Congressman Rob Menendez Introduces the Local Solutions to End Homelessness Act of 2023

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Rob Menendez today introduced the Local Solutions to End Homelessness Act which would revise the funding mechanism for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Emergency Solutions Grant Program (ESG). This action would allow counties and cities to more easily access funding to assist unhoused individuals in their communities.

“This legislation will assist communities in the Eighth Congressional District like Hoboken that have been unable to access key funding to address homelessness under existing law,” said Congressman Menendez. “Our counties and cities understand the unique needs of their local populations and are best positioned to administer funding to assist unhoused residents. My bill would ensure that our communities receive all funding for which they are eligible.” 

“We are very grateful to Representative Rob Menendez for championing the issue of homelessness.  This innovative bill will allow our county to better provide the invaluable services that our unhoused residents need,” said Hudson County Executive Craig Guy.  “We are so fortunate to have a leader like Congressman Menendez in Washington, proactively working for all of us.  I pledge to work with him to do all we can to pass this critical piece of legislation.”

“Hoboken welcomes the Local Solutions to End Homelessness Act legislation, which will provide residents with better access to HUD Emergency Solutions Grant Program funding to help our most vulnerable," said Hoboken Mayor Ravi S. Bhalla. "This legislation addresses the existing challenges posed by the current HUD regulations, ensuring fair distribution of ESG funding crucial for life-saving services. I urge swift passage of this legislation to empower local efforts in Hoboken and across the country.” 

HUD’s ESG program is a formula grant program that distributes funds to states and local communities to assist those experiencing homelessness through street outreach, emergency shelter, homelessness prevention, rapid re-housing assistance, and Homeless Management Information Systems. The program assists grantees with: 

• Engaging unhoused individuals and families living on the street;
• Improving the number and quality of emergency shelters for unhoused individuals and families;
• Operating shelters;
• Providing essential services to shelter residents;
• Rapidly re-housing unhoused individuals and families; and
• Preventing families and individuals from becoming unhoused.

Current law stipulates that any ESG award totaling less than 0.05 percent of the national allocation must be provided to the state rather than the individual recipient or entitlement area or county. As such, smaller entities, such as Hoboken, have difficulty accessing ESG funding intended to address their needs.

The Local Solutions to End Homelessness Act would allow cities such as Hoboken to more easily access this critical funding.

For the text of the bill, click here.