U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson visited Cleveland Tuesday and toured a temporary housing center on the east side.
Carson said the department prefers to back programs that help people support themselves.
“That’s our major focus now at HUD, on the people themselves as opposed to the programs and the houses,” he said.
Carson visited Family Promise of Greater Cleveland, a faith-based, private non-profit that receives $107,000 per year in HUD funding.
According to HUD, the temporary housing program here served 212 homeless families in 2016 and 2017 and more than 90 percent left the shelter with permanent housing.
“If we can get people to be self-sufficient, we will have accomplished our goals,” Carson said.
He stressed the value of partnerships with organizations like Family Promise and faith-based groups over traditional programs like rental subsidies known as Section 8. He also participated in a private roundtable with religious and community leaders.
