Emergency Section 8 vouchers will be given to eligible homeless individuals and families

87 emergency Section 8 housing vouchers will be given to homeless families and individuals who meet certain criteria according to an announcement made by the Guam Housing and Urban Renewal Authority on Tuesday.

GHURA has entered into a memorandum of understanding with the Guam Homeless Coalition to help identify eligible recipients and make direct referrals to the agency for permanent housing.

Funding will not be available until July 1, but GHURA has given permission to The Guam Homeless Coalition to begin working on referrals starting Tuesday. 

The vouchers were awarded from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

“Words cannot express how pleased we are to find a more permanent or longer-term solution for many of our homeless families, particularly for those with young children," said GHURA Executive Director Ray Topasna. 

To qualify for an emergency housing voucher an individual or family must meet one of the following criteria to be eligible:

• Homeless or lacking a fixed regular and adequate nighttime residence; an unaccompanied youth under 25 years of age, or families with children and youth.
• At-risk of homelessness; will imminently lose their primary nighttime residence.
• Fleeing, or attempting to flee domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking or human trafficking.
• Recently homeless and for who providing rental assistance will prevent the family’s homelessness or having a high risk of housing instability.

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This article originally appeared on Pacific Daily News: Emergency Section 8 vouchers will be given to eligible homeless individuals and families