his agency was averaging about 35 calls and five walk-in applications for assistance each day. When it began taking applications Oct. 1, the average was 100 calls a day. He said the council also was getting phone calls from landlords of tenants who have received final eviction notices.

"We have 57 completed applications and have started making payments," he said. "Each family that comes in has their own issues outside of housing that they have to deal with."

He gave an example of one woman, who was recently laid off and has two children. She was behind on her utility and rent payments. Through the private industry council and the homelessness prevention program, she received help with utility payments and rent, was referred to welfare and signed up with Westmoreland CareerLink for counseling.

The industry council will accept applications in the Monessen area on Wednesdays at the Douglass Education Center and on Tuesdays at the Alle-Kiski CareerLink Center at Westmoreland County Community College offices.

Fifteen families signed up to attend the first financial counseling workshop Friday, Mr. Sproull said.

Carrie Lucotch, case management supervisor of the Westmoreland County Housing Authority, said the homelessness prevention program would help families stay in homes, get caught up on rent payments and deal with other family issues identified by a caseworker.

It also will reduce the time individuals and families spend in shelters by speeding up the Section 8 housing application process, which includes background checks and home inspections.

According to the program's requirements, 60 percent of the funds must be spent within two years of the execution of the grant. One hundred percent of the funds must be spent by the three-year anniversary date of the grant's signing, which will be July 17, 2012.

"[They] will be reviewing our progress and expenditure rates along the way," Ms. Yurcisin said, "and if they feel any of the grantees aren't spending at the proper expenditure rate ... they will reallocate the funds and give them to other entities that are spending and have a need out there.

"I think that we all had our eyes opened whenever we got together by discussing the needs out there."

Residents can request help by calling the 24-hour toll-free Westmoreland County Information and Referral Help Line at 1-800-222-8848; the Private Industry Council of Westmoreland/Fayette Inc. at 724-836-2600, ext. 215; Westmoreland Community Action at 724-837-6339, ext. 26; or Westmoreland County Housing Authority at 1-800-924-2669, ext. 3037. Information also is available at www.AffordableHomesWestmoreland.com.

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