The city of Palm Bay is partnering with local nonprofits to provide millions of dollars to help alleviate homelessness and make affordable housing more available.

Cyndelis Rosa was recently shopping for some furniture for her new place — where she says she and her 5- and 1-year-old daughters have finally found some security.

Rosa said she has struggled with sobriety for years, but was able to get some help over the past 12 months.

She and her daughters bounced around shelters, but then, thanks to Community of Hope, found a home to call their own just two months ago.

“On Oct. 2, I signed my lease and was able to move into Community of Hope, and they provided everything,” Rosa said.

Now, thanks to a partnership between Palm Bay and five other groups like Community of Hope, even more for those in need like her can get help with affordable housing.

The partnership is working to award $3.5 million in state and local fiscal recovery funds to find stable, permanent homes for at-risk individuals and their families.

Officials say the funds will help provide for shelter stays, 44 transitional housing units and five single-family homes.

“The homeless population is not the homeless population people think of,” said Community of Hope Executive Director Drew Warren. “The homeless population is the underbelly of people who just can’t afford staying housed.”

Data show that Palm Bay is in the top three in the state when it comes to allocating funds to affordable housing initiatives. Warren said Rosa and others like her can now continue to get the help they need.

“She’s pretty much the prototype of the types of families we will be serving,” Warren said.

For Rosa, it’s welcome relief in what was the most stressful time of her life.

“I don’t have to worry about where I’m going to lay my head down with my kids,” she said.

The other groups being funded are Catholic Charities of Central Florida, Habitat for Humanity of Brevard, Helps Community Initiatives and Volunteers of America of Florida.