Lakewood Using $1.6 Million To Battle Homelessness

LAKEWOOD, OH — Lakewood City Council unanimously approved using $1.6 million in federal funds to battle homelessness.

During Monday's council meeting, legislation was adopted that appropriates $1.68 million to support an emergency rent assistance program run by Lakewood Community Services Center. The funds will be funneled through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to the organization.

"These funds will be used for direct support to COVID-affected renters who are facing imminent eviction. The CDC eviction moratorium is being lifted on June 30th," said City Council President Dan O'Malley in an email to Patch.

The service center administered CARES Act funding in a similar way during the pandemic, according to a letter from Shawn Leininger, Lakewood's director of planning and development. The organization will use the ARPA funds to prevent evictions and homelessness in Lakewood.

The near simultaneous exhaustion of Lakewood’s CARES Act housing stabilization funds (June 15); termination of Ohio’s $300/week increase in unemployment benefits (June 26); and expiration of the Center for Disease Control’s eviction moratorium (June 30) will immediately create severe housing instability among approximately 450 Lakewood families," Leininger said in a letter co-authored by Daniel Wyman, a development officer.

Based on documents introduced in support of the legislation, approximately 250 Lakewood homes could need monetary support in the near future. When the moratorium on evictions is lifted, nearly 50 Lakewood tenants could be removed from their homes.

"I am grateful to the administration and the LCSC for recognizing this need and acting quickly to provide relief to Lakewood's vulnerable families," O'Malley added.

As part of the American Rescue Plan, Lakewood received $23,609,787 from the federal government. This is the first use of those funds, according to Lakewood City Council President Dan O'Malley.