NASHVILLE -- The Tennessee Housing Development Agency has awarded the city of Murfreesboro with an emergency solutions grant of $220,868, state Rep. Mike Sparks (R–Smyrna) announced.

The money will be used to help the homeless population of Rutherford County.

“I am grateful to the Housing Development Agency for their efforts in helping combat homelessness in Tennessee,” Sparks said. “This money will allow for much needed upgrades to help take care of those who simply cannot fend for themselves. These are the kind of announcements that we are pleased to send back home to our friends and neighbors.”
 
The Tennessee Housing Development Agency administers the federally funded emergency solutions grant program on behalf of the state of Tennessee and recently awarded $2.75 million in funds to local governments and nonprofit organizations across the state.
 
The funding can be used to help the homeless in a variety of ways, including:
• Increasing the number and quality of emergency shelters and transitional housing facilities in the area
• Covering expenses for operating emergency shelters and transitional housing facilities
• Implementing new and effective social service programs
• Initiating re-housing assistance for those facing homelessness or who just became homeless.

The grant began March 1 and runs through Feb. 28, 2014.