KINGSHILL — The Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) Program is a new special purpose tenant-based voucher program funded through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA), the Virgin Islands Housing Authority said.
ARPA was signed into law on March 11, 2021. EHV’s goal is to decrease homelessness and assist in obtaining decent, safe, and sanitary housing by subsidizing a portion of each family’s monthly rent, based on their income, VIHA said.
Accordingly, the Virgin Islands Housing Authority was allocated 20 EHVs to assist qualified individual and families. Eligibility for these EHVs is limited to individuals and families who are:
(1) homeless;
(2) at risk of homelessness (living on the streets or lacking a fixed and regular night-time residence);
(3) fleeing, or attempting to flee, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking or human trafficking; or
(4) recently homeless and for whom providing rental assistance will prevent the family’s homelessness or having high risk of housing instability.
To ensure those most in need are assisted first, HUD requires a partnership between the VIHA and the USVI Continuum of Care Council on Homelessness (CoC). The primary responsibility of the CoC is to make direct referrals of qualifying individuals and families to the VIHA.
Through a modified community Coordinated Entry System (CES), the CoC will determine whether the individual or family qualifies under one of the four eligibility categories identified above and provide verification and supporting
documentation of that determination to the VIHA.
The CoC has identified Emergency Housing Voucher Intake Centers located on the islands of St. Croix, St. Thomas, and St. John to receive inquiries from potential applicants.
Individuals or families who believe they may be eligible for the EHV program may contact any one of the Emergency Housing Voucher Intake Centers listed below for screening:
ST. CROIX
Catholic Charities of the Virgin Islands
16 Freidenstahl, Christiansted, St. Croix
(340)773-0132
Nishawn Georges, [email protected]
Liberty Place, Inc. (Community First!)
82A-B-C Whim, St Croix
340-719-4357 (house) 340-514-8638 (Scott)
Scott Hensley, [email protected]
Methodist Training and Outreach Center (MTOC)
22 King Street, Christiansted, St. Croix
(340)713-0555
Paula Payne, [email protected]
St. Croix Mission Outreach
20 King St. Christiansted, St. Croix(340)778-4357
Shawn Samuel, [email protected]
Julia Perez, [email protected]
ST. THOMAS
Catholic Charities of the Virgin Islands
42 Kronprindsens Gade, St. Thomas(340) 777-8518
Yvonne Christmas, [email protected]
Migdalia Feliciano, [email protected]
Keyra Phillip, [email protected]
Methodist Training and Outreach Center (MTOC)
4A Kronprindsens Gade, St. Thomas(340)715-2500
Eurita Austin Hart, [email protected]
The Salvation Army
Main Street/Market Square, St. Thomas
(340)776-0070
Captain Wanda Rivera, [email protected]
Cilva Prince, [email protected]
ST. JOHN
Catholic Charities of the Virgin Islands
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church, St. John
(340)776-6339
Digna Doway, [email protected]