HOME Coalition NELA

04/26/2026

What happened to dinner and a movie?!

Shark cage diving is officially back on the East Coast. 🦈

Atlantic Shark Expeditions is offering guided shark viewing and cage diving experiences off the coast of Nova Scotia, with 2026 bookings now open. 👀

Tours run from June 18 to August 4, with frequent sightings of blue sharks and possible encounters with mako, porbeagle, and even great whites. 😳

Departing from Sambro, the experience also supports real shark research, adding a purpose behind the thrill. 🌊

It is the kind of date where you step way outside your comfort zone and do something you will never forget. 💛

📍 Sambro, Nova Scotia
📆 June 18 to August 4, 2026
📷

01/25/2026

An interactive state dashboard is tracking warming centers opening across Louisiana as cold weather impacts communities statewide.

12/08/2025

As you know, there is currently a competition underway for grant funds addressing homelessness through the HUD Continuum of Care Grant Program. Applications are submitted as attachments to one regional submission. HOME Coalition is designated to and is collecting local applications to submit for this year. There have been a couple of lawsuits filed to challenge the rules of the competition. As the below shows, there will be a court hearing on one today. However, there has been no judicial order to stop or change the competition so far. So please continue to work on your applications, ask any questions, etc. As I hear more info, I’ll update everyone. In the meantime, if you are thinking about asking for funds to address homelessness, visit nelahomecoalition.org (Click on 2025 Grants on bottom of home page) to learn more. Also, msg me here to set up a call for more info.

Docket for National Alliance to End Homelessness v. United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, 1:25-cv-00636 — Brought to you by Free Law Project, a non-profit dedicated to creating high quality open legal information.

07/03/2025

Just got word about this outreach event tomorrow and was asked to share so please do!

Under bridge at the train track on Desiard St. in Monroe - starts at 10 AM

09/20/2024

Homelessness in Northeast Louisiana in 2024 Is about Child and Family Well-being!

The HOME Coalition has issued its annual report of the prevalence and characteristics of homelessness in our 12-parish region. (Full report available athttp://nelahomecoalition.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Homeless-in-NELA-2024-FINAL.pdf

Here in NELA, nearly half (47%) of persons seeking homeless services during the 12-month period ended Aug. 31, 2024, were children under 18, with their families or alone (825 of 1,750 persons).

ANNUAL OUTCOMES 2024: From the records of all publicly funded homeless service providers who report their outcomes into a shared database, the Homeless Management Information System.In the 12-month period ended Aug. 31, 2024, a total of 1,750 persons sought help from a reporting homeless services provider in NELA. Of these, 925 were adultsand 825 children. These persons comprised 819 households, including 433 (53%) one-adult households and 386 family/youth households (47% families withchildren or children alone). Of the total homeless, 27% (450 of 1,750) were homeless due to domestic violence.2024

POINT IN TIME SURVEY RESULTS: From a 24-hour sample called the Point in Time (PIT) survey.IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT DATA: PIT is a one-day count – a snapshot of homelessness in one 24-hour period. Numbers of those experiencinghomelessness differ widely from day to day. Though PIT is commonly reported data, a one-day sample is not truly representative of a 365-day year. PITdata provides only a snapshot for comparison with other areas across the U.S.

The 2024 Point in Time Count in NELA held on Feb. 19, 2024, (one-day) count of the homeless in the 12 Northeastern LA Parishes identified the following:
• Total number of persons homeless on Feb. 19: 142 (up 18% from the 122 in 2023 but continuing an overall downward trend over thelast five years -- (down 24% or 188 in 2019 vs. 142 in 2024)
• Of those homeless on PIT date, 119 were adults and 23 were children under 18
• Number of homeless individuals (homeless alone): 111 (up 29 or 35% from 82 in 2023)
• Number of homeless families (groups including at least one adult and children under 18 or child-only households): 16 families comprising 36 persons (up 33% based on number families from 2023 (12 families comprising 34 people)
• All homeless families identified were in temporary housing; none were sleeping on the streets.• Number of homeless youth under age 18: 23 (unchanged from 2023)
• Number of homeless youth under age 25: 31 (virtually unchanged from 2023’s 32)• Number of homeless youth under age 25 without an adult with them: 8
• Number living in temporary housing: 96 (down 8.6% from 105 in 2023)
• Number living on streets: 46 (350% of 13 in 2023)• Number of homeless Veterans: 5 ( up from 4 in 2023); all Vets homeless in 2024 were individuals who were unsheltered• Number of chronically homeless (CH) (repeatedly homeless over long periods): 20 (nearly 7 times 2023’s 3 CH)Number persons homeless in the 12-parish region because of: (note: persons may list more than one reason)
• Domestic violence (DV): 13 adults (11% of the adult homeless population)• Persons in temporary housing programs for persons homeless due to DV (adults and children): 36 or 25% of total homeless
• Chronic substance abuse: 20 (up from 10 in 2023; 16.8% of total adult homeless population)• Severe mental illness: 19 (up from 24 in 2023; 33% of total adult homeless population(All others did not designate one of these reasons or chose not to answer)

How do we compare to national averages (from AHAR* 2023 annual report to Congress by Dept. Housing & Urban Dev.)
• In U.S. 60% of homeless were in temporary housing in U.S. vs. 68% in NELA
• In U.S. 40% of homeless were unsheltered vs. 32% in NELA• In U.S. 17% are children under 18 vs. 16% in NELA
• In U.S. 72% of homeless are individuals vs. 78% in NELA
• In U.S. 28% are part of families with children vs. 20% in NELA
• In U.S. 5.3% are unaccompanied youth under age 25 without an adult with them vs. 5.6% in NELA
• In U.S. 31% are chronically homeless vs. 16.8% of adults homeless in NELA
• In U.S. 6.5% of homeless adults are Vets vs. 4.2% of adults homeless in NELA
• In U.S. 60.5% are men and boys vs. 62% in NELA
• In U.S. 37% of persons experiencing homelessness are African American vs. 68% in NELA (vs. 13.7% of total U.S. population)

08/24/2024

GRANT FUNDS AVAILABLE: Northeast Louisiana's Competition for 2024 U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Continuum of Care Program Funding is Open!

For all info and announcements about this Northeast Louisiana Competition:

SEE nelahomecoalition.org and click on Grant Competition

ALL INFO ABOUT NORTHEAST LA. GRANT COMPETITION 2024: https://nelahomecoalition.org/grant-competition/

2024 U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Continuum of Care Program Funding Competition is Open!
HUD has released the 2024 Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to open the competition (application period) for its CoC Program funds, CFDA 14.267. Applications can include new projects and renewal projects, as described below. For more information: be sure you are subscribed to the HOME Coalition email mailing list — request to be added by emailing [email protected]. Direct questions should be sent to Sarah Johnson, HOME Coalition Executive Director, at [email protected].

HUD has released the 2024 Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to open the competition (application period) for its CoC Program funds, CFDA 14.267. Applications can include new projects and renewal projects, as described below. For more information: be sure you are subscribed to the HOME Coalition e...