WITH THIS ISSUE, the e-news provides reports from two of the many states across the country that are evidence of the new national trend of gubernatorial leadership, partnership, and investment to end homelessness.

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS. As reported here last week, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts has released its new 5-Year Plan from a joint legislative- executive commission, one of a number of states making new budget commitments and documenting progress in ending homelessness. As new Governors take office, re-issue expanded Executive Orders, strengthen their State Interagency Councils, and make budget proposals to invest in what's innovative and working, the national trend continues.

Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick this week proposed $10 million in new spending to drive the recommendations of the State Commission reported here last week. The Commission recommended that the State undergo a comprehensive systems change, from one that relies heavily on emergency shelters to a permanent housing model, which focuses on maintaining or securing permanent housing to ensure positive housing outcomes.

The Governor's recommendation would provide $8.25 million (line item 1599-1004) in FY09 to support the first phase of this transition, which would include a pilot program to develop the new service delivery model, while providing additional rental and emergency assistance for targeted homeless populations. This funding would be in addition to a $1.25 million investment by MassHousing to support this initiative. FY09 spending will be determined from the work of the Interagency Council of Homelessness and Housing, which is chaired by Lieutenant Governor Tim Murray.

ALBANY, NEW YORK. New York Governor Eliot Spitzer announced in his State of the State address a new $400 million Housing Opportunity Fund for the state. Noting that "The key to making a community livable is good homes," the Governor observed that, "for over 100 years, New York led the nation with a progressive, visionary housing policy that helped to ensure that people had housing they could afford. "

According to the Governors' proposal, New York State will use State resources to address the wide variety of housing needs; including providing those with physical disabilities and mental illness the opportunity to work and live in their communities, offering young families and professionals the resources and support to become first time home buyers, and facilitating creative solutions for developing affordable housing in high-cost areas of the state. New York will use its limited financial resources to maximum effect by linking State efforts with the Federal government, local governments and the private sector, and by developing innovative financing structures that are sustainable over the long term.

The fund will be directly administered by the State of New York Mortgage Authority (SONYMA) under the guidance of an advisory panel consisting of experts from the Division of Housing and Community Renewal and the Offices of Temporary and Disability Assistance, Substance Abuse Services, Mental Health and Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities.

WASHINGTON, DC. "Linking Youth to Employment and Education through Community Service" is the United States Department of Labor's latest "webinar" offering for workforce stakeholders across the country and represents just one of numerous online tools available to share innovative approaches, policies, and tools. Webinars are live, computer-based conferences in which attendees hear presentations and can log in to ask questions or participate in discussions on line. DOL uses its Workforce3-One Community online learning system to conduct the webinars, and the Department also archives past conferences for downloading.

Last week's webinar examined how community service programs can link disconnected youth to education and the workforce through service to their community. Sally Prouty, President and CEO of The Corps Network, and John Foster-Bey, Senior Advisor to the Director of Research and Policy Development at the Corporation for National and Community Service, provided a brief overview of their organizations' programs, highlighted how community service activities can help youth gain skills and abilities to aid their transition into post-secondary education and employment, and addressed the challenges and opportunities in involving disconnected youth in community service.

According to DOL, service learning opportunities can "promote students' academic achievement, build their self-confidence and self-esteem, and teach them technical and soft skills that will benefit them in the workforce. Research suggests that well-designed service learning programs can boost student attendance in school and develop students' sense of social and personal responsibility; in particular, community service involvement can help re-engage disconnected youth in their schools and communities."

The webinar discussed approaches to incorporating service learning into systems of multiple education pathways and other initiatives to connect youth to education and the workforce. The Corps Network represents the nation's 113 Service and Conservation Corps in 41 States and the District of Columbia, which enrolls about 13,000 youth who contribute roughly 13 million hours of community service each year. The Corporation for National and Community Service coordinates service programs throughout the country, including Learn and Serve and AmeriCorps.

Recent webinar topics have included: Shared Youth Vision Resources, Promising Practices: A Look at Job Corps and Youthbuild, Collaborative Approaches to Serving the Neediest Youth, The Cost of Dropping Out, Technology Based Learning, and Improving Labor Market Success for Low-Wage Workers. On-line resources include case studies, project summaries, and data, podcasts, online learning courses, tools such as performance assessments and templates, emerging and best practice materials and links to other useful web resources.

WITH this issue, the e-news continues its coverage of remarks by jurisdictional leaders from coast-to-coast committed to ending homelessness. This week, we excerpt first from the remarks of United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano to the 2003 plenary session of the United States Conference of Mayors in Washington, DC, challenging 100 cities to commit to develop 10-Year Plans. Following are excerpts from two "State of the City" speeches from across the country, delivered by Mayors with jurisdictional plans, partnership at every level, and results in ending homelessness.

DIRECTOR MANGANO: PARTNERING TO END HOMELESSNESS THROUGH 10-YEAR PLANS

"Across our nation there are a small, but growing number of cities creating and implementing 10-Year Plans to end homelessness. What was unthinkable just a few years ago is now emerging as common sense. What seemed naive is now sound policy. What was thought of as intractable is now subject to strategies. Just a few years ago, such plans were thought to be risky and naive. But with the new technologies and an emphasis on ending homelessness, maybe the naivete is not to have a plan.

"Why are such plans more viable now? First, we have new research not available just a few years ago. Second, we have new technologies in housing and street engagement that give us new tools to bring in people off the streets. Third, there's a new spirit of partnership on this issue that transcends partisanship. Mayors here have sounded the chords of working together. We pledged that, on this issue, partnership trumps partisanship. Fourth, after the research, and technologies, and partnership, there are new resources.

"Finally, we have a new standard of expectation. We're not going to be satisfied any longer moving homeless people from one side of town to the other, from one city to another. Our work together is to create that new standard of expectation: we want visible, measurable, quantifiable change - on our streets, in homeless programs, in the life of our neighborhoods, and most importantly, in the lives of homeless people.

"I'm asking this Conference today: by the next winter meeting of this Conference, let's partner together to have 100 cities who have committed to create a plan to end homelessness in their city."

PORTLAND, OREGON MAYOR TOM POTTER: "OUR CITY HAS BECOME MORE LIVABLE AND WELCOMING FOR EVERYONE"

". . . we have made our city more understanding of the special needs of those most in need - people struggling with mental illness and those with a dual diagnosis of mental illness and addiction.

"We have fundamentally changed how officers respond to people with mental illness, changing our Use of Force policy and providing Crisis Intervention Training for every street officer and supervisor.

"A full-time mental health professional now oversees the training, development, and implementation of new policies regarding working with persons with mental illness, and we have funded additional staff for Project Respond, which has homeless and mental health professionals partnering with officers to respond immediately to crisis situations . . .

" . . . our city has become more livable and welcoming for everyone. Our efforts to end homelessness, spearheaded by Commissioner Sten, have taken more than 5,000 individuals and family households off the streets and moved them into permanent housing, and more than 84 percent are still there after 1 year.

"Over the last 18 months, PDC has committed $21 million to support over 800 low income housing units, including nearly 500 new units of rental housing and 350 units of existing housing that were rehabilitated and preserved for long-term affordability. . .

"The City Council, through the leadership of Commissioner Sten, adopted a 30 percent set aside for all Tax Increment Financing in Urban Renewal Areas, which will be used to develop and preserve more low income housing and help more residents become first-time homebuyers.

"I want to take a moment to publicly thank Commissioner Sten for his years of dedicated service on behalf of the poor, the homeless, and for recognizing the need to close the home ownership gap for minorities. Thank you, Erik. Our city is better off for your efforts and your legacy of accomplishments."

NEW YORK CITY MAYOR MICHAEL BLOOMBERG: "WE CAN'T BE AFRAID TO FLIP THE CONVENTIONAL WISDOM ON ITS HEAD"

"All of our work to make government more accountable stems from a simple principle: Serving our citizens is our most basic responsibility. That goes for every citizen at every income level. In 2008, we will use technology to continue breaking down barriers to City services. For too long, individual agencies have looked at their clients in isolation - even though many New Yorkers interact with City government on a whole spectrum of issues.

"For instance, today, the Human Resources Administration has no way of knowing that a woman who is seeking help finding work might also have a history of homelessness and a child in foster care. This year, in a first for any municipal government, we will link the computer systems at more than a dozen City agencies. They'll be able to share client information without compromising confidentiality.

"Under this new system - called Health and Human Services Connect - New Yorkers will have to give us their information only once, and their case file will be updated online as needed. For the caseworkers this will mean less time pushing paper more time with their clients and, most importantly, a more comprehensive picture of the people we are trying to help . . .

" . . . . And to press the battle against homelessness, we will establish nearly 500 beds for the toughest cases: Those who avoid the shelter system because they don't want to be bound by a curfew or forced into a substance abuse program. We can't be afraid to flip the conventional wisdom on its head when it comes to intractable problems like homelessness or poverty . . ."