Federal Homelessness Resource Guide

Information by State  Print version

Federal Transit Administration (FTA)

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is one of eleven modal administrations within the U. S. Department of Transportation. FTA provides financial assistance for public transportation to transit agencies in all 50 States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa.

All transit systems provide low cost mobility for people who do not, or cannot, operate a motor vehicle because of personal preference, low income, disability, youth or old age.

Here's What We Provide

• Urbanized Area Formula Program

The Urbanized Area Formula Program makes Federal Resources available to urbanized areas and to Governors for transit capital and operating for transportation-related planning. An urbanized area is an incorporated area with a population of 50,000 or more that is designated as such by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census.

In Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Arkansas the State Departments of Transportation are the administrators of the rural and the elderly and disabled programs with the exception of Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Department of Human Services Aging Services Division/Support Services Unit is the administrator of the rural and the elderly and disabled programs within Oklahoma. A rural area is non-urbanized or an area under 50,000 in population.

• Tribal Transportation Program – New for 2006

Indian Tribes can apply directly for these rural public transit funds.

The funds can be used for capital and operating expenses incurred for providing rural public transit service.

• New Freedom – New for 2006

Funds can be used for new public transportation services and public transportation alternatives beyond those required by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 that assist individuals with disabilities with transportation, including transportation to and from jobs and employment support services.

• Jobs Access and Reverse Commute (JARC)

The JARC program can complement efforts to alleviate homelessness. The JARC program has two major goals: to provide transportation services in urban, suburban and rural areas to assist welfare recipients and other low-income individuals in accessing employment opportunities and to increase collaboration among the regional transportation providers, human service agencies and related service providers, employers, metropolitan planning organizations, States and affected communities and individuals. This program is unique as other Federal funds that are eligible to be used for transportation costs can be used as part of the match.

• Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan – New for 2006

Projects selected for funding for the Elderly and Disabled, the New Freedom, and the JARC transportation programs must be derived from a locally developed coordinated public transit-human services transportation plan and that the plan is developed through a process that includes representatives of public, private and nonprofit transportation and human services providers and participation by the public.

• United We Ride (UWR)

The UWR program can also complement efforts to alleviate homelessness. The goal of the UWR program is to increase the comprehensive and coordinated human services transportation that meets the needs of transportation-disadvantaged individuals (e.g., older adults, individuals with disabilities, people with lower incomes), to increase cross-agency collaboration to facilitate, coordinate, enhance services and address redundancies of programs and services. Currently, funding is to be made available to State applicants to develop a comprehensive State action plan for coordinating human service transportation.

Here's Who To Contact