The Federal Emergency Management Agency will be sending almost $5.5 million to the State of Rhode Island to reimburse it for the cost of providing non-congregate medical sheltering for homeless populations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The $5,486,072 Public Assistance grant will reimburse the Rhode Island Office of Housing and Community Development for the cost of renting hotel rooms and providing wraparound services to homeless populations at risk of COVID-19 between March and October 2021.
The state rented 963 rooms for 1,869 individuals at 17 hotels statewide, as well as providing services such as transportation, food, laundry, security, cleaning/disinfecting services, and administrative staff expenses.
“FEMA is pleased to be able to assist Rhode Island with these costs,” said FEMA Region 1 Regional Administrator Lori Ehrlich. “Reimbursing state, county, and municipal governments – as well as eligible non-profits and tribal entities – for the costs incurred during the COVID-19 pandemic is an important part of our nation’s ongoing recovery.”
FEMA’s Public Assistance program is an essential source of funding for states and communities recovering from a federally declared disaster or emergency.
So far, FEMA has provided more than $774 million in Public Assistance grants to Rhode Island to reimburse the state for pandemic-related expenses.