COCOA, Fla – More than a million dollars will help Brevard County’s homeless population.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is awarding a $1.4 million grant to the 13 homeless projects and services in the county.
They include Orchid Lake, a new affordable housing complex in Cocoa.
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Orchid Lake just opened last month and Wednesday, executive director Rob Cramp talked to News 6 reporter James Sparvero about how the federal dollars will help get results for those who need help.
“It enables us to do two channels of support for our homeless clients,” Cramp explained. “One of these is case management – to have somebody who looks after, that cares for the homeless residents, but we also have a new and unique position – resident service coordinator – and they work with the case manager to identify medical needs. We never have been able to do that before,” he said.
Cramp said about 200 people are living at Orchid Lake now. Suzy Schrack said she helped her friend get an apartment.
“She was, literally, on the verge of homelessness, and so now, she has a safe place that she can afford,” Schrack said.
She said the application process was easy and her friend has been very happy since moving in.
”It’s blessed abundantly more than we could ask or think,” Schrack said.
Cramp talked about the affordability of Orchid Lake. Rents range from $220 to $1100/month
”Even the people who are not necessarily homeless, many of them are living paycheck to paycheck, and they just want a stable home, a stable residence where they’re not looking over their shoulder at the landlord all the time, and this is what we provide,” Cramp said.
Of the $1.4 million grant, Orchid Lake is getting $53,000.
The full list of projects and money allocated for them are listed below:
- Brevard Homeless Coalition, Inc.
- TH-RRH DV Bonus Project - FY24
- $108,747
- Brevard Homeless Coalition, Inc.
- WAYS for Life Youth Housing Expansion FY2024
- $139,998
- Brevard Homeless Coalition, Inc.
- FL-513 CoC Planning Project Application FY2024
- $70,438
- Brevard Homeless Coalition, Inc.
- HfH Supportive Housing Orchid Lake FY2024
- $53,182
- Brevard Homeless Coalition, Inc.
- Heritage Park Expansion - FY2024
- $202,220
- Brevard Homeless Coalition, Inc.
- FL-513 DV Bonus SSO FY2024
- $19,708
- Brevard Homeless Coalition, Inc.
- FL-513 HMIS Renewal FY2024
- $76,202
- Brevard Homeless Coalition, Inc.
- FL-513 CoC Coordinated Entry FY2024
- $76,358
- Brevard Homeless Coalition, Inc.
- WAYS for Life Youth Housing FY2024
- $52,144
- Brevard Homeless Coalition, Inc.
- DV Bonus Project RRH - FY2024
- $110,684
- Carrfour Supportive Housing
- Heritage Park Renewal Application FY2024
- $21,327
- Community of Hope, Inc.
- Path of Hope 2025-2026
- $22,580
- Housing for Homeless Inc.
- HfH PH1 Project 2025-2026
- $498,082
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