WASHINGTON, DC. President Barack Obama yesterday released a summary of his upcoming FY 2010 federal budget, called "A New Era of Responsibility: Renewing America's Promise." Highlights of the blueprint include affirmation of initiatives to address homelessness among veterans through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, including a new pilot program with non-profits to help maintain stable housing for vulnerable veterans while providing VA support services. VA health care will expand dramatically. VA Secretary Eric Shinseki is currently the Chair of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness.

At the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the budget proposes to provide $1 billion to capitalize the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, with the goal of putting housing within reach of very- low income Americans, as a means "to prevent homelessness and strengthen families." The Budget also proposes $4.5 billion to fund fully the Community Development Block Grant and would revamp the program with a "more effective formula, appropriate incentives and accountability measures and a new Sustainable Communities Initiative." Increased funding is proposed for the Housing Choice Voucher program and Project-Based Rental Assistance. Two new initiatives are proposed: a "New Choice Neighborhoods Initiative" in areas of concentrated poverty, and a "New Energy Innovation Fund" for a collaborative effort with the Department of Energy that would include catalyzing private sector lending for "retrofitting" of older, energy inefficient housing.

"We have also been charged to change the way we do business: to become more transparent and accountable; to ensure that we subject all our activities to rigorous evaluation so we can support what works and modify what doesn't; and, to become the best partner we can be with the states and localities and private sector firms and nonprofits that do the real work on housing," said HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan in commenting on the budget announcement.

In addition to previously announced health care reform and Medicare/Medicaid measures at the Department of Health and Human Services, the Budget will include increased levels of funding to reduce domestic violence and enhance emergency care, including expanding drug courts.

The Budget would provide $3.2 billion for the HHS Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and proposes creating a new trigger mechanism to provide automatic increases in energy assistance when there is a spike in energy costs.

The Budget includes $109 million for Department of Justice prisoner reentry programs, including an additional $75 million for the Office of Justice Programs to expand grant programs authorized by the Second Chance Act that provide counseling, job training, drug treatment, and other transitional assistance to former prisoners. The Department of Labor will also participate in expanded employment initiatives for the reentry population and returning service members. Funding for the YouthBuild program would increase.

The Department of Agriculture budget includes full funding for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) to serve all eligible individuals and $1 billion per year for the Child Nutrition reauthorization. The President's Budget supports a strong Child Nutrition and WIC reauthorization package that will ensure that low- income children receive the nutrition assistance they need and help fulfill the President's pledge to end childhood hunger by 2015.

The Budget will expand national service opportunities through the Corporation for National and Community Service by setting AmeriCorps on a path to increase from 75,000 slots to 250,000 and create a new social innovation fund for testing promising new approaches to major challenges, leveraging private and foundation capital to meet these needs, and scaling up research proven programs.

The budget will also build on the $5 billion in the recovery package to spur development of an industry that will have the capacity to meet the President's goal of weatherizing 1 million homes annually. By comparison only about 6 million low income homes have been weatherized since 1976. Research has shown a clear link between homelessness and utility terminations, and energy efficiency measures and customer engagement are means to prevent homelessness.

Due to the Presidential transition, the President is releasing the FY 2010 budget request in two parts. The first submission of this week provides the top-line request for each agency. The second submission, in April, will consist of detailed budget proposals and traditional congressional justification materials.

WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA. The Palm Beach County Board of Commissioners this week officially received the County's new Ten Year Plan, meeting in session with United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano, who was invited to brief the Commission on the national partnership and the innovations and investments achieving results across the nation. Jeff Koons, Chair of the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners, introduced Director Mangano.

"Congratulations on a Housing First focused plan that intends to add cost benefit analysis to its insights," indicated Director Mangano. With the new record HUD homeless resources just announced for the region, as well as new resources such as HUD-VASH permanent housing vouchers to end the homelessness of those who have served their country, you are ready to invest in what works." Director Mangano encouraged the partners to add other innovations including Project Homeless Connect, Assertive Community Treatment teams, SOAR for SSI, Ready, Willing, and Able for employment, and Street to Home engagement strategies.

Pictured above presenting the new Plan are (left to right): Commissioner Shelley Vana, Commission Chairman Jeff Koons, Commissioner Jess Santamaria, Director Mangano, Commissioner Addie Greene, Deputy County Administrator Verdenia Baker, Commission Vice Chairman Burt Aaronson, and Commissioner Karen Marcus.

In his introduction to the Plan, Chair Koons noted: "Our citizens have many unique talents; I ask you to come forward and share them with the rest of the community. Give of your time and talent in whatever area you can best serve; give of your treasure if you are so able. Together we can succeed in reaching the ultimate goal of this Plan: to END homelessness."

Pictured here during the Commission session are (left to right): Georgiana Devine, County Human Services, Homeless Program & Contract Manager, Claudia Tuck, County Human Services, Division Director, Director Mangano, and Jon Van Arnam, Assistant County Administrator. Council National Team Leader Michael German also participated.

In a meeting prior to the Commission meeting, Chair Koons and Director Mangano discussed innovative ideas that are reducing homelessness and models for the coordination of the President's new economic recovery resources. Commissioner Koons' focus was on replicable best practices and results.

In a meeting after the Commission event, with West Palm Beach Mayor Lois Frankel (pictured here) and county officials, including Claudia Tuck, Division Director, Palm Beach County Human Services, and Georgina Devine, Program and Contract Manager, the partners engaged in a robust conversation regarding homelessness in West Palm Beach. Mayor Frankel, partner to the larger county Ten Year Plan, focused on the subject of local planning for West Palm Beach and the need to connect to other mayors with similar demographics and climates.

DADE CITY, FLORIDA. On the steps of the Historic Court House, city, county, state, non-profit, and federal officials gathered this week to begin the planning process to create a Ten Year Plan for Pasco County, Florida. Port Richey Mayor Richard Rober, Zephyrhills City Manager Steve Spina, County Commissioner Ted Schrader, and State Senate Pro Tem President Mike Fasano joined other government and private sector partners for the event.

"Pasco County is trying to move to business smarts from a big heart in confronting homelessness," editorialized the St. Petersburg Times this week. Senator Fasano has been a long-term supporter of efforts for disadvantaged citizens, including elders, veterans, and people who are homeless. His support of the Ten Year Plan strategy led to the press event announcement. Pictured above are Mayor Richard Rober of Port Richey, Senator Mike Fasano, County Commissioner Ted Schrader, Rev. Dan Campbell, Pasco Coalition for the Homeless, President.

United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano, invited to brief the jurisdictional partners on investment and innovation in the national partnership, affirmed the commitment to develop a plan over the next 3-6 months, noting: "We've seen across the country, when political will is present to implement Ten Year Plans, the Plan is implemented and results are documented. Why a plan? Because we've found that without a plan, things only get worse."

Director Mangano noted the key role of new federal resources targeted to prevent and end homelessness, both through the newly-announced federal allocations of HUD resources (see related story) and through the record targeted resources of the federal budget, noting: "A Ten Year Plan with an expansive public-private partnership will help you to be strategic in securing all the resources you can for your most vulnerable neighbors in Pasco County." Pictured here are (left to right): Rev. Dan Campbell, George Romagnoli, Pasco Community Development Division, Director Mangano, and Senator Fasano. Council National Team Leader Michael German also participated.

"The work ahead is significant," said the Times. "The task force should be commended for volunteering to assume it. But in the next several months, their recommendations will require a commitment from the private and public sector to turn words on paper into people under roofs."

WASHINGTON, DC. "Just a week after President Obama signed the Act into law, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today allocated 75% of its recovery funds - $10 billion - to create green jobs, to revive housing markets with high rates of foreclosure, and curb homelessness," according to a White House statement released this week. HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan announced primarily formula-based funding, meaning that it is allocated using set program criteria that do not require grantees to apply for the funds, allowing them to be allocated very quickly. According to HUD, the remaining 25 percent of the funds, which will be competitively awarded later, will be used to build on the President's priorities to promote green jobs and mitigate the destabilizing effects of foreclosures on communities

"I am pleased to announce that we are moving swiftly to get these much-needed funds out to states and cities to create jobs and help stimulate our economy," said Secretary Donovan. "Recovery Act investments in HUD programs will be not just swift, but also effective: they will generate tens of thousands of jobs, help the families and communities hardest hit by the economic crisis, and modernize homes to make them energy efficient."

"The President and Secretary Donovan continue to shape an agenda for HUD of increased resources, attention to priorities, and results and accountability. This is good news for our homeless neighbors," indicated United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano.

Allocations announced are summarized below. Visit the Administration's new recovery web site to learn more, and use the HUD recovery web site to identify specific allocation amounts for states and other jurisdictions.

Homelessness Prevention Fund ($1.5 billion) to state and local governments to help rapidly re- house homeless persons and families. These new resources offer an opportunity to address housing and prevention goals of Ten Year Plans. In addition, HUD's Homelessness Prevention Fund will significantly expand efforts to prevent homelessness among those facing a sudden economic crisis.

Tax Credit Assistance Program (TCAP) ($2.25 billion) to help State Housing Finance Agencies to kick-start the production of stalled affordable rental housing projects that rely on Low-Income Housing Tax Credits. These agencies will distribute the funds competitively and give priority to housing projects that can begin construction immediately.

Project-Based Rental Assistance ($2 billion) to invest in full 12-month funding for Section 8 project-based housing contracts. This funding will enable owners to undertake much-needed project improvements to maintain the quality of this critical affordable housing.

Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) ($1 billion) to approximately 1,200 state and local governments through the Department's Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program to target their own community development priorities. Most local governments use this investment to rehabilitate affordable housing and improve key public facilities - helping to stabilize communities and create jobs locally.

Public Housing Capital Fund Program ($3 billion) for 3,134 public housing agencies to develop, finance, and modernize public housing in their communities, including funding energy-efficient modernization and large-scale improvements to public housing developments, including critical safety repairs.

Native American Housing Block Grant (IHBG) ($255 million) for tribal entities for funding for energy efficient modernization of and renovation of housing maintained by Native American housing programs. HUD is allocating $10.2 million for Native Hawaiian Housing.

Lead Hazard Reduction/Healthy Homes ($100 million) in HUD's lead based paint and hazard reduction and remediation activities, including promoting local efforts to eliminate dangerous lead from lower income homes and stimulating private sector investment in lead hazard control.

HUD, FEMA TO PROVIDE UP TO SIX MONTHS OF TRANSITIONAL RENTAL ASSISTANCE TO FAMILIES AFFECTED BY HURRICANES KATRINA, RITA. HUD also announced last week that the Department and the Federal Emergency Management Agency had agreed on details of a new six-month transition rental assistance program for families currently enrolled in the Disaster Housing Assistance Program (DHAP- Katrina/Rita). HUD and FEMA will provide the additional assistance to families as needed until August 31 to give them more time to transition out of the DHAP program, either to self-sufficiency or other federal or state housing programs, including HUD's Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program.

HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan is also expanding outreach to all HCV income-eligible families to encourage transition to HCV assistance, another measure aimed at helping families transition from disaster assistance during difficult economic times.

WASHINGTON, DC. $15 billion in Medicaid funding to states under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act began to flow this week as part of the federal effort to "bring real relief to Americans hit hard by the economic crisis," according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. On Wednesday, President Barack Obama announced that states will be able to access the first portion of the federal match for Medicaid (Federal Medical Assistance Percentage funding or FMAP) to help pay for health care for families struggling during the economic crisis and some of the nation's most vulnerable citizens. More than 49 million Americans rely on Medicaid for health care coverage and this funding could help 20 million more Americans get covered.

Meeting with the nation's Governors, the President stated, ""This plan will also help ensure that you don't need to make cuts to essential services Americans rely on now more than ever." HHS has posted an interactive map showing the total allocation of FMAP to each state. Funds have been set up in special Treasury accounts so that states can start drawing down.

TREATMENT FOR HOMELESS PROGRAM. Also this week, HHS's Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced the availability of $11 million for the Development of Comprehensive Drug/Alcohol and Mental Health Treatment Systems for Persons Who are Homeless program. The purpose of this program is to expand and strengthen treatment services for persons who are homeless (including those who are chronically homeless) and who also have substance use disorders, mental disorders, or co-occurring substance use and mental disorders.

SAMHSA expects that up to $11 million will be available for up to 33 grants of approximately $350,000 per grant for up to five years. Funds are available for grants in two categories: "General" and "Services in Supportive Housing." Approximately $4.5 million per year of the $11 million will be used to provide services in supportive housing. The remaining $6.8 million will be available for "General" Treatment for Homeless grants. Domestic public and private nonprofit entities are eligible to apply.

CONGRESS BEGINS FINAL ACTION ON FY 2009 FUNDING. Congress began work this week on a bill that consolidates final FY 2009 funding levels for programs that have been operating under FY 2008 levels through a Continuing Resolution. New HHS funds may also become available through the FY 2009 when completed by Congress. The draft bill includes $75 million for the SAMHSA Competitive Homeless Services programs with a focus on permanent supportive housing with mental health and substance use services to homeless families, youth, and individuals. The legislation encourages SAMHSA to fund the SOAR (SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access, and Recovery) Initiative to support SSI enrollment. The bill would also increase funding to the Runaway and Homeless Youth Program, Health Care for the Homeless, and the PATH program.

The legislation includes $75,000,000 for State Health Access Grants to be awarded competitively to states that demonstrate they have a program which will expand access to affordable health care coverage for the uninsured populations in that state. States will also be required to demonstrate that they have achieved the key state and local statutory or regulatory changes required to implement the new program within twelve months from the grant start date. States that have already developed a comprehensive health insurance access program would not be eligible to apply. The types of activities that can be supported through this grant include development of statewide or automated enrollment systems for public assistance programs and innovative strategies to insure low- income childless adults.

NEW DATA FROM U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES DOCUMENT FEDERAL INVESTMENT AND STATE TREATMENT FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT. State and local jurisdictional partners seeking to prevent and end homelessness through data-driven planning and investment will be interested to use the new comprehensive state level data on federal investment in mental health and substance abuse treatment and state profiles of need released by SAMHSA. SAMHSA has developed 51 new short reports providing key information about the level of substance abuse and mental health problems prevalent in the population (age 12 and older) of each state and the District of Columbia. The reports also provide data on treatment facilities and admission data for each state and the District of Columbia, as well as the funding each state and the District of Columbia received from SAMHSA in formula and bock grants.

Entitled "States in Brief," the reports provide the following information for each individual state and the District of Columbia through a variety of charts, graphs and accompanying text: prevalence of illicit substance and alcohol use; number and type of substance abuse treatment facilities; numbers and trends on those seeking treatment for substance abuse; levels of those needing, but not receiving substance abuse treatment; mental health indicators; and SAMHSA funding, both under block and formula grants. In addition, the reports cover highlights how a state compares relative to the other states in terms of prevalence rates for various types of illicit substance and alcohol use.

Much of the data included in the "States in Brief" reports is drawn from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health - a SAMHSA-sponsored annual survey of approximately 67,500 people throughout the country. Additional sources of information include SAMHSA's Treatment Episode Data Set and its National Survey on Substance Abuse Treatment Services. The reports are available on the web at http://www.samhsa.gov/StatesInBrief/.

WASHINGTON, DC. Newly confirmed Department of Labor Secretary Hilda Solis is the most recent addition to the Obama Administration's Cabinet and United States Interagency Council on Homelessness member. In Part III of the e-news coverage of the new American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, this story provides details on employment and training investments, including those at the Department of Labor (read earlier summaries here).

The new American Recovery and Reinvestment Act contains new resources for job training programs, adding an additional $5.1 billion to existing workforce development and related programs at the Department of Labor. The package provides funding for a number of existing programs, including three state formula grant programs with funding for youth, adults, and dislocated workers (Title I-B of the WIA).

In addition to the new recovery resources, the draft FY 2009 budget for the current federal fiscal year which is now moving through Congress also includes expansion of the Department of Labor's Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program (HVRP), a McKinney- Vento Act program that is now proposed at $26.33 million, or $2.7 million over the FY 2008 level.

New employment recovery resources address the employment and training needs of both youth and adults and will be distributed both through formula grants to states and other means. Included are:

Employment and Training. $2.95 billion for WIA formula grants to states including $500 million for adults, $1.25 billion for dislocated workers, and $1.2 billion for youth programs. Increases age limit for youth funding from 21 to 24. $50 million provided for YouthBuild and for program years 2008 and 2009 would allow participation by young people who've dropped out of high school and re-enrolled in alternative school if that re-enrollment is part of a sequential service strategy.

Job Corps. $250 million for construction, rehabilitation, and acquisition of ready to go Job Corps Centers. Up to 15 percent for operations, which may include training for careers in the energy efficiency, renewable energy, and environmental protection industries. Job Corps is a no-cost education and vocational training program administered by the U.S. Department of Labor that helps young people ages 16 through 24. At Job Corps, students enroll to learn a trade, earn a high school diploma or GED and get help finding a good job. When an individual joins the program, he/she is paid a monthly allowance; the longer a persons stays with the program, the more the allowance will be. Job Corps provides career counseling and transition support to its students for up to 12 months after they graduate from the program. The Job Corps is the nation's largest and oldest federally-funded job training and education program for "at promise" youth. The Job Corps Foster Care Recruiting initiative has significantly increased the numbers of youth who are served who were identified as foster care, runaways, or homeless individuals, enrolling over 11,000 youth from 2001 to 2007.

Unemployment Compensation Benefits. $25 weekly increase in unemployment benefits through 2009 and the up to 33 weeks of extended unemployment benefits for workers who've exhausted their regular 26 weeks of benefits will continue through December 31, 2009.

Tax Incentive To Business To Hire Unemployed Veterans And Disconnected Youth. Under current law, businesses are allowed to claim a work opportunity tax credit equal to 40 percent of the first $6,000 of wages paid to employees of one of nine targeted groups. The new law creates two new targeted groups of prospective employees: (1) unemployed veterans; and (2) disconnected youth. An individual would qualify as an unemployed veteran if they were discharged or released from active duty from the Armed Forces during the five-year period prior to hiring and received unemployment compensation for more than four weeks during the year before being hired. An individual qualifies as a disconnected youth if they are between the ages of 16 and 25 and have not been regularly employed or attended school in the past 6 months.

MIAMI, FLORIDA. Public and private sector partners in ending homelessness around the nation were invited to Miami last week for the Community Partnership for Homeless National Seminar, designed to disseminate information to as many communities as possible on "what's working" in Miami, which has continued to report decreases in chronic homelessness. The 2-day session was also intended to promote replication, teach best practices, and help interested communities develop effective approaches in guiding people who are homeless towards self- sufficiency. The Partnership is under the leadership of Board Chair Robert E. Chisholm, and Executive Director H. Daniel Vincent, and the seminar was led by Alfredo K. Brown, Director of National Program Development.

United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano, invited to address the partners in Miami, recognized the leadership of Mayor Alvarez and Diaz and jurisdictional participants forwarding Ten Year Plans and new targeted federal resources, including Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon. "There will now be more resources than ever before targeted to homeless people - more than $1.7 billion just in the President's recovery package. And more resources targeted to prevention than ever before so that our most vulnerable neighbors - especially those hit by the 'double trouble' of the mortgage/foreclosure crisis and job loss - will have hope to move beyond the long misery of homelessness."

Partners also recognized the leadership and contribution of the late Founding Chairman of the Partnership, Alvah H. Chapman, Jr. Miami Mayor Manny Diaz , who also currently serves as President of the nonpartisan United States Conference of Mayors, and Mayor Carlos Alvarez, Mayor of Miami-Dade County, welcomed their public sector colleagues to Miami. Ron Book, Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust and David Raymond, Executive Director of the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust, also participated.

Among the faculty for the session was Armando Codina, Chairman, Flagler Development Group on business involvement, and Lorenzo LeBrija, Program Director, Knight Foundation on philanthropic involvement,. Offering testimonials on their local initiatives were Dr. Robert Marbut, President, Haven for Hope, San Antonio, Texas; Mac Bennett, President & CEO, Midlands Housing Alliance, Columbia, South Carolina; and Judie Gibson, homeless advocate, Palm Beach County, Florida.

SOUTH YARMOUTH, MASSACHUSETTS. The new $765,000 award by the Massachusetts Interagency Council on Housing and Homelessness for the Capewide Regional Network - one of eight funded in the state's initiative to end homelessness- was the focus last week of third in-gathering of Cape Cod's faith communities by the Cape Cod Council of Churches. United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano was invited to keynote the event to inform clergy, lay workers, and volunteers about the relation of the award and recent record federal targeted investment in homelessness to their biblical mandate to care for our neighbors in their time of need.

"Faith communities bring new resources and willing hands into the larger conspiracy," indicated Director Mangano. "And have as their mission the ending of social wrong. From the charitable response of the past are planted the seeds of the justice of the future. The faith community brings to the dialogue voices of faith, of optimism, of remoralization to counter the cacophony of pessimism and doubt. With new resources, new political will, innovative ideas, we refuse to be in league with cynicism, preferring instead the company of the bold, the daring, the abolitionists."

According to Executive Director Diane Casey Lee, the partnership of the Cape Cod Jewish Federation, The Salvation Army, Hyannis Corps, The Black Ministerial Alliance of Southeastern Massachusetts, Catholic Social Services, Diocese of Fall River, and the Cape Cod Interfaith Coalition brought over 100 partners to the event. The Rev. Dr. Philip Mitchell, President of the Council of Churches' Board of Directors, introduced Director Mangano, and Pastor Douglas Scalise hosted the program.

Key to the faith community's role in the new initiative will be continued support for the work of Street Outreach Minister, Tom Naples. Tom seeks out and meets with chronically at-risk homeless individuals who live on the streets in Barnstable County; who are at risk to themselves and others, and he encourages them to accept help. Tom transports clients to an environment where their immediate physical, mental and emotional needs are addressed through detox, emergency room services, mental health facility or emergency sheltering in a motel. Tom collaborates closely with the Barnstable Police.

Rick Presbrey, CEO of the Housing Assistance Corporation, Claire Goyer of Duffy Health Center which recently was awarded a new $2 million federal treatment award for the homeless population, and Beth Albert, Barnstable County Human Services Department, briefed partners on the Cape's new state award. The $8 million in awards to restructure homeless response through eight new regional pilot networks around the state were announced by Massachusetts Council Chair and Lt. Governor Tim Murray and Robert Pulster, Council Executive Director, in December. The networks will help better coordinate, integrate, and implement innovative services focused on securing permanent housing options for homeless individuals and families, and ultimately lessen the need for emergency shelters.

Noting "more resources, fewer people homeless," Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer presented his State of the City address this week following President Obama's address to Congress. Mayor Dyer welcomed United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano at the event, noting the leadership the Council has provided as Central Florida has moved forward with the implementation of its business-oriented Ten Year Plan. Excerpts from the Mayor's speech are presented here. Mayor Dyer is pictured above.

"Last night, President Obama talked about the growing number of Americans who are at risk of becoming homeless. We are all too familiar with the devastating ripple effects that homelessness has on our community. That's why we made ending homelessness a priority for our region.

"It's my privilege to officially announce the Obama administration has directed a record amount of funding to us, more than six million dollars. This is more resources than we have ever had before to fight homelessness. We have also been chosen as one of only 23 communities nationwide to be the site of a pilot program called 'Rapid Re-Housing. [Here the Mayor refers to the newly announced 23 HUD awards for family rapid rehousing demonstrations across the nation.]

"As the Executive Director of the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness [Philip Mangano] has worked with us and cities around the country in developing ambitious plans to end homelessness. On behalf of the residents of the great City of Orlando, we have a message for you to take back to our new President: His Priority to end homelessness . . . is also Our Priority."

Pictured here is Mayor Dyer interviewing Director Mangano for the City of Orlando's first-ever webcast, where the Mayor recognized Director Mangano, who just one year ago was present for the launch of the Regional Commission as a key action step in the regional plan, for the Council's partnership.

email: usich@usich.gov

web: http://www.usich.gov