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U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell has announced that the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development has recently awarded $11,445,018 to local “Continuums of Care” (CoCs) across Alabama’s 7th Congressional District.

The Alabama Balance of State CoC (ARCH), which received over $1,1 million in funding, provides services for Choctaw, Dallas, Greene, Hale, Marengo, Pickens, Perry, Sumter and Wilcox counties (and others outside of the 7th District.) The Alabama Balance of State CoC (ARCH) is a collaboration of service providers and stakeholders working to eradicate homelessness in Alabama. Funding will go toward expanding housing and support services, increasing planning capabilities and increasing aggregate data on homeless populations in rural Alabama.

“These competitive grant awards represent the confidence of HUD in our compassionate approach to homelessness,” said Felicia Jackson, executive director of ARCH.

“Housing is a basic human need and in this country should be a basic human right,” said Rep. Sewell. “I am pleased by HUD’s investment in securing housing and support for the 7th District’s homeless population, knowing that money will go a long way toward alleviating some of the extraordinary burdens they face on a daily basis.

(This article originally appeared in the Wednesday, January 29 issue of the Demopolis Times.)