NEW YORK CITY. New York City Department of Homeless Services (DHS) Commissioner Robert V. Hess and Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Linda I. Gibbs this week announced that street homelessness in New York City is down 30 percent since last year and 47 percent since 2005 - the first year the City conducted the Homeless Outreach Population Estimate (HOPE) citywide. The HOPE survey is conducted annually in January to produce an accurate estimate of the total number of unsheltered individuals on the streets and in the subway system. The Commissioner and Deputy Mayor were joined at the announcement by representatives from City agencies and homeless services not-for-profit providers.

"New York is the latest community to report results in decreasing long term homelessness, even as communities nationwide address the 'double trouble' of the mortgage/foreclosure crisis and job loss, which have created an increase in family numbers. Mayor Bloomberg's political will, the leadership of Rob and Linda, and the sophistication of innovation are all contributors to these visible and quantifiable results" indicated United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano.

Last week, Asheville, North Carolina reported a 25% decrease in chronic homelessness, and Santa Monica, California reported an 8% drop in street homelessness, and officials attributed the decline to the success of the Ten Year Plan. Asheville has previously reported other decreases under its Housing First focused Ten year Plan. Both Chesapeake and Virginia Beach, Virginia have also reported declines. Lynn, Massachusetts, with a Housing First strategy, has reported over a 40% decrease in chronic homelessness for 2009.

HOPE 2009 estimates a total of 2,328 unsheltered individuals living in New York City, down from 3,306 a year ago and 4,395 individuals in 2005. The 30 percent year-to-year reduction in street homelessness corresponds with a major overhaul of the City's approach to street homelessness over the last 18 months. During that time, DHS has instituted performance standards for outreach providers that focus on permanent housing placements rather than simply the number of times a team contacts a client, significantly expanded "Housing First" options, and instituted regular interagency meetings resulting in a unified City response.

"Through HOPE, we have found a way to more accurately measure the reality of what is happening on our streets and create practical solutions that make an impact for both our clients and our communities," said Commissioner Hess. "We have brought services curbside, and in doing so, placed thousands of the most vulnerable New Yorkers into housing. We will continue to work hard each day to move more individuals from the streets to housing."

The City credits the significant reduction to the redesign and improved management of outreach services since September 2007, plus the creation of evidenced-based Housing First housing options that allow chronically street homeless clients to move from the street directly into housing. Since the reorganization of DHS' street outreach services in the fall of 2007, more than 3,000 individuals have moved from the street into housing, including 1,200 chronically homeless individuals.

Pictured here at the 2006 announcement of Commissioner Hess' appointment are (left to right) Deputy Mayor Gibbs, Mr. Hess, Mayor Bloomberg, and Jennifer Jones Austin, appointed as Family Services Coordinator by the Mayor.

FORT MYERS, FLORIDA. In 2007, Fort Myers became the 300th local jurisdiction to commit to develop a Ten Year Plan, with the pledge of Mayor Jim Humphrey to create a local partnership to move forward. Last week in Fort Myers, Mayor Humphrey and Lee County Commissioner Bob Janes welcomed community partners for a summit to unveil the goals of the draft plan for public comment. The "Lee's Investment in Everyone" (LIFE) Summit convened at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Fort Myers.

United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano, who was present for the 2007 launch of the plan, keynoted the event, congratulating the local partners on their progress in drafting a housing-focused plan. "I commend Commissioner Janes and Mayor Humphrey for their leadership to make Lee County a better place to live for all your neighbors - housed and homeless alike," he indicated. "There is much to affirm in this 10 Year Plan - a Plan that is being shaped to be practical, down to earth, and realistic. The Plan prioritizes Housing First, emphasizes employment, education, and training, seeks better prevention through appropriate discharge planning and step-down capacity for a public systems, and better partnership to benefit veterans, youth, and elders. "

The Summit opened with an invocation by Reverend Denise Terry of the Sanibel Congregational United Church of Christ (see Words of the Week), and included remarks by Karen Hawes, Director of the Lee County Department of Human Services, and Plan Co- Champions Larry Hart of Commerce Bank and Cole Peacock, Director of Corporate Relations at Chico's.

Director Mangano also spent time with homeless and formerly homeless people during the late morning session. He stressed the importance of the customer being part of the planing effort as the authentic voice in identifying solutions and further indicated that formerly homeless people inspire in us the faith that our efforts to end homelessness are real and doable.

Plans goals were presented by Dr. Tina Gelpi, Assistant Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy and Community Health, Florida Gulf Coast University, and Debra Lynne, Executive Director, Easter Seals Florida, who are drafting the document. Housing goals include increasing housing availability through partnership and establishing a coordinated system for housing resources, as well as creating more transitional and step-down capacity.

Another community goal was met prior to the summit, when leaders and partners gathered for the ribbon- cutting of the Southwest Florida Addiction Services new detox and outpatient treatment center facility. The new 4-bed facility is a partnership of Mayor Humphrey and the City Council, the Lee County Board of Commissioners, Florida State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) through the Lee County Department of Community Development, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through the federal Social Services Block Grant. Pictured here at the event are (left to right): Eleanore Kleist, The Kleist Family Foundation; Kevin Lewis, Executive Director Southwest Florida Addiction Services; Commissioner Frank Mann, Lee County Board of County Commissioners; Commissioner Bob Janes, Lee County Board of County Commissioners; Jim Nathan, President Lee Memorial Health System; Andrea Fraser-Laster, President Southwest Florida Addiction Services Board of Directors; Dr. Julia East, Executive Director Southwest Florida Community Foundation; Director Mangano; Commissioner Ray Judah, Lee County Board of County Commissioners; and Michelle Phillips, Southwest Florida Addiction Services.

Investment in the new facility came from a broad partnership of philanthropic and private giving, including: Jim and Donna Sublett, The Kleist Fmaily Foundation, the Richard and JoAnne Olmsted Estate, Southwest Florida Community Foundation, The Claiborne and Ned Foulds Foundation, Bobby Nichols Fiddelsticks Charity Foundation, Gannett Foundation/The News-Press, Yana Foundation, Lee Memorial Health System, First Community Bank of Southwest Florida, Edison National Bank, and several private gifts. Pictured here at the ribbon-cutting are (left to right): Director Mangano, Director Hawes, and Mayor Humphrey.

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS. Mayor Tom Menino, speaking at the inaugural convening of the Leadership Council of the Boston Regional Homeless Network, part of the Commonwealth's ambitious systems change strategy, this week announced a new goal to reduce long-term and family homelessness in the city by 50% by 2012 under Leading the Way III, the city's housing plan. The Mayor is shown here at the press event , with (at his left) Lt. Governor Tim Murray, and Assistant Majority Whip Byron Rushing and State Representative Kevin Honan at right.

The new Boston Leadership Council, convened by Lt. Governor Tim Murray and chaired by United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley President and CEO Mike Durkin, provided an overview of the State's Interagency Council on Housing and Homelessness (ICHH) and the goals of the Leadership Councils across the state. The Boston Council is one of eight recently funded by the state to carry out the new strategies on family and individual homelessness. Robert Pulster is Executive Director of the State Council which is shown here during the meeting.

Noting the current economic crisis and the Commonwealth's continuing commitment, Lt. Governor Murray told attendees at the Council meeting that, in an environment where many initiatives are receiving level funding or cuts, the state has put additional resources on the table, making sure that homeless individuals and families are permanently housed. Echoing the themes of the state's Plan, he stated: "It is about getting the right resources to the right people at the right time." Lt. Gov. Murray is shown here.

At a press conference following the Council meeting, federal, state, city, and philanthropic partners celebrated the record federal resources recently awarded to Boston targeted to homelessness and economic recovery. United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano, invited to join the events, commended the partners for their strategy. "Leading the Way makes sense, common sense and dollars and sense," he indicated. "We've heard that today. And the timing of all this could not be better. We have double trouble plaguing all our efforts on housing and homelessness. A million foreclosures, three million job losses. More families at risk of or falling into the human tragedy of homelessness."

"That double trouble needs solutions. Leading the Way is the Plan in the city. The state's new efforts and regional approach and the federal emphasis on planning, coordination, and resources all add up. Mayor Menino deserves credit for prioritizing housing as a local and national issue. " Sown here are (left to right): Evelyn Friedman, Executive Director, Boston Department of Neighborhood Development, Rev. Hurman Hamilton, President, Greater Boston Interfaith Organization, Lt. Governor Murray, Mayor Menino, Director Mangano, and Massachusetts State Representative Kevin Honan.

Noted the Mayor, "Just last month, HUD awarded the City and its partners over $20 million in HUD McKinney-Vento funds, for the creation of 225 new units of permanent housing for homeless households. $1.8 million dollars of that money will be used to rapidly re-house homeless families so they do not have to linger in emergency shelters. Boston was the only community in New England to receive these funds."

Mayor Menino also announced that he is doubling the current City of Boston setaside rate of new rental units targeted to people who are homeless, raising the setaside from the current 10% of city-assisted units to 20%. The city, unique in having created its own housing policy, made the announcement as the new Leading the Way III housing plan was unveiled at City Hall with a new goal to reduce long-term and family homelessness by 50% by 2012. "Our commitment is to be the best stewards of the resources that are entrusted to us. We must work together at the city, state, and federal level to find a permanent housing solution for every homeless household, "said Mayor Menino.

"Boston has long been on the front lines of addressing homelessness," said the Mayor. "Through policies implemented by the Boston Housing Authority, Boston provides a preference for homeless households and is one of the only public housing authorities in the nation to provide a preference for the chronically homeless." The existing city setaside policy has created over 500 units of housing.

Pictured here at the meeting of the Leadership Council of the Boston Regional Homeless Network are (at the head of the table) Massachusetts Lt. Governor Tim Murray and Boston Mayor Tom Menino. Around the table are members of the Leadership Council that includes: Mike Durkin, United Way of Mass Bay and Merrimack Valley and Council Chair; Evelyn Friedman, Boston Department of Neighborhood Development; Libby Hayes, Homes for Families; Rev. Hurman Hamilton, Greater Boston Interfaith Organization; Gail Latimore, Codman Square NDC; Conny Doty, Jobs and Community Service; Linda Wood-Boyle, HomeStart; Clark Ziegler, Mass Housing Partnership; Joanne Jaxtimer, Mellon/New York; Leah Camhi, Front Door Collaborative; Mike Hatfield, Bank of America; Larry Curtis, Winn Development Companies; Karen LaFrazia, Saint Francis House; Sandra Henriquez, Boston Housing Authority; Judy Jacobson, Massachusetts Housing Partnership; Chris Norris, Metropolitan Boston Housing Partnership; Deborah Fung, Paul and Phyllis Fireman Charitable Foundation; Dr. Robert Taube, Boston Health Care for the Homeless; and Dr. James O'Connell, Boston Health Care for the Homeless.

WASHINGTON, DC. Just days after announcing allocations for U.S. Department of Housing And Urban Development programs with new resources under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, including new resources targeted to homelessness, Section 8, and tax credit efforts, President Barack Obama announced the release of $155 million authorized by ARRA to support 126 new community health centers. Community health centers help people in need, including many with no health insurance, to obtain access to comprehensive primary and preventive health care services.

"We have acted quickly to put Recovery Act dollars to good use in communities across America," said President Obama. "The construction and expansion of health centers will create thousands of new jobs, help provide health care to an estimated 750,000 Americans across the country who wouldn't have access to care without these centers, and take another step toward an affordable, accessible health care system." A list of state by state allocations for health centers is available.

This issue of the e-news provides an update on resource announcements and tools to track investment. Watch for our upcoming Special Issue focused on best practices in delivering resources and lowering barriers at the community level, through the use of one-stop responses.

The health center grants, which are administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), are expected to create 5,500 jobs at the new health centers.

Many federal agencies now have dedicated web sites for their recovery activities and are required to post weekly reports of major actions. Federal agencies were required as of March 3 to begin reporting no their actions. Among the agencies with these new recovery sites are: Department of Agriculture (USDA), Department of Commerce (DOC), Department of the Interior (DOI), Department of Labor (DOL), Social Security Administration (SSA), Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Department of Transportation (DOT), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Department of Energy (DOE), Department of Education (ED), Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), and Department of Justice (DOJ).

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. "Seizing the opportunity to make needed long-term investments in the face of a weak economy, 12 states and cities are launching innovative projects to preserve more than 70,000 affordable rental homes," according to last week's announcement by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, which will make a new $32.5 million investment - $9.5 million in grants and an additional $23 million in low-interest loans - in preserving rental housing affordable to renters. The Foundation noted the timeliness of the new investments: " Now, while housing prices decline, acquiring multi-family rental properties is becoming more affordable, enabling cities and states to use scarce dollars more efficiently and effectively."

The new investment is projected to will leverage more than $147 million in other funding and was welcome news to federal, state, and local housing officials . The Foundation's funding for the projects is a part of MacArthur's Window of Opportunity initiative, a $150 million, ten-year effort to preserve affordable rental homes across the nation. "These grants have spurred state and local innovation and leadership in the preservation of affordable housing," said U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun L. Donovan.

This issue of the enews summarizes just three of the award sites. Awardees also included: Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Ohio, Portland and Oregon, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and Seattle and Washington.

In Los Angeles, where nearly one-third of the subsidized housing stock or 22,000 units is deemed at risk of losing its affordability in the next ten years, the City will receive a $1 million award to align its various governmental agencies and their capital resources to implement a comprehensive preservation strategy, including building the capacity of developers with expertise in operating SROs. Single Room Occupancy (SRO) units typically serve households most at-risk of homelessness and low wage workers in the area. Los Angeles is receiving a $1 million MacArthur grant.

The City and County of Denver will receive funds to spur housing development related to its transit expansion initiative, creating "a platform for economic development and to improve the affordability of the Denver region for working families, seniors, and the formerly homeless."

Shimberg Center for Housing Studies at the University of Florida, Florida Housing Coalition, and Florida Housing Finance Housing Corporation will address Florida's circumstance in which the state's more than 253,000 subsidized rental housing units includes 25% of aging stock and a high number of expiring subsidies. "To create a more balanced approach to meet Floridians' rental housing needs, Florida Housing Finance Corporation (Florida Housing) is expanding its focus to meet the housing needs of extremely low-income households." Florida's initiative will include three other components not funded by MacArthur: a new permanent financing demonstration loan fund to provide funding targeted to nonprofits for acquisition and rehabilitation to preserve properties, a new preservation bridge pilot program that uses intermediaries to bring private capital to match with state funding for acquisition of properties for preservation in three counties (Pasco, Palm Beach and Orange, and changes to Florida Housing's rental application cycle (and corresponding programs) to support the financing of preservation applications submitted by nonprofits.

WASHINGTON, DC. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration is accepting applications for FY 2009 grants for the Services in Supportive Housing program. The purpose of this program is to help prevent or reduce chronic homelessness by funding services in coordination with existing permanent supportive housing programs and resources for individuals and families experiencing chronic homelessness.

SAMHSA expects that up to $1.5 million will be available for up to 4 grants of approximately $400,000 per grant for up to five years. The grants will be administered by SAMHSA's Center for Mental Health Services.

Entities that operate HUD-funded permanent- supportive housing or other comparable programs are eligible to apply. Applications are due April 17, and interested applicants should read the full announcement for details.

HHS programs are currently proposed for several increases under the draft FY 2009 budget now moving through Congress. Among the current proposals are a $22 million increase to $75 million for the SAMHSA Competitive Homeless Services programs, a $20 million increase to $190 million for the Health Care for the Homeless program, and a $6.4 million increase to the Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (PATH) program, to a level of $59.7 million.

Adult Treatment Drug Courts . $11.5 million for over 35 awards of up to $300,000 each is now available through a competition announced by SAMHSA this week to expand existing individual misdemeanor or felony Adult Treatment Drug Courts, including in rural areas, that have demonstrated relationships and agreements with existing community-based substance abuse treatment providers. Adult Treatment Drug Courts are the focus of the competition because, according to SAMHSA, "such courts are the catalysts for adults involved in the criminal justice system to enter a treatment drug court program."

The purpose of awards is to expand and/or enhance substance abuse treatment services in "problem solving" courts which use the treatment drug court model in order to provide alcohol and drug treatment, recovery support services supporting substance abuse treatment, screening, assessment, case management, and program coordination to adult defendants/ offenders. Priority for the use of the funding should be given to addressing gaps in the existing continuum of treatment. Grantees will be expected to provide a coordinated, multi-system approach designed to combine the sanctioning power of treatment drug courts with effective treatment services to break the cycle of criminal behavior, alcohol and/or drug use, and incarceration or other penalties.

Although funding is intended for individual drug courts, SAMHSA recognizes the scarcity of treatment resources in some rural communities and will allow contiguous rural counties in one state to apply as a multi-county partnership to serve more than one drug court within the identified counties.

WASHINGTON, DC. The new "Second Chance Act" for the prisoner reentry population is now being implemented with the release by the U.S. Department of Justice of a competitive application for resources for jurisdictions with large numbers of returning offenders. Within the context of the DOJ initiative, "reentry" is not envisioned to be a specific program but rather an evidence-based process that begins with incarceration and ends with successful community reintegration, evidenced by a lack of recidivism. This process includes the delivery of a variety of evidenced-based services in both a pre- and post-release setting designed to ensure that the transition from prison or jail to the community is safe and successful.

Per statutory requirements, all applicants for these resources must address a reentry strategic plan that describes the long-term strategy, including measurable annual and five-year performance outcomes, and incorporates a detailed reentry implementation schedule and sustainability plan for the program. DOJ will fund demonstration projects up to $750,000 per year, and a 50% non-federal match is required. Interested applicants should read the entire DOJ announcement for details. Applications are due April 20.

"For years we've known that people exiting prisons and jails were either recidivating to corrections or coming to the front doors of homeless programs," indicated United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano. "These resources are an investment in achieving better outcomes for those who are discharging and in need of residential and supportive services."

Eligible applicants are state and local government agencies and federally recognized Indian tribes. The jurisdiction preparing the application must have developed a reentry strategic plan which includes a detailed implementation schedule as well as extensive evidence of collaboration with key public and private stakeholders. Applicants must also have established a Reentry Task Force comprised of specific justice system and community representation.

Allowable uses of funds to enhance a successful transition from incarceration to the community may include pre-release assessment and case planning, mentorship, housing, education, substance abuse treatment, mental health treatment, services to enhance family reunification, job training and readiness, and post-release case management and supervision. As required by the Second Chance Act, demonstration projects must have as a goal the reduction of recidivism by 50 percent within a five-year period.

A description of the evidence-based methodology and outcome measures must be included, as well as a description of how the project could be broadly replicated if demonstrated to be effective. In addition to other requirements, there must be a plan for the analysis of the statutory, regulatory, rules-based, and practice-based hurdles to reintegration of offenders into the community.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES FOCUSES ON DIVERSION FOR VETERANS AND CHILD SUPPORT. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Mental Health Services is accepting applications for $2.3 million for an estimated six awards from FY 2009 funding for the Jail Diversion and Trauma Recovery Program-Priority to Veterans grants. The purpose of this program is to support local implementation and statewide expansion of trauma-integrated jail diversion programs to address the needs of individuals with mental illness such as post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and trauma related disorders involved in the justice system. In recognition of the dramatically higher prevalence of trauma related disorders among veterans, this program will prioritize eligibility for veterans.

Applications are due by April 28. Eligible applicants are the immediate office of the Chief Executive (e.g., Governor) in the States, Territories, District of Columbia; or the highest ranking official and/or the duly authorized official of a federally recognized American Indian/Alaska Native Tribe or tribal organization.

HHS has also issued an invitation for a limited number of states to apply a proposed six awards by to the HHS Administration for Children and Families (ACF) Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) for jurisdictions that are sites for Prisoner Reentry Initiative (PRI) projects funded through the United States Department of Justice and United States Department of Labor. May 5 is the deadline for applications from eligible jurisdictions, which are identified in the funding announcement.

Potential awards have the overarching goal that the partnering agencies will meet common goals and will develop long lasting partnerships with each other, including developing a systematic approach to addressing and resolving as many child support case issues as possible so that parents with criminal records are able to meet their child support obligations and custodial parents can depend on child support as a reliable source of income to support their children.

The federal partners are seeking effective methods of working with incarcerated and recently released parents and with reentry programs due to the large number of parents in the child support caseload with a criminal background and the likelihood that their children are recipients of public assistance and are vulnerable to a variety of negative outcomes. Additionally these parents are accessible in prison settings and respond positively to outreach efforts by child support personnel. According to HHS, 16-18% of child support arrears, which exceeded $107 billion in Fiscal Year (FY) 2007, are held by incarcerated or recently released obligors. These reasons build a persuasive case for agencies to direct attention to programs for incarcerated and released NCPs and to attempt to help them better meet their family obligations.

At last week's Lee County, Florida Lee's Investment for Everyone (LIFE) Summit to announce the goals of the city-county Ten Year Plan for public comment, Reverend Denise Terry from the Sanibel Congregational United Church of Christ provided the invocation for the event (see related enews story). Following are excerpts from the invocation.

"We are thankful for the night just passed, for the refreshment of a restful night, for the comfort of our homes, the security of a place to return to tonight.

"God, we gather in your presence this morning, as a people who are blessed to serve you, and your people in this community. We know it does not please you that some of your children are suffering today; in deep need; in even deeper distress. We know you have a preference for the poor, the displaced and the oppressed, and that it is contrary to your will that any of your precious creation live in situations of despair and distress, where even their most basic needs remain unmet.

"You have put a call on our lives. You have gifted us and blessed us and charged us to be a blessing to others. You have equipped us with the means to make a difference in this community. We pray you will also put a passion in our hearts to direct our gifts, our talents, and our resources towards your priorities.

"Lay a burden on our hearts for the same things that break your heart, O God. Help us, guide us, direct us to advocate for the least, the last and the lost, in new and creative ways. Remind us that none of us is truly free until all of us are free; that none of our needs are fully met, until all of our needs are fully met.

"Help us to devote ourselves to the cause of ending homelessness in our community. Open our eyes, our ears, our heart that we may hear your voice anew in our time together this morning, and enliven our spirits that we may commit ourselves to your work and your will."

email: usich@usich.gov

web: http://www.usich.gov