The Virgin Islands Housing Finance Authority (VIHFA) announces the availability of the Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) 2020 grant year applications.

ESG is a HUD formula-allocation grant, which provides funding to: (1) engage homeless individuals/families living on the street; (2) improve the number and quality of emergency shelters and transitional housing facilities for homeless individuals/families; (3) provide funding for the operation of these shelters; (4) provide essential services to shelter residents, (5) rapidly re-house homeless individuals/families, and (6) prevent homelessness. Eligible activities include street outreach (essential services related to connecting unsheltered homeless with emergency shelter, housing and other critical supportive social services); shelter rehabilitation/renovation, operations (maintenance, rent, utilities, furnishings), data collection, and homeless prevention/rapid re-housing assistance.

In response to the COVID crisis, this year the Territory is receiving a supplemental allocation of ESG funds under the CARES Act. These special funds (ESG-CV) shall be used specifically to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic among persons who are homeless or receiving homeless assistance or expand homeless assistance/homelessness prevention activities to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19. Funded COVID mitigation activities should be ready to start by August 1, 2020.

Eligible applicants include non-profit and faith-based organizations, and governmental agencies.

Prospective applicants for ESG and/or ESG-CV funds may request an application by contacting Mrs. Brenda Harrigan-Walwyn via e-mail at bhwalwyn@vihfa.gov with a copy to Ms. Janine Hector at jhector@vihfa.gov.

A virtual technical assistance workshop will be held via GoToWebinar beginning at 4:30 PM on Thursday, May 21, 2020. Potential applicants are strongly encouraged to attend the scheduled technical assistance workshop. Log-in information will be provided upon requesting an application.

Application due date: Friday, June 5, 2020 at 3:00 PM. No extensions of the due date will be granted.

For additional information contact:
Mrs. Brenda Harrigan-Walwyn, ESG Coordinator at (340) 777-4432 or Ms. Janine Hector, Director of Federal Programs, at (340) 772-4432.