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 assembled elected and community leaders, Council Director Mangano said, “Mayor Reed and County Commissioner Hartwick and his fellow Commissioners are to be congratulated for creating a city/county partnership to end homelessness, joining the National Partnership to End Homelessness and other Pennsylvania cities and counties with 10-Year Plans. The commitment of these jurisdictional leaders to the national innovations of Housing First and Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) Teams aligns Harrisburg and Dauphin County with communities across the country that are now seeing reduced numbers of chronically homeless persons on their streets and in emergency shelters.”

Pictured here, top l-r, Co-chair Carter Nash, Mayor Reed, Director Mangano, County Commissioner Hartwick, and United Way of the Capital Region Vice President of Community Impact Tim Whelan.

Pictured bottom are Mayor Reed and Director Mangano holding the Plan, flanked by HUD Region III Director special assistant Elvis Solivan (l) and HUD Region III CPD Director Nadab Bynum (r) and members of the Steering Committee. The Steering Committee members included Edward Trask, DELTA Housing, Co- Chair; Rev. Brenda Alton, Harambee UCC and Interdenominational Ministerial; Rev. James D. Brown, Market Square Presbyterian Church/Downtown Clergy; Rosemary Browne, The Foundation for Enhancing Communities; E. Maria Chianos, MSW, Pinnacle Health; Deborah Clayton, Dauphin County Human Services; Bryan K. Davis, City of Harrisburg, Dept. of Building & Housing Dev., Bureau of Housing; Daniel Eisenhauer, Dauphin County MH/MR Administrator; Richard Evans, former consumer; David Hietala, PhD, Messiah College, School of Education and Social Sciences; Jacquelyn L. Morrison, SHALOM House; George Payne, YWCA of Greater Harrisburg; Kirk Reider, Catholic Charities, Diocese of Harrisburg; Robert A. Scott, PhD, Penn State University, School of Behavior Sciences and Education; Rev. Jody Silliker, Christ Lutheran's Health Ministry and Holy Spirit Hospital; Mike Weisberg, MSW, LCSW, Pinnacle Health Home Care on contract to Dauphin County Housing Authority; Timothy F. Whelan, MSW, United Way of the Capital Region.

WILLIMANTIC, CONNECTICUT. Eastern Connecticut State University in Willimantic was the site of last week’s kickoff of the planning effort to create a Greater Windham 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness. Windham County is located in northeastern Connecticut. Numerous towns, villages and boroughs including Willimantic comprise the county and have elected Boards of Selectmen. There is no county level government in Connecticut. Windham County has a population of around 115,000 with Willimantic the largest community at 40,000. A broad partnership of Selectmen, and business and non profit leaders will work together as a Leadership Committee to create a plan, led by co-chairs Chaplin First Selectman Rusty Lanzit and Savings Institute CEO Rheo Brouillard. Pictured above, l-r, Windham Regional Community Council Executive Director Jeff Beadle, Mr. Lanzit, Director Mangano, and Mr. Brouillard.

An organizing committee led by Windham Regional Community Council Executive Director Jeffrey Beadle helped lay the groundwork for creating the Leadership Committee. Community institutions including Bank of America, Banknorth Connecticut, Liberty Bank, New Alliance Bank, Peoples Bank, Savings Institute, and the Windham Council of Governments are providing financial support for the planning effort and the Connecticut Aids Resource Coalition and Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness Executive Director Carol Walter have been retained to facilitate the planning process and writing of the plan.

United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano was invited to keynote the kickoff event that also included remarks by co-chair Rheo Brouillard, Windham First Selectman Michael Paulhus, State Senate President Pro Tempore Donald E. Williams, Jr, 49th District State Representative Walter Pawelkiewicz, and Jeff Beadle. Legislators Williams and Pawelkiewicz spoke of their support for the Windham 10-Year Plan effort and of their interest in introducing legislation that would provide assistance for homeless youth, particularly those aging out of foster care. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Field Office Director Julie Fagan and Tina Smith of the U.S. Social Security Administration were also present. Shown here, Windham First Selectman Michael Paulhus at podium and seated l-r, Mr. Beadle, State Representative Pawelkiewicz, Director Mangano, Mr. Lanzit, State Senate President Pro Tempore Williams, and Mr. Brouillard.

Director Mangano commended the Selectmen for working together on this issue and the State legislative leaders for demonstrating their support. “Jurisdictional CEO leadership is a best practice that ensures accountability and results in plans across the country,” said Director Mangano, who also spoke of the importance of having a business leader as co-chair.“The business emphasis conforms to best practices around the country. The status quo, though well intentioned, has not accomplished the mission. That’s why we’re here today to launch this new plan. We know that we can do better. Business plans and a business mind-set oriented to solving problems and producing accountability and results have correlated with reductions in homelessness in implemented plans across the country.”

Director Mangano noted that the community has all the elements for a successful effort—“political will from jurisdictional CEOs, business leadership, and access to innovative ideas.” He encouraged the Leadership Committee to commit the “ art of legitimate larceny” and adopt the new technologies that are proving successful in other 10-Year Plan efforts around the country. He noted in particular the proven success of “rapid re-housing in combination with Assertive Community Treatment Teams which is getting to where we want to be, and more importantly to where the consumer wants to be, in a place to live.”

The Windham County kickoff follows last month’s unveiling of a 10-Year Plan, Next Stop, Home, by a group of southeastern Connecticut communities. On January 30, Director Mangano will join Middletown, CT Mayor Sebastian Giuliano and other community leaders at a kickoff for the development of a 10-Year Plan to end homelessness in Middletown County.

Tempe, Arizona and San Diego, California hosted Project Homeless Connect events this week. San Francisco, where the Connect innovation originated, is reporting that more than 900 were assisted off the streets through Connect events in the city in 2006.

TEMPE, ARIZONA. Tempe was the site of Arizona’s first Project Homeless Connect on Monday. A collaborative community effort organized through the office of Tempe City Homeless Coordinator Theresa James and held at the Tempe First United Methodist Church, 105 men experiencing chronic homelessness and homeless youth were assisted by more than 35 community volunteers and representatives of 21 community organizations. Breakfast and lunch were provided by local business as were a variety of free books from the Changing Hands bookstore.

Adopting best practices of other PHC efforts, Arizona Department of Economic Security representatives brought computers to be able to provide onsite employment and benefit application assistance that included processing 45 applications for food stamps. Expanding the state assistance offered at the event, representatives of the Department of Rehabilitative Services were also on hand providing assessments and referrals for more extensive neurological, vision and medical exams for supportive employment. Representatives of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs did 11 intakes. Other services provided by community organizations included health checks, drug and alcohol assessments, haircuts and massages. Among those attending the event was United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Regional Coordinator Charlene Moran Flaherty. Organizers of this week’s Connect event will be providing a detailed report on the event to the Tempe City Council in February and hope to host another PHC before the summer.

Last fall Tempe initiated a Homeless Program Outreach Effort (HOPE) using a van and two outreach workers (shown here) to provide mobile outreach, crisis intervention, advocacy and limited transportation to homeless individuals and families to engage them into services. The outreach team works with police and fire department officials, Tempe residents, businesses, churches, and social service agencies. City officials recently reported that in December the HOPE Outreach Team worked with 28 unduplicated homeless individuals, bringing the total of unduplicated individuals they have served since November to 87. The outreach workers also reported that 25 individuals served in December were homeless people that they had already made contact with “indicating that they are succeeding at building positive relationships with individuals that can be very difficult to reach.” The city reports that the HOPE program is “establishing relationships with community entities that are able to provide many of the items homeless individuals need, not only to survive, but to end their homelessness such as valid forms of ID. The community is receptive to HOPE's presence and is collaborating on many different levels.”

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA. In San Francisco, where Project Homeless Connect originated as a local initiative by Mayor Gavin Newsom in October 2004, city officials have released a report on the results of the Connect events that were held every other month during 2006. The City reports that with the extraordinary support of 8,659 volunteers,

• 9,738 clients came through the PHC door
• 1,970 individuals received benefits assistance such as SSI, food stamps, and General Assistance
• 1,142 individuals were screened for employment opportunities with 39 successful hirings
• 1,735 individuals received medical care and 1,096 received dental screens
• 1,036 received legal assistance
• 560 received methadone treatment
• 99,089 lbs of groceries were given away by the SF Food Bank
• 520 individuals received mental health and substance abuse services
• 73 individuals were reconnected to family or friends through Homeward Bound, and
• 902 individuals were assisted off the streets and provided with shelter and housing

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA. Following recent Project Homeless Connect events in 13 California communities during December’s National Project Homeless Connect Week, San Diego this week held its 3rd Project Homeless Connect assisting more than 175 homeless individuals and families. The event, held downtown in the Civic Center Golden Gate Hall, was organized by San Diego County Regional Task Force on the Homeless Executive Director John Thelen and community leader Hannah Cohen, who helped facilitate creation of the 10-Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness in the San Diego Region adopted by the San Diego City Council in October.

Approximately 70 volunteers were on hand to help escort clients, most of whom arrived by free bus transportation, to services set up onsite. The services included free phone calls, mental health, alcohol and drug assessments and referrals, employment information, hot meals, clothing, shoes, non denominational pastoral care, legal services, flu shots, massages and footwashes. 33 applications were taken for food stamps and/or General Assistance; federal Social Security Administration representatives assisted 52 individuals with benefits application and social security cards assistance; U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and local officials and organizations provided housing counseling and information assistance and referrals to 115 clients and 40 shelter beds were made available. Two police officers, John Liening and Richard Schnell, who have been instrumental in the success of the San Diego Serial Inebriate Program, were on hand coordinating transportation assistance for those in need of mental health and medical attention. United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Regional Coordinator Ed Cabrera attended the event, speaking with organizers, volunteers and clients.

San Diego held its first Project Homeless Connect in December 2005 as part of National Project Homeless Connect Day and followed that with a second event in April at the King of Kings Lutheran Church in Oceanside. The city facilitated the use of the downtown Civic Center for this week’s event.

BALTIMORE COUNTY, MARYLAND. United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano, accompanied by Regional Coordinator Michael German, traveled to Baltimore County, MD this week at the invitation of Leadership Baltimore County to speak to members of the 2006-2007 Leadership class. Later, Director Mangano met with Baltimore City Health Commissioner Dr. Josh Sharfstein and his team overseeing development of the recently announced 10-Year Plan effort in this capital city.

Director Mangano’s presentation to the 2006-07 members of Leadership Baltimore County was part of a Social Issues Seminar on The At-Risk Population in our Communities. Director Mangano was introduced by Baltimore County Office of Community Conservation Coordinator of Homeless Services Sandy Monck. In his presentation, Director Mangano quoted from Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon’s recent inaugural remarks, “I want to leave behind a city - for generations to come – that isn’t afraid to solve even the toughest problems. The tough problems like homelessness. Last month, a coalition for government, the private sector, the civic and foundation community, and the activists community came together to pledge to end homelessness in this city by 2010. Together we will ensure that every man, woman, and child who is homeless not only has a place to lay their head but will get every opportunity to turn their lives around and become a contributing member of our city. We all have a role to play in making this more than a dream but a reality. I don’t pretend to have all the answers but I don’t accept that there are no solutions.”

Director Mangano said, “The good news for Mayor Dixon, for mayors and county executives across our country, for homeless people, for all the stakeholders and shareholders in our communities, is that homelessness is yielding. Yielding to planful partnerships, as described by the mayor, innovative ideas developed across the country, and to strategic solutions being discovered in our cities.”

The event also included presentations by Maryland Interagency Council on Homelessness Co-chair and MD Department of Human Services Director of Transitional Services Greg Shupe; Baltimore County Public Schools Homeless Liaison Carl Love; Producer/writer for HBO’s The Wire and co-author of The Corner and advocate Edward Burns and a personal testimonial by I CAN, Inc. Executive Director Reverend Lonnie J. Davis, Sr. A luncheon training session led by Prologue Homeless Outreach Director Stu Hancock preceded the group’s participation in the community's Point in Time Survey.

In the meeting with Baltimore City Health Commissioner Sharfstein, Assistant Commissioner for Healthy Homes Madeleine Shea, Greg Sileo of Baltimore Homeless Services, and Community Relations official Wanda Watts, Director Mangano affirmed the commitment made by Mayor Dixon to the 10-Year Plan process, and said that he looked forward to working with them on the development of their plan. In a posting to his blog, Dr. Sharfstein wrote, “Executive Director Mangano and Regional Coordinator German gave our team overseeing the 10-year plan to end homelessness many ideas for progress ... and a rousing pep talk. So much of the effort in addressing homelessness is believing it can be done -- that disparate systems can be made to work together ... and that savings in one system (such as emergency departments) can be a justification for investments in another (such as housing for the chronically homeless). Scores of experts in Baltimore are contributing to the development of our 10-year plan. It's due out in late spring.” (More about Mayor Dixon's commitment and Baltimore's 10-Year Plan in a future e-news issue!)

Pictured here, l-r, Mr. Sileo, Ms. Watts, Council Regional Coordinator German, Council Director Mangano, Commissioner Sharfstein, and Assistant Commissioner Shea.

NEW YORK CITY. The Center for Civic Innovation at the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research, publisher of the respected quarterly City Journal, hosted a luncheon panel discussion last week on Supportive Housing: The Solution for Chronic Homelessness?. The Manhattan Institute seeks to enrich understanding and public discourse on urban issues by supporting and publicizing research and hosting forums for policy makers researchers, business people, and journalists. Speakers in recent months have included U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales; William Bratton, chief of the Los Angeles Police Department; and James Q. Wilson, Ronald Reagan Professor of Public Policy at Pepperdine University, among others. At the invitation of Center Chairman and former Indianapolis Mayor Stephen Goldsmith (pictured here with Director Mangano), United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano and State of Connecticut Office of Policy and Planning Senior Policy Advisor Anne Foley described the new housing technologies and engagement strategies that are producing results in ending the homelessness of men and women who’ve been living long term on the streets and in shelters.

In his concluding remarks, Director Mangano said, “Permanent Supportive Housing and Housing First are technologies that work for both the highest functioning and most challenged homeless individuals. But as in so many arenas of human activity, especially in the social services, there is a gap between what we know, innovations that accomplish the mission, and what we practice in the field, status quo responses that manage the population. Through unprecedented research, resources, planning, and partnerships of the public and private sectors through Ten Year Plans, these housing innovations are being embraced and the gap is narrowing. As it does, more of our poorest neighbors will be offered opportunity. And they will rise off the streets and out of shelter cots. And their homelessness will be ended.”

The event was attended by nearly 100 city officials, academics, and members of the non profit and business communities.

DALLAS, TEXAS. Dallas Homeless Czar Mike Rawlings called the announcement of $1 million including 3 foundation grants to support the community’s 10- Year Plan implementation, “a real seminal moment in our fight against chronic homelessness.” The four donations of $250,000 each came from the Baron and Blue Foundation, the Harold C. Simmons Foundation, the Meadows Foundation, and the Highland Park United Methodist Church. Mr. Rawlings noted that the funds will allow the Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance to continue moving forward on Plan implementation strategies. The Alliance recently hired a Chief Executive Officer, Michael Faenza. “This $1 million is a bell cow, the legitimization that people can feel free to channel money into this organization and the homeless assistance center,” Rawlings said

Mayor Laura Miller unveiled the city’s 10-Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness, developed in partnership with the United Way, the Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance and Deloitte Consulting in June 2004. In 2005, Dallas voters approved a bond measure to build a downtown Homeless Assistance Center and single-room apartments (SROs). An update on homeless initiatives prepared for presentation this week to the Dallas City Council Committee on Quality of Life notes that a contractor has been selected for the Homeless Assistance Center subject to contract ratification by the City Council. A ceremonial groundbreaking is scheduled for February 15. The report also provides an update on planned SRO projects including the Dallas Urban League collaboration with the VA and Dallas Metro Care Services on a 120 unit project for homeless veterans expected to be completed in 2008. Altogether, the 10-Year Plan calls for the development of 700 units of supportive housing by 2013. The report notes that the existing Day Resource Center is serving an average of 426 homeless individuals daily and that 283 people are currently housed and receiving case management in supportive housing programs.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development General Section for the upcoming FY 2007 SUPERNOFA was published in the January 18 Federal Register. The General Section outlines the Department’s threshold requirements, strategic goals, policy priorities, and other comprehensive requirements that are applicable to almost every individual NOFA that comprises the SuperNOFA. For FY2007, the Continuum of Care applications are the lone SuperNOFA paper applications that HUD will accept without first granting a waiver. HUD intends to have the Continuum of Care applicants applying via Grants.gov no later than FY2008 and suggests that it is in the interest of Continuum of Care applicants to complete the Grants.gov registration process in anticipation of moving to electronic application submission in 2008.

The VA Secretary's Advisory Committee on Homeless Veterans met this week in Phoenix, AZ. United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Regional Coordinator John O'Brien, a Vietnam veteran and the Council's liaison to the Advisory Committee, reported to the Committee that there are now 287 jurisidictions committed to the 10- Year planning effort to end chronic homelessness and that the Council continues to work with state and local governments to ensure that strategies to prevent and end homelessness among veterans are included in these 10-Year Plans. Coordinator O'Brien noted the information and technical assistance resources available on the Council's website for these jurisdictional planning efforts and asked for the assistance of Advisory Committee members in updating key staff contact lists for all regions.

A January 18 Wall Street Journal article entitled Homeless in America by Julia Vitullo-Martin, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, is one of a growing number of editorials and articles reporting the impact on communities around the country of adopting new strategies for ending homelessness being disseminated by the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness. From the WSJ article, " Can urban street homelessness be ended? In a sort of Nixon-goes-to-China reversal of expectations, the Bush White House argues that the answer is yes—and is putting substantial effort and resources (over $4 billion annually) into proving it. 'We're setting a new marker in front of the country,'says Philip Mangano, executive director of the White House's U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness. 'After 20 years of seeing the problem get worse, we're no longer 'managing' the homeless crisis. We're ending the disgrace'."

The article explores some of the strategies promoted by the Council such as permanent supportive housing and housing first that cities are adopting with resultant reductions in the numbers of persons living long term on the streets and in shelters. The article quotes A.J. Robinson, executive director of Central Atlanta Progress, whose Mayor, Shirley Franklin, moved forward a 10-Year Plan and has seen a reduction of 8.5% in the number of people on the streets, "The business community will rally around strong political leadership that offers solutions on this thorny issue."

USA TODAY headlines a January 23 story, Cities Go Further To Help Homeless, and notes "Cities are going far beyond providing emergency shelter, focusing on creating housing and even giving families rent money to avoid eviction.'The question is why have so many mayors signed on,' says Philip Mangano, the council's executive director. 'They recognize it's the right thing to do morally, and it's also the right thing to do economically'." The article reports there appears to be agreement that some cities implementing 10-Year Plans are making progress to reduce long term homelessness including Atlanta, Chicago, and San Francisco.

The recent Wall Street Journal and USA TODAY articles join a growing list of national media outlets including Fortune Magazine, New Yorker Magazine, Bloomberg News, Christian Science Monitor, Governing Magazine, the Atlantic Monthly, and the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) that have taken notice of the underlying themes of research, innovative housing technologies, evidence based practices, partnerships, jurisdictional leadership, and a business approach which the Council disseminates across the country to constellate a National Partnership to End Homelessness. Editorials in past week in the Harrisburg (PA) Patriot-News and the Norwich (CT) Bulletin following the unveiling of 10-Year Plans by community and business leaders in those communities create greater awareness and support for the community efforts to learn about and adopt new strategies that are having the result of reducing and ending homelessness.

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