Source: The Emergency Shelter Grants program was originally established by the Homeless Housing Act of 1986, in response to the growing issue of homelessness  in the United States. In 1987, the ESG program was incorporated into subtitle B of Title IV of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11371-11378).

Enacted: 1987

Regulations: 24 CFR Part 576

HUD Website: http://www.hud.gov/offices/cpd/homeless/programs/esg/

Program Description: Designed as the first step in the Continuum of Care, the Emergency Shelter Grants (ESG) Program provides funds for emergency shelters and transitional housing. The ESG program provides homeless persons with basic shelter and essential supportive services. It can assist with the operational costs of emergency shelter facilities, and for the administration of ESG-funded programs.

Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) Program
The Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing Act of 2009 (HEARTH Act) amended the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, including major revisions to the Emergency Shelter Grants program, now the Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) program.

The ESG program is designed to identify sheltered and unsheltered homeless persons, as well as those at risk of homelessness, and provide the services necessary to help those persons quickly regain stability in permanent housing after experiencing a housing crisis and/or homelessness.

Regulations and Allocations

• Emergency Solutions Grants Program Interim Regulations and Consolidated Plan Conforming Amendments
• FY2011 Emergency Solutions Grants Allocations #1 and #2
• Definition Final Rule
• Substantial Amendment to FY2012 Action Plan - Draft
  Public Notice
   

Look for more information about the City’s Emergency Solutions Grant program in the near future.

Local ESG service area: City of Tampa city limits.

Local ESG Sponsors:  

Project Sponsor	Address	City	Zip						Phone	Website	Service Area
Alpha House of Tampa, Inc.	201 S. Tampania	Tampa	33609						(813) 875-2024	www.alphahouseoftampa.org/	City of Tampa and Hillsborough County
Metropolitan Ministries, Inc.	2002 N. Florida Avenue	Tampa	33602						(813) 209-1091	www.metromin.org/	City of Tampa and Hillsborough County
The Spring, Safe Haven	Confidential	Tampa	33602						(813) 247-7233	www.thespring.org	City of Tampa and Hillsborough County
The Salvation Army, Inc.	1603 N. Florida Avenue	Tampa	33602						(813) 226-0055	www.salvationarmytampa.org/	City of Tampa and Hillsborough County

Application Process: The City of Tampa Housing and Community Development Division coordinates an annual Request for Proposals (RFP) issued each spring. Applications are reviewed, evaluated and scored by the RFP Selection Committee.  This Committee is comprised of representatives from the City of Tampa, Housing & Community Development Division, the Homeless Coalition of Hillsborough County, and  Hillsborough County Health and Social Services. For more information about the ESG RFP, please visit the Request for Proposals Page

Organizations applying for ESG funds must meet the following minimum qualification requirements: 1) agency must be a private, non-profit organization with an IRS 501(c)(3) designation; 2) agency must be located within the City of Tampa city limits; 3) agency must have been in operation for a minimum of two years in the State of Florida; and, 4) agency must be able to match ESG grant funds, dollar-for-dollar, with other funds and/or from "in-kind" contributions. Five percent of ESG entitlement awards are to be utilized by the City of Tampa for the administration of ESG grant-funded programs.