Plano’s expanded homelessness prevention efforts to feature temporary assistance with hotel costs

PLANO, TX – Plano will help some qualifying residents pay their rent and utility bills, and assist others with hotel-room costs in an effort to prevent people from becoming homeless during the coronavirus crisis.

The details spelled out in a May 19 message to residents bring the city’s expanded homelessness prevention program further into focus after the city announced last week it would allocate more than $1.2 million toward these efforts.

The initiatives are federally funded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Some of the new money comes from the federal stimulus law, while other dollars have been reallocated from housing revitalization programs.

The bulk of the newly allocated funding will go toward assistance with hotel costs for those who are at risk of homelessness, or unsheltered people who have been told to self-isolate with coronavirus-like symptoms or referred to the program by Plano police.

The program also provides temporary aid for people who are late on payments or have received notice to vacate their residences.