The state has transferred the first $1 million in emergency homeless funding to Aloha United Way to provide relief to more than 1,300 homeless or at-risk Hawaii households, but the money hasn’t yet been distributed to the social service agencies that were picked to operate the program.

Gov. David Ige announced in his State of the State address on Jan. 25 that Aloha United Way would be provided with $5 million this year to “jump-start a new public-private partnership” to cope with homelessness.

The plan calls for nonprofit organizations and the County of Hawaii to be subcontracted by AUW to distribute money to eligible families and individuals to cover rental security deposits, monthly rents and past-due rents, utility deposits and monthly utilities.

The program is designed “to deliver direct services aimed at working homeless families and individuals who require short-term financial assistance,” according to a statement from Ige’s office.

The subcontractors are required to verify eligibility for the program by confirming the clients are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless unless they get help.

Norm Baker, chief operating officer of Aloha United Way, said his agency has identified the 18 agencies that will receive initial funding under the state contract, and said AUW expects in the next week to tell each of them how much they will receive in funding.

AUW should be actually distributing money to the agencies “within a couple of weeks,” Baker said through a spokeswoman. AUW will also train the nonprofit subcontractors with a focus on tracking the program outcomes and performance to measure the results, according to Ige’s office.

“Thanks to our private-public partnership with the state, AUW is able to quickly and efficiently get these funds to the individuals and families who need it most,” Baker said in a written statement.

Each family that receives money under the program is to have an individualized housing plan that will “identify goals, intervention and performance measures” that apply to each family. The agencies distributing the money are also required to provide counseling and referrals to the families as needed, and to “cultivate new landlords” to participate in the program.

The agencies are to provide assistance to the clients within five business days of receiving completed applications under the program, according to the AUW contract with the state.

The first $1 million under the contract was provided to AUW in early March, and the goal of the program “is to quickly and efficiently bring resources to those experiencing homelessness — and to closely measure those results,” according to a statement from the Governor’s Office. “This funding is designed to immediately help people get off the streets — or help them avoid homelessness altogether.”

The state Department of Human Services finalized its contract Feb. 17 with Aloha United Way for $5 million under the provisions of the emergency homeless proclamation signed by Ige last fall. The proclamation allowed the state to award the funding without competitive bidding.

CALLED TO HELP

The following are the 18 agencies that will receive initial funding under the state contract:

Oahu

>> Catholic Charities Hawai‘i

>> U.S. Vets

>> Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center

>> The Salvation Army

>> Gregory House Programs

>> Alternative Structures International

>> Waimanalo Health Center

>> Kalihi-Palama Health Center

Hawaii County

>> Catholic Charities Hawai‘i

>> Hope Services Hawaii

>> County of Hawaii

>> Hawai‘i County Economic Opportunity Council

Kauai

>> Catholic Charities Hawai‘i

>> Kauai Economic Opportunity

Maui

>> Catholic Charities Hawai‘i

>> Family Life Center

>> Maui Economic Opportunity Inc.

>> Ka Hale a ke Ola