Salisbury accepts 121K dollars to combat homelessness

The Salisbury City Council accepted funds Monday night to help combat homelessness throughout Wicomico, Worcester and Somerset counties.

Over 121,000 dollars have been awarded through the Emergency Solutions Grant program.

Salisbury officials apply on behalf of three homeless service agencies: Diakonia, Samaritan Ministries, and Village of Hope.

We’re told the funds were actually an eight percent decrease from what the city received in the previous year, and it is likely because of the small drop in the number of homeless people which were accounted for between 2013 and 2014.    

Salisbury Mayor Jake Day says the funds are used in two ways. One involves keeping people in their homes if they are unable to pay their mortgages, for example. The other provides enhancements to shelters.

Mayor Day tells 47ABC the fight to end homeless does not stop once new funds are awarded.

“What begs the question is…what else are you going to do? So that’s something the city of Salisbury is starting to think about and starting to consider what we’re going to do in the coming months and years.” He says. “Frankly, this grant comes every single year. We love it, we like it…we want to support our area agencies but the question now…what more?”

We’re told there was an increase in homeless numbers for 2015, so city officials say they expect an increase in the next round of funds through the program.