Arizona Awards $16 Million in Grants to Expand Homeless Shelters

Arizona is distributing $16 million in grants to community organizations and local governments to expand homeless shelters and support services across the state, KTAR News reported.

Gov. Katie Hobbs and the Arizona Department of Housing announced the funding on Oct. 23, utilizing resources from the state’s Housing Trust Fund. A total of 19 organizations and local governments received the awards to construct additional shelter units and maintain vital programs for unhoused residents.

UMOM New Day Centers and Flagstaff Shelter Services each secured $2 million, marking the largest individual grants awarded. Monique Lopez noted the direct impact of the state investment in an official news release.

Arizona invierte 16 millones de dólares en albergues y servicios para personas sin hogar en todo …

This investment will help UMOM provide safe shelter, stability and a pathway forward for hundreds of women experiencing homelessness each year, Lopez said.

Several other major organizations received $1 million each, including the City of Phoenix, the City of Tucson, Keys to Change, COPA Health, and the Primavera Foundation. In the Phoenix area specifically, Central Arizona Shelter Services collected $901,000, while the Phoenix Dream Center received $700,000. Additional local recipients include A New Leaf and the Justa Center, which were awarded $500,000 each.

The distribution extends beyond major metropolitan hubs to support providers in Mesa, Flagstaff, Prescott, Tucson, Sierra Vista, Kingman, and Bullhead City. State housing officials reported receiving 78 distinct applications requesting a share of the available $16 million.

“Access to safe shelter is critical for the security and well-being of Arizonans,” Hobbs said. Department of Housing Director Ruby Dhillon-Williams added that the agency focused on meeting documented community needs to reduce the state’s unhoused population.

This round of grants builds upon earlier financial initiatives deployed during the Hobbs administration. Previous state allocations include $60 million directed to the Homeless Shelter and Services Fund, $38 million through the State Housing Trust Fund dedicated to rapid rehousing and housing insecurity prevention, and $13.5 million for targeted eviction prevention.

Additional funds have been channeled toward specialized housing programs supporting military veterans and individuals re-entering society after involvement with the criminal justice system.