Kim Boudreaux, CEO of Catholic Charities of Acadiana, speaks during a press conference Thursday, Nov. 25, 2021, at St. Joseph Diner in Lafayette, La.
The Lafayette city and parish councils preliminarily approved an ordinance Tuesday that would allocate federal funds to the city's emergency homeless shelter and other programs for those in need of housing assistance. The U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development approved an allocation of about $2.25 million in funds to Lafayette Consolidated Government through the American Rescue Plan Act's Home program. Funds are dedicated to assist residents who are experiencing homelessness, are in danger of becoming homeless or are fleeing domestic violence.
The joint city-parish ordinance, which was introduced at Tuesday's council meetings, would divide funds among local organizations as follows: The remaining $871,581 would be made available to nonprofit organizations at a later date for future eligible activities. The funding comes weeks after that were earmarked for Catholic Charities' homeless shelter. The shelter's annual operating budget is about $1.
2 million. "Without that funding, we don't know how we're going to stay open," said Kim Boudreaux, the nonprofit's executive director, during the Lafayette City Council meeting. "At this point, we're certainly doing our best to fundraise in the community to try to stay open as long as possible.
But at this point, we are not forecast to remain open through this fiscal year." Boudrea.