WASHINGTON — In rural communities and urban areas alike, one of the least expensive and most unheralded new initiatives of the stimulus bill is quietly saving hundreds of thousands of Americans from homelessness.

Now housing advocates want Congress to boost the program’s $1.5 billion funding as the vast need for more assistance becomes evident nationwide.

The Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program is expected to help 600,000 people by moving some from homeless shelters into their own apartments and by providing rent payments to prevent others from being evicted.

Because the assistance is temporary – usually for three months to 18 months – the program tries to target people who are most in need and can who can return to self-sufficiency within a few months.

Experts say the initiative breaks new ground in federal housing policy by focusing more resources on preventing homelessness and getting people back on their feet, rather than just feeding and warehousing the destitute.

‘When you think about it, it really makes sense to focus on getting people back into housing faster,’ said Nan Roman, executive director of the National Alliance to End Homelessness. ‘Instead of long stays in some homeless facility with a lot of service delivery, wouldn’t little bit […]