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On February 17, President Obama signed into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. This wide-ranging legislation included a number of provisions through which additional assistance and resources are being made available to states and communities which can be useful to efforts to prevent and end homelessness. Key provisions are listed below. Up-to-date information on the purpose of each program and how the funds are being distributed, including funding announcements, webcasts and other technical assistance materials, is available by clicking on the program links.
DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT:
Homeless Prevention and Rapid Rehousing Grants, $1.5 billion
Neighborhood Stabilization Program, $2 billion
Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), $1 billion
HOME, $2.250 billion to coordinate with Low Income Housing Tax Credits
Public Housing Capital Fund, $4 billion
Promoting HUD Assisted Housing Stability and Increased Energy Efficiency, $2.250 billion
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES:
Community Health Centers, $2 billion
Community Services Block Grant, $1 billion
Child Care and Development Block Grant, $2 billion
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION:
Education for Homeless Children and Youth, $70 million
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY:
Weatherization Assistance Program, $5 billion
FEMA:
Emergency Food and Shelter Program, $100 million
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE:
Violence Against Women Transitional Housing, $50 million
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR:
Employment and Training. $2.95 billion for WIA formula grants; $50 million for YouthBuild
Jobs Corps, $250 million
USDA (Department of Agriculture):
Rural Housing, $200 million will support over $11 billion in single family loans
Rural Community Facilities, $130 million to support over $1.2 billion in loans and grants
Emergency Food Assistance (Commodity), $150 million
SNAP (Food Stamps), 13.6% increase in benefits
TAX PROVISIONS INCLUDE:
"Making work Pay" Tax Credit
For 2009 and 2010, a refundable tax credit of up to $400 for working individuals and $800 for working families. This tax credit is calculated at a rate of 6.2% of earned income, and phases out for taxpayers with adjusted gross income in excess of $75,000 ($150,000 for married couples filing jointly).
Economic Recovery Payment of $250 for social security, SSI, railroad retirement and disabled veteran compensation recipients
Unemployment Compensation Benefits
$25 weekly increase in unemployment benefits through 2009 and the up to 33 weeks of extended unemployment benefits for workers who've exhausted their regular 26 weeks of benefits will continue through December 31, 2009.
Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)
For married couples filing a joint return, raises the beginning of the phase-out threshold by $1880 and also increases the value of the credit for working families with three or more children
Tax Incentive for hiring unemployed veterans and disconnected youth
Under current law, businesses are allowed to claim a work opportunity tax credit equal to 40 percent of the first $6,000 of wages paid to employees of one of nine targeted groups. The new law creates two new targeted groups of prospective employees: (1) unemployed veterans; and (2) disconnected youth. An individual would qualify as an unemployed veteran if they were discharged or released from active duty from the Armed Forces during the five-year period prior to hiring and received unemployment compensation for more than four weeks during the year before being hired. An individual qualifies as a disconnected youth if they are between the ages of 16 and 25 and have not been regularly employed or attended school in the past 6 months.
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