HIGHLIGHTS
- The spread of COVID-19 among people experiencing homelessness needed to be slowed.
- Abt developed remote TA, product development and virtual learning sessions.
- Dozens of products, 100 virtual events, and TA were provided to approximately 40 communities.
The Challenge
People experiencing homelessness are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19, given their housing instability and underlying health conditions, both of which reflect racial disparities among the population. Congress has provided an influx of stimulus response funding through the CARES Act and the American Rescue Plan. Abt Global is providing technical assistance (TA) to communities across the country to both slow the spread of COVID-19 among people experiencing homelessness, and to ensure that stimulus response funding is leveraged in a strategic and equitable way.
The Approach
All of Abt’s work in this area is focused on ensuring that the spread of COVID-19 is slowed among people experiencing homelessness, and that communities can distribute and leverage stimulus funding for homelessness response efforts in a strategic, equitable, and inclusive way that focuses on permanent solutions to homelessness. Abt is providing direct TA through intensive engagements in Los Angeles, Minneapolis, and Oakland and Orange County, Calif., as well as to approximately 35 states and Continuums of Care (CoCs). Abt also has developed training products on racial equity, data management, grants management, program practice, coordinated investment planning, rehousing, and vaccine distribution. Additionally, we’re conducting community workshops and holding weekly office hours.
The Results
Since March 2020, the Abt team has worked on the development of dozens of HUD TA products, facilitated over 100 webinars, workshops, and virtual events— reaching thousands of HUD grantees and stakeholders—and provided direct TA to approximately 40 communities to support their homeless system’s response to COVID-19 and the strategic utilization of stimulus funding.
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