Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services
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History of the Nebraska Homeless Assistance Program

The Nebraska Homeless Assistance Program was established after the McKinney Homeless Assistance Act passed in late 1986 and was signed into federal law July 22, 1987.  The McKinney legislation originally consisted of fifteen programs that addressed services, such as emergency shelter, transitional housing, job training, primary health care, education, and some permanent housing.  Over the next eight years, the McKinney Act was amended four times: in 1988, 1990, 1992, and 1994.  The amendments expanded the scope and strength of the original legislation.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) administers the McKinney-Vento program relating to emergency housing for people who are homeless and near homeless: the Emergency Shelter Grant Program (ESGP). Additionally, Nebraska combines resources from HUD's Emergency Shelter Grant Program with state dollars of the Homeless Shelter Assistance Trust Fund (HSATF). 

The combined funding is granted through the Nebraska Homeless Assistance Program (NHAP).  Grants are awarded to agencies and organizations across the state that provide shelter, housing, and services to people who are homeless or at imminent risk of becoming homeless.  The Program is administered by the state's Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Economic and Family Support.

Purpose

The purpose of the Nebraska Homeless Assistance Program (NHAP) is to provide an overall "Continuum of Care" approach to address the needs of people who are homeless and near homeless in Nebraska, by:

  • assisting in the alleviation of homelessness,
  • providing temporary and/or permanent shelters for persons who are homeless,
  • addressing the needs of the migrant farm workers,
  • encouraging the development of projects that link housing assistance programs with efforts to promote self-sufficiency.

The intent of the Department is to award funds through a regional and programmatic (i.e. activity specific) allocation process.  Organizations are encouraged to seek other sources of funding and collaborate and coordinate programs and services with other organizations to optimize the use of NHAP funds.

Funding Priorities

Program Funding Priorities are:

  1. Strategies that promote self-sufficiency (e.g. case management, outreach, development of independent living skills, counseling services, basic skills instruction, high school completion) for persons who are homeless.
  2. Strategies that address a Continuum of Care approach to providing shelter and service through collaboration of services with other agencies.
  3. Expansion of operations, services, and programs that fill an identified gap in the regional/local continuum of care. This includes the acquisition and rehabilitation of an existing building for emergency shelter and/or transitional program facility.
  4. Operations, services, and programs that, if they were discontinued, would create a substantial, recognizable gap in the regional/local continuum of care.
  5. Prevention activities that are a long-term solution to preventing homelessness in the region.

NHAP Index Page

Financial Assistance Page