OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA. Jurisdictional CEO's from the cities of Oakland, Berkeley, and Alameda County convened last week to acknowledge new federal homelessness resources coming to their region and to launch new initiatives to create regional partnership and leadership through Community Champions for EveryOne Home, the Ten Year Plan launched in 2007. Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums, Berkeley Mayor Tom Bates, Alameda County Chair Alice Lai-Bitker, and EveryOne Home Executive Director Elaine deColigny welcomed United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano - who had visited Oakland for the plan launch in February 2007 - to City Hall for the event. Pictured here are (left to right): Oakland Human Services Director Andrea Youngdahl, Director Mangano, Chairwoman Lai-Bitker, Mayor Dellums, County Housing Director Linda Gardner, and EveryOne Home Executive Director Elaine deColigny.

"I would like to thank our partners, specifically Executive Director Mangano, for the generous support in working to find real solutions to the problem of homelessness," said Oakland Mayor Dellums (shown here).

"These funds will go far to ensure that our most vulnerable residents, those who may be teetering on the brink of homelessness due to the ravages of the economic downturn, have the critical support to rise from hopelessness, to a state of hope," said the Mayor. "I applaud this collaborative partnership for successfully garnering much-needed federal funds to expand efforts to prevent homelessness and help people who do lose their housing to rapidly regain it."

"As we are faced in this country with 'Double Trouble' - a million foreclosures and 4 million job losses - we are better prepared and better funded than ever before," indicated Director Mangano. "The resources of the President's recovery package and the targeted homelessness resources announced by Secretary Donovan join unprecedented political will on the front lines."

"The county and cities are to be commended for creating a results oriented 10 Year Plan that is housing and prevention focused, and expects collaboration, accountability, and results," he added.

"EveryOne Home is the strategic frame for the good news," noted the Director. "The level of collaboration evident in the Champions group convened is a model for other counties and cities across the country for civic commitment. Public and private partners that will assure that the new resources are treated as an investment that creates results. The Champions will insure that these new resources are only invested in innovative initiatives that are field tested and evidence based."

"We Know that homelessness does not stop at city borders," said Mayor Bates, shown here at center with Mayor Dellums. "We must work together to address the issues that impact all of our communities. A joint initiative like this to prevent homelessness before it happens is the best way to ensure that we meet needs throughout the community so that our citizens receive help when and where they need it."

Noted Alameda County Chair Lai-Bitker, "Since we completed the Plan it has been adopted by the County Board of Supervisors, 13 City Councils and dozens of community and civic organizations. This year, through the efforts of EveryOne Home, more than 950 individuals and families have moved out of homelessness into permanent homes. " She added, "Until now we have not had the flexible resources to serve families where they are. With this opportunity we will be able to respond to more families sooner, before their crisis means losing their place to live and having to go to shelter."

Plan Point Person Elaine DeColigny noted, "The EveryOne Home Plan calls for the creation of programs that work to prevent homelessness wherever possible, reducing the need for people to become literally homeless before we can assist them. This influx of funding and our joint commitment to planning for the future will result in fewer people losing their housing and better targeting throughout the County."

Officials affirmed the over $7.5 million in federal recovery money for homelessness prevention and rapid re-housing allocated to Oakland, Berkeley, Alameda County, and numerous other cities in the county, in addition to the recently announced $20 million in HUD homelessness resources going to agencies countywide, an award among the highest statewide and in the country.

Prior to the press event to affirm the resources, the public and private sector partners convened to focus on the role of the innovative Community Champions, who will lead the shift away from managing toward ending homelessness and strategize to focus and expand resources. The Champions event was facilitated by Ms. DeColigny.

Community Champions are an evidence-based innovation in 10 Year Planning through which a Champion is appointed by a committed Mayor or County leader to bring visible and effective leadership from the business community to a results- oriented jurisdictional 10 Year Plan to end chronic homelessness. The Council has encouraged and promoted the innovation and recognized with its "Home for Every American" Award exemplary Champions from across the nation: Angela Alioto in San Francisco, Horace Sibley in Atlanta, Mike Rawlings in Dallas, Dene Oliver in San Diego, and Robert Schwarz in Springfield, MA. All have achieved new results in their planful partnerships and strategic investments, bringing their business mindset to the goal of ending homelessness.

The U.S. Conference of Mayors last year adopted a resolution noting the importance of Champions and their business expertise: "These private sector leaders bring a business mindset to the development and implementation of 10 Year Plans to End Homelessness, a mindset that recognizes the importance of investing in solutions that are research and data driven, performance based, and results oriented." Further, the Mayors stated: "Community Champions have leveraged significant new resources, including drawing in new private sector partners in support of the implementation of 10 Year Plans, and these new resources have shown direct impact on the results these communities are achieving."

In addition to Mayors Bates and Dellums and County Chair Lai- Bitker, the Champions will include: Mary Jo Cook, Vice President, Sustainability & Innovation, The Clorox Company; County Sheriff Greg Ahern; County Judge Gordon Baranco; County Supervisor Keith Carson; County Supervisor Scott Haggerty; County Administrator Susan Muranishi; Oakland City Council Member Nancy Nadel; and Bob Uyeki, Executive Director, Y&H Soda Foundation. Council Regional Coordinator Ed Cabrera took part in the events.

CONCORD, CALIFORNIA. Contra Costa County, California County Supervisors Chair Susan Bonilla, Supervisor John Gioia, Richmond Mayor Gayle McLaughlin, Concord Councilmember Bill Shinn, County point person Cynthia Belon, and other officials anticipating the arrival of federal recovery resources met last week at the Lakeside Apartments in Concord to welcome United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano, who visited the region in September 2008 to meet with city and county officials and participate in Project Homeless Connect. Contra Costa County has been implementing its 10 Year Plan since 2004 with regularly reported reductions in street and chronic homelessness, as well as a highly successful record in accessing a variety of targeted federal agency resources. Pictured here are (left to right): Dan Sawislak, Executive Director, Resources for Community Development; Dr. William Walker, Director, Contra Costa Health Services; Richmond Mayor Gayle McLaughlin; Concord Councilmember Bill Shinn; Director Mangano; Contra Costa County Supervisor John Gioia; County Chair Susan Bonilla; and Concord Vice Mayor Guy Bjerke.

County point person Cynthia Belon, who moderated the event, reported an 8% reduction in street and chronic homelessness as a result of the January Point-in Time count in Contra Costa. This latest reduction is in addition to the 38% reduction reported in 2007.

"We're glad to be recognized for our dedicated work to break the cycle of homelessness for individuals and families," said Supervisor Goia at the event.

"Here's a city-county partnership that works," indicated Director Mangano, "and works together. A partnership that recognizes good ideas, smart investments, and quantifiable results. All now valued in our efforts to reduce and end homelessness. Contra Costa is blessed to have these public servants - Chair Bonilla, Supervisor Gioia, Mayor McLaughlin, and all the partners." Pictured here are Contra Costa County Chair Susan Bonilla, Supervisor John Gioia and Director Mangano, with Concord Vice Mayor Guy S. Bjerke in the background.

"The resources of the President's recovery package and the targeted homelessness resources announced by Secretary Donovan are part of an expansive and inclusive one that includes resources for a broad spectrum of Americans, including those who are struggling with the double trouble of foreclosures and job loss, and homelessness," indicated Director Mangano.

Added Director Mangano: "Difficult times call for the best from us - we need to be at our most creative. Problems call for solutions - innovations that are field tested and evidence based. Cynthia Belon has been the principle choreographer for the county's efforts and has committed in both heart and head to the mission. She has also been the architect for the county receiving a wider and deeper set of federal resources than just about any other county of this size in the country. You are well positioned in partnership and strategy to achieve new results for your homeless neighbors with these new dollars."

Officials acknowledged the nearly $11 million in new targeted federal homelessness resources being invested in the county. This included the record $9 million in HUD resources recently awarded by Secretary Donovan and amounted to about a 20% increase from the previous year's award, the highest increase in California and one of the highest in the country. Official also acknowledged the nearly $2 million in federal recovery funds grants for homelessness prevention and rapid re-housing allocated to the City of Richmond and Contra Costa County. Pictured here are: (left to right): Dr. William Walker, Director, Contra Costa Health Services; Director Mangano; Richmond Mayor Gayle McLaughlin; Concord Councilmember Bill Shinn; Cynthia Belon, Contra Costa County Homeless Programs Director; County Chair Susan Bonilla (at podium); Contra Costa County Supervisor John Gioia; and Concord Vice Mayor Guy Bjerke.

Noted Ms. Belon: "Along with 21 programs for housing and services that were renewed for funding this next year, we received 2 additional new programs. One will provide permanent supportive housing to chronic homeless individuals with disabilities. The second is for the Rapid Re-housing for Families Demonstration Program, which Contra Costa County received in a tough national competition. Only 23 sites nationwide were chosen for this award."

In addition to leading the Ten Year Plan implementation, Contra Costa County provides an array of homeless programs, including access to services oriented toward youth and adults, supportive housing, outreach and engagement, and homeless court services.

Lakeside Apartments, the site of the event, was developed by Resources for Community Development (RCD), which - under the leadership of Executive Director Dan Sawislak - creates and preserves affordable housing for those with the fewest options. As a non-profit affordable housing developer and services provider, RCD has created award winning homes with supportive services for 25 years. RCD provides over 1600 homes for low income residents of Alameda, Contra Costa, and Solano counties, with 277 more units in predevelopment or construction.

Council Regional Coordinator Ed Cabrera took part in the events.

SAN RAFAEL, CALIFORNIA. County, city, and federal officials convened last week in Marin County, California to affirm the new federal resources that the county will invest strategically in preventing and ending homelessness during difficult economic times. In the Board of Supervisors Chambers at the Marin County Civic Center, San Rafael Mayor Albert Boro, Marin County Supervisor Susan Adams, and Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey were joined by United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano on his inaugural visit to the County to affirm the federal-county-city partnership that will strategically invest new resources to prevent and end homelessness. Pictured here are San Rafael Mayor Boro, Director Mangano, Congresswoman Woolsey, and Marin County Supervisor Adams.

"It is good to be here with Mayor Boro, who has a record of long service to his community, including chairing the Marin County Commission on Homelessness," indicated Director Mangano. "And Supervisor Adams' ongoing commitment to the well being of all in Marin is well known." In addition to the $2.3 million in homelessness funding recently announced by HUD Secretary Donovan for agencies in Marin County, the event acknowledged the $659,575 in new resources allocated the community through President Obama's economic recovery package for homelessness prevention and rapid re-housing.

"The President's recovery package is an expansive and inclusive one that includes resources for a broad spectrum of Americans, including those who are struggling with foreclosures, job loss, and homelessness," said the Director. "With increases in food stamps, Medicaid, health centers, for veterans, for the education of homeless children, and for victims of domestic violence."

Director Mangano also praised Representative Woolsey for her commitment to the issue of homelessness and her work to insure that more resources would be available. Rep. Woolsey was joined by her District Director Wendy Friefeld.

"The city and county are to be commended for creating a results oriented 10 Year Plan that is housing and prevention focused, and expects collaboration, accountability, and results," he added. "That plan is the strategic frame for the good news of these new resources to prevent and end homelessness. "

"The City of San Rafael has long been committed to helping people who are homeless find a place to call home," indicated Mayor Boro. "We are glad to see this increased federal support for our neediest residents in these difficult economic times." Pictured here are (left to right): San Rafael Mayor Boro, Director Mangano, Congresswoman Woolsey, Marin County Supervisor Adams, and Larry Meredith, Marin County Director of Health and Human Services (at podium).

The Mayor and Supervisor Adams led the development of Marin County's Ten Year Plan to End Homelessness and now lead the community's effort to adopt proven innovations, like Project Homeless Connect, to complement the ongoing implementation of their Plan.

"Committed community groups, nonprofit and government agencies have worked hard this year to strengthen the safety net for our neighbors at risk of homelessness and those who are already living without shelter and this new federal funding is greatly needed to bolster these efforts," said Supervisor Adams. "The combination of supportive services and housing is the key to getting people back on their feet - one without the other won't get the job done."

"Housing is a cornerstone need for every healthy community, and at a time when our entire economy needs help, it is gratifying that the federal response recognizes the importance of our most vulnerable population," said Supervisor Steve Kinsey.

Congresswoman Woolsey is in her eighth term representing Marin County and most of Sonoma County. She co-chairs the Congressional Progressive Caucus and is especially concerned with issues pertaining to families and children. She supported America's Recovery and Reinvestment Act and pushed to secure high funding levels for a variety of programs, including targeted homeless resources. Formerly a single mother who received welfare assistance, the Congresswoman spoke of how federal assistance once made a difference in her life when she needed it most. "There is no community in America that has not felt the effects of this crisis, and that includes our neighborhoods here in Marin," indicated the Congresswoman. "That's why the work the county is doing to develop and implement their Ten Year Plan is so important."

Dan Nackerman, who leads the county's housing authority, also participated and countered popular myths about Marin. "The 8,000 families we house in Marin just in our programs - and these number don't include homeless - average $13,800 in household income," indicated Mr. Nackerman. "We have over 34,000 people on our waiting lists for affordable rentals - that is 14% of the population of Marin on waiting lists for public housing and Section 8."

Council Regional Coordinator Ed Cabrera also took part.

WASHINGTON, DC. Additional on-line resources are available to support states, counties, and cities as they plan for the use of their allocations under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) program at the US. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the $1.5 billion Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program (HPRP).

Grantees eligible to receive HPRP funds are required to complete a substantial amendment to their Consolidated Plan 2008 Action Plan. The HUD Homelessness Resource Exchange site includes the form with the required format for this substantial amendment. A completed form is due to HUD within 60 days of the publication of the HUD HPRP notice. Among the questions to be answered are the process for distribution of funds (competitive, formula, or other), and how the grantee plans to collaborate with local agencies that can serve similar target populations, which received ARRA funds from other federal agencies, including the U.S. Departments of Education, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, and Labor.

To aid grantees in meeting the submission deadline, the HPRP Notice reduces the requirement for a 30- day public comment period to no less than 12 calendar days for this substantial amendment. With this exception, HPRP grantees are required to follow their Consolidated Plan's citizen participation process, including consultation with the Continuum of Care (CoC) in the appropriate jurisdiction(s). Grantees are also required to coordinate HPRP activities with the CoC's strategies for homeless prevention and ending homelessness. To maximize transparency, HUD strongly recommends that each grantee post its substantial amendment materials on the grantee's official website as the materials are developed. Applicants must also detail how they will allocate funds for eligible uses, including financial assistance (short-term rental assistance, medium- term rental assistance, security deposits, utility deposits, utility payments, moving cost assistance, and motel or hotel vouchers) and housing relocation and stabilization services (case management, outreach, housing search and placement, legal services, mediation, and credit repair).

Applicants should read the entire Notice for details and consult the Question and Answer document for more details. Further, HUD will host an April 8 webcast dedicated to HPRP. Additional resources will be available for grantees, subgrantees and other stakeholders. A new "Virtual Help Desk" is accepting questions. On March 27, an on-line searchable database of Questions and Answers will be posted.

WASHINGTON, DC. U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan last week approved nearly $731 million in funding for 48 States and local communities under HUD's Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP). Jurisdictions eligible to receive the resources appropriated under last year's Housing and Economic Recovery Act submitted plans to HUD last December for the use of the new resources. Plans target emergency assistance to particular neighborhoods by acquiring and redeveloping foreclosed properties that might otherwise become sources of abandonment and blight.

"As we are faced in this country with 'Double Trouble' - a million foreclosures and 4 million job losses - we are better prepared and better funded than ever before through the President's recovery package," indicated United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano. "These resources to states, cities, and counties announced by Secretary Donovan join the unprecedented political will of Governors, Mayors, and County Executives on the front lines, with strategic planning replacing good intention and well meaning programs."

Jurisdictional leaders in state, counties, and cities have begun announcing the re-allocation and spending plans for the NSP resources in their states. In North Carolina, for example, Governor Bev Perdue announced that 20 local governments, nonprofits, and other organizations would receive grant awards totaling $48.85 million. North Carolina state government received the bulk of the allocation, with one local allocation going to Charlotte. States were required to identify areas of greatest need based on the number of foreclosure starts and other housing- related statistics from state and national sources. In North Carolina, areas in 23 counties met the "greatest need" criteria.

"Foreclosures, subprime mortgages, and mortgage defaults are hurting homeowners, families and our communities," Governor Perdue said. "These new federal funds will go to communities most severely affected by the housing crisis and will be used effectively. I'm encouraging all participating organizations to collaborate in order to leverage these grant funds and make them go even further."

Forty-six NSP grant applications were submitted by February 3. Of those, 11 local governments and six non-profits were funded for specific areas; the three statewide organizations selected ensure the areas of greatest need in the 23 counties receive assistance. There were also allocations made to local government recipients, including Raleigh ($2.5 million); Wake County ($2.5 million); Charlotte ($2.5 million); Greensboro ($2.5 million); Winston-Salem ($2.5 million); High Point ($2.5 million); Gastonia ($2 million); Henderson/Vance County ($2 million); Durham ($2 million); Rocky Mount ($2 million); and Lexington ($2 million). Non-profit agency recipients were also selected and Statewide Agency/intermediary Recipients.

HUD's Neighborhood Stabilization Program was created under the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 and provides nearly $4 billion to states and certain local communities experiencing particularly high foreclosure problems and risk of property abandonment. The program permits these state and local governments to purchase foreclosed homes at a discount and to rehabilitate or redevelop them in order to respond to rising foreclosures and falling home values.

In addition, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 makes available another $2 billion of NSP funding to state, local governments, non-profit entities, or consortia of non-profit entities for similar anti-blight and stabilization efforts. HUD will issue a funding notice with application requirements no later than May 3, 2009. Applicants will prepare an application and, for programmatic funding, complete citizen participation before submitting to HUD. HUD will review applications and make awards shortly thereafter.

State and local governments can use their neighborhood stabilization grants to acquire land and property; to demolish or rehabilitate abandoned properties; and/or to offer downpayment and closing cost assistance to low- to moderate-income homebuyers (household incomes not exceed 120 percent of area median income). In addition, these grantees can create "land banks" to assemble, temporarily manage, and dispose of vacant land for the purpose of stabilizing neighborhoods and encouraging re-use or redevelopment of urban property.

In North Carolina, the NSP grants are administered by the Commerce Department's Division of Community Assistance. DCA staff developed North Carolina's guidelines through a public process late last year. Total NSP grant funding to North Carolina is $52.1 million; 5 percent of that will be used by DCA to implement and monitor the program. To ensure that funds are used most effectively, HUD recommended a minimum award of $2 million. DCA staff evaluated the 46 applications and more than 9,000 pages of documentation using a scoring system designed to be sure that the state complies with federal regulations and uses the funds most effectively. Selection criteria were based on severity of need (50 points); treatment of need, i.e., how the needs would be addressed (20 points); capacity of applicant and program administrators (20 points); mitigation of fraud, waste and abuse (5 points); socio-economic factors (4 points); and green building components and techniques (1 point).

Several Ten Year Plan communities are among the awardees with emphases on permanent supportive housing and housing for persons below 30% of media. North Carolina's state point person on homelessness, Martha Are, has been appointed to the state's recovery team to plan for future recovery resources coming to the state. Greensboro's NSP- Funded Housing Assistance Program proposes to address four objectives, including increasing the availability of permanent supportive housing, and Winston-Salem will also have permanent supportive housing targeting. The goal of the Raleigh Neighborhood Stabilization Program is to convert foreclosed properties into low-, moderate- and middle- income (LMMI) housing opportunities to stabilize targeted neighborhoods. Specifically, the city will acquire at least 30 foreclosed residential properties, rehabilitate 15 units for resale to LMMI homebuyers or for rental opportunities for households at or below 50 percent of area median income.

Wake County's goal is to stabilize neighborhoods and prevent abandonment and blight in areas of the county stricken with high numbers of foreclosures. By repopulating foreclosed and abandoned homes with families and individuals who qualify as low-, moderate-, and middle-income, and are in need of affordable housing, Wake County will also ensure that at least 30% of the families assisted through the NSP program will have incomes that are less than 50% of AMI, and the remaining families have incomes that are less than 120% of AMI.

The Charlotte Housing Authority's strategy is to 1) increase the number of units available for families making less than 30% of AMI who may have been displaced by the mortgage crisis and 2) target specific multi-family properties within the areas of greatest need to ensure neighborhood stabilization in these areas. The Charlotte Housing Authority's efforts are focused primarily on creating rental opportunities as a part of multi-family redevelopment efforts. The Charlotte Housing Authority plans to serve approximately 300 households with NSP funds.

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA. San Francisco's Ten Year Implementation Council convened last week to focus on new federal resources available to prevent and end homelessness and their impact on the city's budget and strategy under its Ten Year Plan, Council Chair Angela Alioto convened the meeting and welcomed United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano, who briefed the partners on the wide variety of housing focused dollars newly allocated for the city through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Director Mangano visited Mayor Gavin Newsom days after his inauguration, when he pledged to develop and implement a plan which has now produced steady decreases in chronic homelessness through the development and implementation of Housing First strategies and innovations such as Project Homeless Connect.

The Implementation Council, meeting even as the Department of Housing and Urban Development released the official notice for the Recovery Act's $1.5 billion Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program (HPRP), discussed the use of new targeted federal homelessness resources from the President's recovery package that will come from HUD and which will flow soon to states, cities, and counties. Partners also discussed the city's public health and human services resources and housing pipeline.

Ten Year Plan partners heard a report on the San Francisco Community Justice Center, a collaborative justice court program of the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco in partnership with city agencies and community groups. CJC addresses the primary issues facing the individual and not just their crime. The Center will provide more direct access to services and resources for users of the CJC. CJC includes courtrooms and social-service resources, such as drug treatment, mental health programs, support groups, counseling, career development and job training. CJC seeks to strategically refer clients and community members to appropriate services located at the CJC and at other city-partner agencies.

Pictured here are implementation partners at the meeting: Angela Alioto, Chair, San Francisco Ten Year Plan Implementation Council (at far end of table); Director Mangano; Marc Trotz, Director, Housing and Urban Health, San Francisco Department of Public Health; Susan Lange, Implementation Councilor; George Wesolek, Implementation Councilor; Joyce Crum, Homeless Programs Director, City and County of San Francisco; Daryl Higashi, Supportive Housing Finance Director, City of San Francisco; Alison Schlageter, Executive Director, San Francisco Ten Year Plan Implementation Council; Dariush Kayhan, Homeless Policy Director, City and County of San Francisco; and Lucy Quacinella, Esq. Implementation Councilor and Attorney. Council Regional Coordinator Ed Cabrera also took part in this event.

EUGENE, OREGON. Mayor Kitty Piercy of Eugene, Oregon welcomed homeless neighbors and community volunteers to another successful Project Homeless Connect event in Eugene and Lane County and held at the Lane County Fairgrounds. Lane County Commissioner Pete Sorensen joined Mayor Piercy for the United Way sponsored event, with PHC Co-Chairs Richie Weinman, City of Eugene, and Pearl Wolf, Lane County.

More than 1,500 people were welcomed by over 800 volunteers. Encouraged by Council Regional Coordinator Paul Carlson, who has developed a peer model for making pilgrimages to Connect events to experience them firsthand, an observer team from Salem, Oregon, convening its Salem/Marion County Connect this week, visited for the day. Pictured below are (left to right): Eugene Mayor Kitty Piercy, Regional Coordinator Paul Carlson, Lane County Commissioner Pete Sorensen, and President, Lane County United Way. Lane County's bike repair station is also shown.

Eugene and Lane County's Project Homeless Connect was featured in the Council's most recent Innovations series, for its consumer-centric yearbook project. Project Homeless Connect volunteers invited consumers to participate in a unique yearbook project on-site to tell their experiences of homelessness for the benefit of volunteers, policymakers, and the community. The resulting Project Homeless Connect Yearbook has been distributed to city officials, the public library, and offered to the general community as a way to learn more about homelessness.

BELLINGHAM, WASHINGTON. The early 2009 Connect event in Bellingham and Whatcom County made strides in using Web 2.0 for volunteer engagement and visibility for its event. As the Council's Innovations series detailed in 2008, online media for social networking has reached new audiences for Connect events. Daniel C. Hammill, Volunteer Program Director at the Whatcom Volunteer Center in Bellingham, provided the following details about successful use of these strategies. Organizers developed a small number of online assets to get the word out about the event, using Facebook and YouTube as primary Web 2.0 platforms, but also used traditional media as well. Merging them together, organizers found tremendous success in recruiting volunteers and making the event well-known. Since the daily paper of record and the local TV station both publish stories on their websites, event leaders were able to conduct a link campaign to their networks using links to their news stories about PHC.

Using an online contact management service that maintains lists of enrolled volunteers that requested this service (about 1,500) and partner agencies (280), organizers messaged these lists with links to news stories and updates on volunteer needs. The service was also used to deliver a "thank you" to volunteers. KVOS TV & The Bellingham Herald. Organizers did an "old-fashioned" press release about the need for volunteers and secured an article and news segment with these media. The links then went out to the online contact management system.

Using FaceBook, organizers made a group page and used it to message Connect partners. On YouTube, a volunteer filmmaker compiled a 1 minute, 25 second volunteer engagement video. Organizers tracked viewership and "discovery" (how people found out about the video) using YouTube's proprietary analytic software. Craigslist was the site of postings about volunteer opportunities.

The result for Bellingham and Whatcom? Twice as many volunteers requesting participation than slots to put them. And good groundwork for future efforts.

Read the latest details on how Project Homeless Connect is being implemented through adoption of best practices. Visit the Council's Connect web page to see a current calendar of upcoming events to which you can pilgrimage to learn more, the latest toolkit, and other key materials.

AGAWAM, MASSACHUSETTS. As President Obama in his Town Hall meeting at the White House on Thursday called the rate of homelessness among veterans "inexcusable" and committed to ensure veterans receive housing and services they need while proposing greater budget resources for veterans than at any time in the last 30 years, more than 100 homeless veterans will have new homes of their own through an innovative housing initiative led by Soldier On in Western Massachusetts. Soldier On is developing the former Western Massachusetts Regional Police Academy building into 100 - 125 studio or one-bedroom units on a five acre site, according to John F. "Jack" Downing, President and CEO of Soldier On, a nonprofit agency based in Pittsfield.

State legislation will allow Soldier On to acquire the site, according to Executive Vice President Steve Como. The three-story, 36,000- square-foot building was vacated by the state in 2005 when the police academy moved to Springfield Technical Community College. No other developer interest emerged. Soldier On works closely with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and other agencies to provide veterans with shelter and support.

The project is designed for single, formerly homeless veterans who have successfully completed the transitional housing program operated by Soldier On. Veterans would purchase their housing based on their income and ability to pay. The project will generate tax revenue because all the units would be individually owned, and the site was never previously on the tax rolls.

"Thanks to the work of Mr. Mangano, the Interagency Council on Homelessness, and the Western Massachusetts four county continuum's 10 Year Plans, Soldier On has started to 'change the end of the story' by providing permanent supportive housing for homeless veterans in Western Massachusetts," said CEO Downing. "The Interagency Council on Homelessness has been a valuable resource to help us achieve our mission of ending homelessness among veterans through permanent supportive housing."

Soldier On last summer broke ground on a 39-unit apartment complex in Pittsfield that will be owned by the veterans who live there. Agawam will be the second such housing project. Berkshire Veterans Village in Pittsfield is a 39-unit limited equity cooperative apartment complex where formerly homeless veterans will own and operate the complex, develop assets through individual deposit accounts, and have support services available through the Berkshire Veterans Residence, adjacent to the complex. This $6 million project will be debt free through federal, state, and private foundation grants.

In Leeds, Soldier On has an agreement in principle with the Northampton Veterans Administration Medical Center to create 100 studio and one bedroom limited equity cooperative apartments on 8 acres of land acquired through an enhanced use lease with the U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs. This site will allow veterans with chronic or persistent medical and mental health needs and frail elders to access home ownership and equity, while remaining close to medical services through the VA Medical Center.

The Northampton VA Medical Center received 70 HUD-VASH vouchers specifically for veterans living at Soldier On. Private housing that will meet HUD housing requirements is at a premium in the region, and Soldier On is currently in discussion with several landlords to purchase multi unit apartment buildings in Pittsfield, Chicopee, and Westfield, Massachusetts to accommodate the immediate need for safe, affordable housing.

Listening to the voice of the consumer is a key value in new initiatives to prevent and end homelessness, and key veterans oriented innovations - such as Homeless Courts, which developed from San Diego's first Stand Down - have their roots in response to consumer preference and need. A new Soldier On service is the "Sully Van," a small bus now on the road to shuttle eight wheelchair-bound veterans to appointments and events. The van, named for Solider On staffer and van champion Eugene "Doc" Sullivan recently joined the local St. Patrick's Day parade. As reported in local news coverage, CEO Downing had the van painted green and white with a larger-than-life image of Doc Sullivan on either side. The van's back wheels line up with where the wheelchair's wheels would be in the image. "Sully Van" is painted across the side. Shamrocks and an Irish flag also adorn the bus, along with an American flag.

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