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THE PURSUIT OF SOLUTIONS: COUNCIL’S SECOND ANNUAL NATIONAL SUMMIT ON INNOVATION FOR JURISDICTIONAL LEADERS.
200 state and local jurisdictional leaders and their representatives who are developing and implementing 10-Year Plans gathered in Washington for the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness' second national summit for jurisdictional leaders. This year's event, The Pursuit of Solutions: Second Annual National Summit on Innovation for Jurisdictional Leaders, included special presentations by Louise Casey, architect of England's successful "rough sleepers" initiative that has successfully reduced street homelessness by 75%, and Chris Gardner, whose remarkable personal story is depicted in the movie, The Pursuit of Happyness. Through peer to peer dialogue and discussion sessions on the Pursuit of Partnerships, Housing, Research, Media, and Resources, innovative ideas and initiatives that have produced results were identified and disseminated to insure that communities have access to the best ideas for preventing and ending homelessness. St. Louis St. Patrick's Center Executive Director Dan Buck served as emcee.
Receiving the Council's A Home for Every American Award this year were:
Jurisdictional Leaders: |
Governor: |
Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm |
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County Executive: |
King County, Washington Councilmember Kathy Lambert
(on behalf of Washington Counties) |
Mayor: |
Norfolk, Virginia Mayor Paul Fraim |
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Project Homeless Connect: Minneapolis, MN --Commissioner Gail Dorfman, 10-Year Plan Coordinator Cathy ten Broeke; Portland, OR- accepted by Jamaal Folsom |
Community Champion: Mike Rawlings, Dallas, TX |
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Media: |
Michael Dunthorn, Knoxville, TN |
Research: |
Dr. James Dunford, City of San Diego (SIP) |
Innovation: |
Louise Casey, UK
Officer Dean Koehnen, St. Paul Police Department |
Faith: |
Gil Davis, St. Louis |
Plenary Sessions included:
Keynote Addresses by Louise Casey and Chris Gardner (by live video broadcast)
Pursuit of Results: reports by St. Louis, MO; Quincy, MA; and Portland, OR.
Pursuit of Research: reports by Dr. Dennis Culhane, Univ of Pennsylvania; Jamie Van Leuwen, City of Denver; and Dr. James Dunford, City of San Diego.
Pursuit of Partnership: Several national organizations were recognized for their partnership with the Council in the effort to reduce homelessness and end chronic homelessness:
- U.S. Conference of Mayors
- National League of Cities
- International Downtown Association
- National Alliance on Mental Illness
- YMCA
- National Governors Association
Concurrent Sessions were held on:
- Pursuit of Housing
- Pursuit of Resources
Peer to Peer Dialogue Sessions were held for state leaders, city/counties over 250,000 population, and cities/counties under 250,000.
View Summit Album
U.S. HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT SECRETARY MICHAEL LEAVITT ASSUMES CHAIRMANSHIP OF COUNCIL; NEW INITIATIVES AND UPDATED RESOURCES ANNOUNCED
• HHS to offer focus on Access to Health Insurance and Health Services
• Interagency activities to be developed around Homeless Youth and Homeless Families
• Interagency Housing for Veterans Workgroup to be established
WASHINGTON, D.C. At the 10th formal meeting of the revitalized United States Interagency Council on Homelessness on Monday, March 5, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt (pictured above) was elected chair of the Council. Accepting the gavel from U.S. Housing and Urban Development Deputy Secretary Roy Bernardi, representing Secretary Jackson, the Council chair since September 2005, Secretary Leavitt reaffirmed the commitment of his Department and the Council to the Administration’s goal of ending chronic homelessness and announced two special initiatives of the Chair for the coming year. The first, Access to Health Insurance and Health Services, will build on important work on health care issues underway at HHS. The second, A Focus on Homeless Youth and Homeless Families, will be an interagency initiative to assess federal investments and develop a set of activities focused on homeless families and youth.
Secretary Leavitt released a 2007 HHS Departmental 5-Year Strategic Plan on Homelessness, updating the plan released by then HHS Secretary and Council Chair Tommy Thompson in 2003. The Secretary also unveiled a new report from HHS’ Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, A Primer on How to Use Medicaid to Assist Persons Who are Homeless to Access Medical, Behavioral Health, and Support Services. The 2007 Strategic Plan, CMS report, and other resource material are available on a new HHS website on homelessness www.hhs.gov/homeless.
 Following the tradition of special guest presentations at the Council’s formal meetings, Secretary Leavitt introduced State of Utah Division of Housing and Urban Development Director Gordon Walker (pictured right) and Mr. Lloyd Pendleton (pictured left). Mr. Pendleton began his work with the State of Utah as a loaned executive from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 2003 and 2004 and took the lead in writing the State’s Ten-Year Plan for ending chronic homelessness. Upon retiring from Church employment, he went to work for the State to continue the implementation of the organization and systems change to end chronic homelessness in Utah. Mr. Pendleton also served as Utah’s state team lead for the most recent federally sponsored Families with Children Homeless Policy Academy.
Initiatives for Veterans
 At the request of Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Jim Nicholson, an interagency workgroup will be created to explore increasing permanent housing opportunities for homeless veterans and creating new relationships to meet that need. Recognizing that some veterans returning from Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom may seek primary and behavioral health care assistance at community-based health centers, Secretary Nicholson encouraged a collaboration between the VA and HHS to offer training to community-based centers to familiarize them with the VA services available to returning veterans to enable appropriate referrals “so no veterans will fail to get the services available to them.”
Secretary Nicholson discussed the growth of initiatives to help homeless veterans in the 20 years since the VA’s first benefits outreach efforts. Today, the VA offers 6000 residential treatment beds; 8000 transitional housing beds which will be increased by 3000 beds over the next two years; and with the help of 16,000 volunteers, VA Stand Downs have reached 23,000 homeless veterans including 1,600 women veterans and 3,700 spouses with children. This month’s $24 million funding availability notice was the largest single VA NOFA ever for assistance to special needs veterans. Pictured here, l-r, Council Director Philip Mangano, HUD Deputy Secretary Bernardi, HHS Secretary Leavitt, and VA Secretary Nicholson.
Interagency Collaborations Produce Results
In comments before passing the gavel to Secretary Leavitt, HUD Deputy Secretary Roy Bernardi, who convened the Council meeting on Secretary Jackson’s behalf, spoke of the real progress towards ending chronic homelessness made by HUD in partnership with HHS, the Department of Labor, the VA, and the Council through three demonstration projects:
- HUD/HHS/VA Collaborative Initiative to Help End Chronic Homelessness has created over 600 permanent supportive housing tenancies with only 4% of homeless clients returning to the streets.
- HUD/DOL Ending Chronic Homelessness Through Housing and Employment Initiative has had no program participants return to the streets.
- Chronic Inebriate Demonstration program developed by HUD in consultation with the Council has provided permanent supportive housing to over 500 homeless clients disabled by chronic alcoholism.
Deputy Secretary Bernardi also discussed the release last week of HUD’s landmark first time Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR), which analyzed point in time counts from over 3,800 cities and counties and Homeless Management Information Systems (HMIS) data. The report concludes that an estimated 754,000 people are homeless on any given night. “We recognize that behind every number is a person who desperately needs our help,” said Mr. Bernardi, who also noted the nearly $1.4 billion in Homeless Assistance Grants awards announced by Secretary Jackson last month to support a record number of local homeless programs nationwide.
Growth in Federal Investments to Prevent and End Homelessness
OMB Associate Director for General Government Programs Michael Bopp summarized the substantial increases in federal funding for homeless assistance programs since FY 2001 including the President’s proposed FY 2008 budget.
- The President’s FY 2008 budget request for targeted homeless assistance programs including both McKinney Act programs such as HUD’s Homeless Assistance Grants, Health Care for the Homeless, DOL’s Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program, and other non-McKinney programs, totals $2.7 billion, a 6.8% increase over FY 2007.
- Additionally, the VA and OMB report that the VA will spend more than $1.8 billion providing health care to homeless veterans in FY 2008, bringing the total federal investment in the President’s FY 2008 budget for programs to prevent and end homelessness to $4.4 billion.
- In FY 2008, HHS targeted homeless programs would receive an overall 5% increase under the President’s budget, a 64% increase since FY 01.
- The $1.586 billion included in the President’s FY 2008 budget for HUD’s Homeless Assistance Grants program would be a 10% increase in funding over FY 2007, and a 65% increase over the FY 2001 level.
- VA targeted homeless programs (not including overall health care spending) would receive a 6.5% increase in FY 2008 over FY 2007 in the President’s budget, a 54% increase since FY 2001.
Agency Activities Reported
Assistant Secretary Charles Ciccollela, Department of Labor:
- The Disability Program Navigator (DPN) effort will soon be expanded to up to 16 more states and territories. DPN is a collaboration of DOL’s Employment and Training Administration and the Social Security Administration intended to help one Stop Career Centers more effectively serve customers with disabilities, including people who are homeless.
- Over 5 weeks in January and February, more than 600 Job Corps students from 23 Job Corps Centers sponsored by Major League Baseball helped to build 11 homes in Lafayette, Louisiana for families left homeless by Hurricane Katrina as part of Habitat for Humanities “ Build Blitz” effort. Job Corps is also strengthening its commitment to serving foster care youth and will allow a longer pre- separation period during which counselors will help foster care youth connect to housing, transportation, and other community resources.
- The Prisoner Re-Entry Initiative is an interagency effort involving the Departments of Labor, Justice, HUD, HHS,VA, and the Corporation for National and Community Service. DOJ grants to state correctional agencies provide pre release services and DOL grants to community and faith based organizations provide post release services. Almost one year into the program, the 30 PRI sites have enrolled 5,569 persons, of whom 2,885 have been placed in employment. The Departments of Labor and HHS will explore whether Access to Recovery vouchers might be a resource for participants in the prisoner re-entry initiative.
Rural Development Administrator Russell Davis, U.S. Department of Agriculture:
Mr. Davis discussed USDA's interest in participating in collaborative efforts to respond to rural homelessness and summarized some of the work of the Rural Development Administration,
- The USDA Rural Development Service, which works in communities of 20,000 or less, has 742 state and local offices and 2,500 housing specialists.
- There are 470,000 housing units in 19,000 USDA subsidized housing apartments.
- Approximately 30,000 apartment units are vacant at any given time.
- A new rural voucher program can provide rental assistance similar to HUD’s Section 8 program to 16,000.
- USDA Rural Development has submitted to Congress a rehabilitation program for over 8000 multifamily properties.
- In FY06, the USDA Rural Development community facilities program of grants, loans and guarantees created $50 million in group homes.
Executive Director’s Report
In his Executive Director Report, Director Mangano noted that the meeting not only commemorated the 20th anniversary of the passage of the McKinney Act, which established the federal intervention in homelessness and the Interagency Council, but also marks 5 years to the month the revitalization of the Council by President Bush in March 2002 after a six year dormancy.
In these five years:
- There has been an unprecedented amount of partnership and collaboration between federal agencies including initiatives as varied as the Policy Academies for States, the Re-Entry Initiative for ex prisoners, the Chronic Homelessness Initiative, the HUD-DOL employment effort, the HUD-HHS-SSA SOAR Initiative, the HHS-DOL Job Corps-Foster Care Initiative, the VA-DOL efforts, and the HUD/ICH Chronic Inebriate Initiative.
- The Council has constellated an unprecedented national partnership that includes 20 federal agencies in Washington, and has joined together 49 Governors of states through State Interagency Councils on Homelessness, and nearly 300 Mayors and County Executives in jurisdictionally-led, community-based 10-Year Plans to End Chronic Homelessness.
- The Administration has proposed mainstream initiatives that would prevent homelessness for those exiting prisons and jails, those aging out of foster care, those in need of health care treatment in disadvantaged areas, those who require substance abuse treatment, veterans in need of health care, and victims of domestic violence. Though not specifically targeted to homelessness, these efforts and others have the effect of reducing homelessness through initiatives that effectively prevent homelessness.
- There are now 64 cities engaged in cost benefit studies that are uniformly revealing that the cost of chronic homelessness in health and law enforcement systems is significant, adding an economic reason to our moral and spiritual obligations to respond and to fashion solutions that move us beyond managing homelessness to ending the disgrace.
Remarking on the recently released motion picture Amazing Grace, the story of the English abolition of slavery featuring William Wilberforce, the leading Parliamentary abolitionist and John Newton, former slave captain who penned the graceful hymn, Director Mangano said, “Wilberforce reminds us that persistence and relentlessness are essential in ending social wrong. His 30 year campaign against a millennial old evil succeeded. Our five year old initiative needs the same blend of persistence and urgency that Wilberforce and his allies demonstrated. Our intent is in our seal. Domicilia Omnibus Americanis. A home for every American. That’s the commitment of this Council.”
IN THE CITIES AND COUNTIES: PORTLAND AND MULTNOMAH COUNTY,
OREGON ANNOUNCE 70% REDUCTION IN THE NUMBER OF PERSONS EXPERIENCING
CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS AMONG “DRAMATIC RESULTS” FROM 10-YEAR PLAN
IMPLEMENTATION; ST, LOUIS, MO REPORTS 34% REDUCTION OVER TWO
YEARS.
PORTLAND, OREGON. Portland and Multnomah County officials who
are collaborating to implement Home
Again, a 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness unveiled in December
2004 that emphasizes a Housing First approach, have announced results that
exceed the plan's goals in reductions in homelessness, numbers of
permanent supportive housing units created, and families housed. The
community's latest Street Count shows a 39% decrease in the number of
unsheltered homeless and a "70% reduction in the number of chronically
homeless people who were living outdoors two years ago."
The report notes that 717 families have been housed, exceeding the 2
year goal of 500; 480 permanent supportive housing units have been opened
compared to the 2 year goal of 260 units; and 1,039 chronically homeless
individuals have been housed, exceeding the two year goal of 565 by 184%.
2006 Accomplishments include:
- 379 chronically homeless persons moved into permanent housing, of
whom 40% were directly from the streets.
- 310 homeless families moved into permanent housing, including 134
"high resource using" families.
- 164 units of permanent supportive housing opened and 267 units added
to the development pipeline.
The report also notes that the
Portland Police recently reported a 70% decline in crime caused by the top
200 criminal homeless offenders.
Portland City Commissioner Erik Sten, a strong supporter of the plan
who has also championed the community's adoption of the Project Homeless
Connect innovation, said, "It is heartening to see real progress on an
issue that many have given up on long ago. . . these results should give
everyone hope and energy." Multnomah County Chair Ted Wheeler added, "This
proves that the partnership between Multnomah County and the City of
Portland is achieving significant measurable outcomes." In the first two
years of the plan, the City, County and Portland Housing Authority have
partnered to provide resources so that 480 new units of permanent
supportive housing could be opened, with an additional 380 units under
development.
St. Louis, Missouri officials have also just reported a 34% decrease
over two years in street homelessness, which will be described in more
detail in a future e- news. Commenting on these results, United States
Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano
said, " Once again jurisdictional leadership extending political will, and
resources through results-oriented 10-Year Plans is reducing street and
chronic homelessness. We are proud to be partnered with Multinomah County,
Portland, and St. Louis, and applaud County Chair Wheeler, Portland Mayor
Potter, Commissioner Sten, St, Louis Mayor Slay and 10-Year Plan
coordinators Heather Lyons and Bill Seidhoff for their success on behalf
of their poorest neighbors."
IN THE CITIES AND COUNTIES: DALLAS TAKES NEXT BIG STEP IN 10-YEAR PLAN IMPLEMENTATION WITH GROUNDBREAKING FOR HOMELESS ASSISTANCE CENTER
 DALLAS, TEXAS. An estimated 100 elected officials, business and
civic leaders gathered in downtown Dallas this week for the groundbreaking
for the city's new Homeless Assistance Center. The $21 million project
will provide a one stop array of services and 100 indoor beds with a
pavilion for an additional 300 persons targeted to the city's most
disabled, long term homeless population. Among those joining Mayor Laura
Miller at the event were Dallas City Councilwoman Pauline Medrano, in
whose district the center is located, businessman and mayorally appointed
homeless czar Mike Rawlings, his predecessor Tom Dunning, City Manager
Mary Suhm, and Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance Director Mike Faenza, whose
agency is leading an effort to raise $3 million to match city funds for
the operation of the center. United States Housing and Urban Development
Region VI Director Cynthia Leon was also present and was recognized for
her support of the city's efforts to end homelessness.
United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director
Philip Mangano, who had met with the Mayor, other city officials and
community leaders a number of times regarding the city's 10-Year Plan
effort and was invited to speak at the groundbreaking, said that " Dallas
has been blessed with a team that only knows how to get things done." He
acknowledged that Mayor Miller, who is leaving office this year, had at
first wondered if change was possible, but " took a leap of faith and
extended her political will and joined the national partnership of mayors
committed to 10-Year Plans." He noted that her "faith has been rewarded in
the substance of this hoped for groundbreaking and what the Center will
mean to its customers and your city, and in the evidence of the data that
we now see that tells us that there are fewer people on your streets than
several years ago."
The announcement last week by U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson of nearly $1.4 billion in Homeless
Assistance Grant awards to 5300 programs across the nation will bring
nearly $12.8 million in record funding for emergency shelter, homeless
prevention, transitional and permanent housing, and services resources to
the Dallas City and County and Irving area.
IN THE CITIES AND COUNTIES: FEDERAL GOOD NEWS OF INCREASED HOMELESS ASSISTANCE FUNDING MATCHED BY LOCAL GOOD NEWS OF 55% DECREASE IN NUMBER OF CHRONICALLY HOMELESS IN QUINCY, MASSACHUSETTS
 QUINCY, MASSACHUSETTS. The level of political will, depth of
partnerships, commitment of resources, and results demonstrated in this
city of 90,000 on the south side of Boston in the implementation of its
10-Year Plan continues to set the bar for communities its size in the
national effort to end homelessness. Last week Mayor William Phelan joined
United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director
Philip Mangano at a press conference at City Hall. Both had big
announcements. On behalf of U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary
and current USICH Chair, Alphonso Jackson, Director Mangano announced the
community was being awarded $1.98 million in Homeless Assistance Grants
funding, a nearly 19% increase over last year, to support emergency
shelter, homeless prevention, transitional and permanent housing and
services. The Mayor announced that the 2007 Point in Time Count held in
January showed a 55% decrease in the number of persons living long term on
the streets and shelters over the last three years, from 142 men and women
to 63.
Pictured here in a meeting prior to the press conference, left,
foreground to background, are Father Bill McCarthy, Mayor Phelan, and
Director Mangano. At right, foreground to background, Father Bill's Place
Executive Director John Yazwinski, and South Shore Chamber of Commerce
President Peter Forman. Also attending the press conference were Kim
Arouca, Deputy District Director for Congressman William Delahunt, and
Thomas Walsh of Senator Edward Kennedy's office.
IN WASHINGTON: BUSH ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCES NEARLY $1.4 BILLION IN HOMELESS ASSISTANCE GRANTS TO HOUSE AND SERVE THOUSANDS OF HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES
 WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development Secretary and current United States Interagency Council on
Homelessness Chair Alphonso Jackson today announced the award of nearly
$1.4 billion in Homeless Assistance Grant funding to provide shelter,
transitional and permanent housing, and services to more than 150,000
individuals and families through more than 5300 programs in communities
throughout the nation. "These grants will support thousands of local
programs that are on the front lines of helping those who might otherwise
be living on our streets," said Jackson. "Whether it's a single man living
with mental illness, or a family struggling to give their children a roof
over their heads, this funding is quite literally saving lives."
"The $1.4 billion announced today continues the Administration's
commitment to ending chronic homelessness and more effectively assisting
homeless families," said United States Interagency Council on Homelessness
Executive Director Philip Mangano. "This funding will support an
unprecedented number of local programs- more than 5,300 individual
shelter, housing and service projects throughout America- in a tangible
expression of the National Partnership which received additional
encouragement recently from the President's proposed FY 2008 budget of
$4.4 billion for a seventh record year of targeted federal homelessness
assistance funding."
Among the award highlights:
- More than 2800 local projects will receive $686 million to serve
mothers and children.
- 1,096 of the awards totaling more than $287 million are to projects
that specifically target persons experiencing chronic homelessness. This
commitment of funding is another step toward achieving the
Administration's goal of ending chronic homelessness.
- More than $618 million will support permanent housing solutions for
homeless persons.
- Nearly $91 million is being awarded to 560 programs that primarily
work to help victims of domestic violence.
- $30 million is being awarded to 145 projects that will primarily
serve homeless veterans.
- $388 million will help fund 1,526 projects providing housing and
support services to severely mentally ill persons and nearly $329 will
support 1,366 local programs that primarily help homeless persons with
substance abuse problems. Persons with mental illness and/or substance
abuse addiction are among those most at risk of experiencing chronic
homelessness.
Since 2001, HUD has awarded approximately $9 billion in funding to
state and local communities to support the housing and supportive service
needs of homeless persons and families. To view the list of projects
awarded funding in today's announcement, click here.
BUSH ADMINISTRATION PROPOSES SEVENTH CONSECUTIVE RECORD YEAR OF TARGETED FEDERAL SPENDING ON HOMELESSNESS AT $4.47 BILLION
Indicating that “the 2008 Budget continues the Administration's commitment to end chronic homelessness by creating new supportive housing options for these individuals,” the Bush Administration has proposed an unprecedented seventh consecutive year of increased funding for targeted federal programs serving persons who are homeless. The President's
FY 2008 record budget of $4.47 billion in targeted assistance for homeless programs across a range of federal agencies represents more than a 6% increase above the funding level in the FY 2007 Continuing Resolution passed by the House of Representatives last week and awaiting final Senate action. “In a difficult budget season, the Administration has once again increased targeted resources for homeless people. There is no question that the increase is directly related to the quantifiable results that are being achieved on the streets of our nation through the National Partnership of this Administration with Governors, Mayors, County Executives, and the private sector in implementing results-oriented 10-Year Plans,” stated Council Executive Director Philip Mangano. Among the increases are:
DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT (HUD). The FY 2008 Budget seeks $1.586 billion for HUD's homeless programs, which represents a $145 million increase over the FY 2007 Continuing Resolution level. HUD Secretary Alphonso Jackson is the Cabinet Secretary who presently serves as Council Chair. The increase includes $25 million for Reintegration of Ex-Offenders, involving the Departments of Justice, Labor, and Housing and Urban Development, to help individuals exiting prison make a successful transition to community life and long-term employment.
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (HHS). The Budget proposes 40 new Health Center sites in high poverty counties in addition to the over 300 new and expanded sites proposed in the 2007 Budget. The Health Centers' account also includes an increase estimated at more than 17% for Health Care for the Homeless Programs. $98 million is proposed in the Access to Recovery program for 20 competitive grants to provide treatment services to more than 55,000 individuals. The Budget triples drug court grants to help break the cycle of drug use and incarceration by combining the sanctioning power of courts with effective treatment services. $75 million is proposed for the Compassion Capital Fund to provide training for capacity-building and technical assistance for grassroots faith-based and community-based organizations.
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS (VA). The President's Budget includes a proposed 14% spending increase for the VA Grant and Per Diem program, a 4% increase in the VA Compensated Work Therapy program, and an estimated 5% increase in the use of medical care resources for homeless veterans. The Budget also recognizes the increased need for mental health care services and provides a total investment of $3 billion to afford a full spectrum of care for those veterans with mental health issues.
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR (DOL). The Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program (HVRP) is proposed for an 8% increase. Awards enable grantees to operate employment programs to reach out to homeless veterans and help them become employed.
U.S. INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS (USICH). The Budget notes progress in the Administration's goal of ending chronic homelessness: “Across the country, local leaders and nonprofit organizations have embraced this goal with over 200 jurisdictions committing to 10-Year Plans to end chronic homelessness. A number of the jurisdictions that have implemented their plans are seeing steady decreases in the number of chronic homeless individuals on their streets and in shelters.” The Budget seeks to extend the Council's work to assist States, Cities, and Counties through a proposed reauthorization of the Council through 2012.
MIDDLESEX COUNTY, CONNECTICUT JOINS THE NATIONAL PARTNERSHIP TO END HOMELESSNESS
FEBRUARY 2007. Middletown, Connecticut. With fellow elected officials from the towns of Portland, Essex, and Old Saybrook and leaders of the business, academic, and faith based communities at his side, Middletown, Connecticut Mayor Sebastian N. Guiliano announced plans to develop a 10-Year Plan "to eliminate homelessness and near homelessness in Middlesex County." United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano, accompanied by Council Regional Coordinator John O'Brien, joined Mayor Guiliano and community leaders at a press conference held in the City Council Chambers with a capacity crowd on January 30th. Mayor Guiliano, Middlesex Chamber of Commerce President Larry McHugh, and Middlesex United Way Executive Director Kevin Wilhelm will co-chair a Leadership Council that will complete development of a plan in six months. The Leadership Council includes members of the faith community, local hospitals, business, the Presidents of Wesleyan University and Middlesex Community College, and Portland First Selectwoman Susan Bransfield, Old Saybrook First Selectman Michael Pace, and Essex First Selectman Philip Miller.
"Leaders from throughout Middlesex County are supporting the effort to provide decent, affordable, and supportive housing to people in our communities. The cornerstone of that effort is the creation of a 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness," said Mayor Guiliano, encouraging everyone to ask themselves "What difference can I make?" Council Director Mangano who was introduced by United Way Executive Director Wilhelm following remarks by the Leadership Committee co-chairs and Bishop Cote, described the Committee membership as being "as strong as any in the nation- the right combination to get the job done, expansive and inclusive." He commended the community for "joining a National mindset that is no longer content simply to fund programs that serve homeless people endlessly, but instead invests in the result of abolishing the unhealthy and expensive disgrace of homelessness from your streets, your neighborhood, and your community."
At the press conference, Mayor Guiliano announced that an Executive Committee will be formed to work out the plan details whose goals include:
- Reducing the number of people who become homeless through community based services and supports
- Increasing the number of homeless people who are placed into permanent housing, dovetailing the community 10-Year Plan effort with a state effort announced by Governor Jodi Rell to create 10,000 units of supportive housing
- Decreasing the length of homeless episodes and the disruption associated with it
Pictured here, top, is Mayor Guiliano speaking to government, civic, and nonprofit leaders gathered at the press conference. Middle, Director Mangano conferring with Mayor Guiliano. Bottom, l-r, State Senator Paul Doyle, Middlesex Chamber of Commerce President Larry McHugh, Mayor Giuliano, Director Mangano, Bishop Michael Cote, Region 1 Department of Housing and Urban Development Director Taylor Caswell, and Middlesex United Way Director Kevin Wilhelm.
SOLUTIONS TO HOMELESSNESS AND 10-YEAR PLAN EFFORTS DISCUSSED
DURING U.S. CONFERENCE OF MAYORS WINTER MEETING
 WASHINGTON, DC. "We're not looking to be saved; we need the
Federal Government to be partners with us to build on our strengths." With
this spirit and message, U.S. Conference of Mayors President and Trenton
Mayor Douglas Palmer presided over the 75th Winter Meeting of the
Conference of Mayors in Washington DC last week. The meeting included a
keynote address by Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi
and numerous policy sessions on issues impacting the nation's cities
including a 10-point USCM legislative agenda, Strong Cities, Strong
Families for a Strong America. Mayor Palmer's themes of local jurisdictional leadership and the
importance of the federal government and local communities working in
partnership are already manifested in the relationship that exists between
mayors and the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness on the
issue of homelessness. Mayors across the nation have joined the National
Partnership to End Homelessness being constellated by the Council by
leading the development and implementation of 10-Year Plans in their
communities and often in collaboration with county government. There are
288 jurisdictional 10-Year Plans in development or being implemented
across the country. Earlier this month United States Interagency Council on Homelessness
Executive Director Philip Mangano met with Des Moines Mayor Franklin
Cownie to discuss a 10-Year Plan effort for his community. During last
week's Winter Meeting, Mayor Cownie who is co-chair of the USCM Hunger and
Homelessness Task Force convened a meeting of the Task Force during which
he reaffirmed his commitment to moving forward to create a 10-Year Plan to
End Homelessness in Des Moines and to encouraging other mayors to do so.
Mayors of two dozen cities, including a number of recently elected mayors,
and representatives of several other mayors attended the early Friday
morning meeting at which Director Mangano was invited to talk about the
progress of 10-year planning efforts around the country following a
presentation by Task Force Staff Director Gene Lowe on the findings of the
2006 USCM Hunger and Homelessness Survey released in December. In his presentation entitled, the National Partnership: Investment,
Innovation, and Results in Ending Homelessness, Director Mangano noted
that $3.17 billion in state, city and private sector investment has been
leveraged since 2003 in just 100 of the 288 10-Year Plan efforts now
underway, resulting in the creation of more than 36,000 targeted permanent
housing tenancies and needed services for people experiencing chronic
homelessness. He also noted the reductions in street and chronic
homelessness being reported by communities implementing 10-year plans as
disparate in size and location as Nashua, New Hampshire, Dallas, Texas,
and Portland, Oregon. The Task Force agenda also included a presentation
by David Miller, a staff member of the U.S. Agriculture Committee chaired
by Iowa Senator Tom Harkin, on hunger in rural America and proposed
changes to the food stamp program which are aimed at promoting healthier
food selections.
Pictured here, middle, is Mayor Cownie opening the meeting. Pictured
here,top, is a group photo taken after the Task Force meeting including
seated: Salisbury, NC Mayor Susan Klutz; Buckeye, AZ Mayor Bobby Bryant;
Des Moines, IA Mayor Frank Cownie; Director Mangano, Santa Barbara, CA
Mayor Marty Blum; and Wichita, KS Mayor Carlos Mayans. Included standing
are USCM Assistant Executive Director Eugene Lowe; Burlington, VT Mayor
Bob Kiss; Charleston, WV Mayor Danny Jones; Chattanooga, TN Mayor Ron
Littlefield; Columbia SC Mayor Bob Coble; Tulsa, OK Mayor Kathy Taylor;
Myrtle Beach, SC Mayor John Rhodes; San Bernardino, CA Mayor Pat Morris,
Grand Forks, ND Mayor Michael R. Brown; Winston-Salem, NC Mayor Allen
Joines, San Rafael, CA Mayor Al Boro; St. Petersburg, FL Mayor Rick Baker;
Charleston, SC Mayor Joe Riley Jr; and Lansing, MI Mayor Virg Bernero.
Pictured bottom is Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi
and Council Director Mangano discussing the Speaker's commitment to
homeless people.
IN THE CITIES AND COUNTIES: LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS BECOMES
LATEST BAY STATE CITY TO COMMIT TO CREATING A 10-YEAR PLAN TO END
HOMELESSNESS
 LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS. This week's kickoff of a 10-Year Plan
effort in Lowell, the fourth largest city in Massachusetts, is the latest
good news in what has been a flurry of 10-Year Plan activity in the Bay
State this month, including the unveiling of a 10-Year Plan in Springfield by Mayor Charles Ryan and a summit of western Massachusetts mayors and
officials. On Monday, Lowell Mayor William Martin Jr. and City Manager Bernard
Lynch kicked off the community's 10-Year Plan effort at a forum attended
by an overflow crowd of over 200. The six month effort to create a plan
will be led by an Executive Advisory Committee working together with the
City Manager and with the assistance of a Working Group comprised of
federal, state, and local homeless housing and human services providers.
See related Words of Week story this issue for excerpts of remarks by City
Manager Lynch. United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director
Philip Mangano was invited to provide an overview of the reasons behind
the Administration's goal to end chronic homelessness in 10 years and
discuss the National Partnership to End Homelessness being constellated by
the Council. Director Mangano lauded Mayor Martin and City Manager Lynch
for their political will in moving forward with a 10-Year Plan and
affirmed the City Manager's business approach to solving problems in
government and extending that business approach to the issue of
homelessness. Director Mangano's remarks were followed by an Executive
Panel discussion of affordable housing, homelessness prevention, chronic
homelessness, jobs and education, and cost effective permanent supportive
housing solutions. The panel was moderated by Suzanne Beaton, Campaign Director for One
Family, Inc./ Paul and Phyllis Fireman Charitable Foundation, which
recently gave the city a $10,000 grant to support development of the plan.
Panelists included University of Massachusetts Associate Professor of
Regional Economic and Social Development Robert Forrant; Community
Teamwork Inc. Executive Director Karen Frederick; Lowell General Hospital
Vice President of Medical Affairs Dr. Wayne Pasanen; businessman Michael
Mahoney who collaborates with the Renaissance Club, a non profit working
with adults with mental illness, to employ a member of the Club's
Transitional Employment Program each year at his company, Mahoney's Garden
Center; and real estate businessman Richard Jumpp, who as a board member
of House of Hope promoted housing with wraparound services as a more
humane and cost effective response than emergency shelters and also has
founded and serves as President of the non profit House of Hope Housing,
Inc. building family housing.
Pictured here, top, are Mayor Martin, speaking, and City Manager Lynch
at the Lowell 10-Year Plan kick off this week. Pictured middle is Director
Mangano addressing the government, civic and business leaders. Pictured
bottom are the panelists, l-r, Ms. Beaton, Mr. Jumpp, Mr. Forrant, Dr.
Pasanen, Ms. Frederick, and Mr. Mahoney.
IN
THE CITIES AND COUNTIES: HARRISBURG/DAUPHIN COUNTY, PA UNVEIL 10-YEAR 'HOME
RUN' PLAN TO END HOMELESSNESS
HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA. “The concerns of the homeless can, and must be addressed in a more effective and humane manner. This is an opportunity for cooperation and contribution of all decision-makers, providers, consumers and the general public to make a significant impact on the lives of thousands of people who need a home, and thousands more who are scared to death of losing the one they have.”
With this message underlying the Plan's recommendations, Harrisburg Mayor Stephen R. Reed and Dauphin County Commissioner George Hartwick III last week unveiled HOME RUN- The Capital Area's 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness in the County of Dauphin and the City of Harrisburg. United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano was invited to receive the Plan at the unveiling held at City Hall to help kick off the implementation effort.
Located on the east shore of the Susquehanna River in south central Pennsylvania in a metropolitan region of nearly 600,000 people, Harrisburg is the state capital and the county seat. The Home Run plan, which addresses transitional, episodic, and chronic homelessness in the community, is the product of a comprehensive effort by an 18-member Steering Committee appointed by Mayor Reed and the County Commissioners last fall. The Steering Committee was co-chaired by Carter Nash of Downtown Daily Bread and a former consumer, and Edward Trask of Delta Housing Inc., and received support from M&T Bank and the Capital Area Coalition on Homelessness (CACH), whose governing body includes as permanent members the United Way Capital Region, and the Foundation for Enhancing Communities as well as the city and county.
With a nod toward civic pride in the community's minor league baseball team, the Harrisburg Senators, the "Home Run" Plan uses baseball analogies in outlining implementation steps which include:
- Choosing a Blueprint Manager- CACH will manage and oversee the implementation
- Preparing the Field: full implementation of HMIS
- Leadoff Batter: the Plan adopts a Housing First strategy beginning with the construction of 25 permanent housing units and 40 overnight units in a 24/7 project to be owned and operated by Christian Churches United. The $2 million Susquehanna Harbor Safe Haven will open in 2008.
- Getting on Base: the Plan acknowledges the importance of wraparound services, known as Housing Plus and calls on " case managers across agencies to work together to develop one plan of action for each client, with each agency contributing to support clients in achieving housing stability and long term self-sufficiency."
- Moving the Runner: Partnerships, Leveraging and Public Awareness
- Stealing Signs: Prevention strategies include identifying a lead agency to focus on early intervention, establishing housing courts, increasing rent and mortgage arrears availability, and discharge planning.
- Bringing the Runner Home: oversight and evaluation
 Mayor Reed called the Plan "the most comprehensive and well developed plan ever put forth to address homelessness in the Capital Region with the primary goal of not just reducing homelessness, but eliminating it forever." With 25 years of experience as mayor of Harrisburg, Mayor Reed noted that he would not be standing there endorsing this effort if 10-Year planning efforts in other communities had not been getting results. The mayor said, " Research shows that the chronic homeless population will be best served by focusing on moving them into housing as quickly as possible. Known as the Housing First/Housing Plus model, the effort includes immediate support services to help the clients remain in their housing without first undergoing extensive screening or treatment protocols." The Mayor noted that each year the Capital Region spends over $4.5 million on housing and supportive services for persons experiencing homelessness, not including the costs of emergency hospital usage, incarceration or mainstream benefits. Commissioner Hartwick noted that the Home Run plan presents an innovative holistic approach to the problem extending across municipal boundaries in the Capital Region, with cooperation by all key to the plan's implementation.
In his remarks to the as |
