DANBURY, CONNECTICUT. Broad partnership was in evidence as Danbury, Connecticut Mayor Mark Boughton formally released the final report of the Mayor’s Task Force to End Homelessness at a press conference at City Hall on Monday. The Task Force, chaired by Probate Judge Dianne Yamin, was appointed by the Mayor last year to develop a 10- Year Plan for Danbury. Mayor Boughton was joined at the press conference by Judge Yamin and by Director of Welfare and Social Services Debbie MacKenzie. In releasing the Plan, Mayor Boughton announced his “intention to direct the local resources necessary to implement the Plan and to encourage our government partners in Washington and Hartford to join us in this endeavor.”

One of those government partners in Washington, United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano, accompanied by Council Regional Coordinator John O’Brien, joined Mayor Boughton at the press conference. Director Mangano commended the Mayor for his leadership and political will. “ Today, Mayor Boughton and Danbury join a national partnership that begins in the White House and extends to the streets of our country partnering 20 federal agencies, 53 Governors, including Connecticut Governor Jodi Rell, and 216 Mayors and County Executives through their 10- Year Plans. Danbury’s realistic action plan is housing centered, consumer informed, and prevention focused to create results that will improve the quality of life for everyone in this great community.”

Director Mangano noted that the inclusive and expansive group of stakeholders who served on the Task Force -- including State Representatives Janice Geigler and Robert Godfrey, Paul O’Sullivan of Congresswoman Nancy Johnson’s office, and officials from hospitals, the United Way, business, developers, banks, academia, mental health, substance abuse and other service providers, the VA, homeless people, public safety officers, the courts, Habitat for Humanity, the faith community -- would be the envy of many communities across the country.

In the final report, the Task Force members write that Mayor Boughton’s charge to them to create a comprehensive plan to end homelessness in 10 years “ proved to be a great opportunity on many fronts. The multidisciplinary representation allowed the many understandings of homelessness and its solutions to be shared and considered. The plan required examination of the institutional and philosophical beliefs that were useful in managing homelessness but will not move us forward as we strive to end it. The planning process has been cause to assess utilization of resources, explore best practices, develop community-driven strategies and adopt a vision for ending homelessness with stable permanent housing as the goal.” Read more of the Danbury 10-Year Plan on the city website at www.danbury-ct.gov or by going to the Council's website at www.usich.gov.

Pictured here from left to right are Diane Yamin, Judge of Probate, Danbury and Chair of the Mayor's Task Force to End Homelessness, Mayor Boughton, and Director Mangano.

NEW BEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS. In the City of New Bedford, MA, where a memorial to Frederick Douglass stands at City Hall honoring the renowned abolitionist who found refuge in this historic “Whaling City” after escaping slavery in Maryland, abolition of a different wrong - homelessness - was on the minds of elected and community leaders last week. At a news conference, New Bedford Mayor Scott W. Lang, joined by members of the Mayor’s Homeless Task Force, including Office of Housing and Community Development Director Patrick Sullivan who served as the Task Force Chairman, and by members of New Bedford’s Homeless Service Providers Network, released the city’s 10-Year Plan to “ end episodic and chronic homelessness.”

The New Bedford Plan “articulates the city’s formal strategy for assisting homeless individuals and families move from the streets and shelters to economic independence and self sufficiency.” Strategies discussed in the plan include prevention, expansion of the permanent supportive housing, increasing emergency shelter and transitional housing units, expanding employment opportunities and improving access to mainstream resources for homeless individuals and families. Mayor Lang noted that “ the implementation of these strategies can have a significant measurable impact on reducing the number of people who are homeless in New Bedford, but not without the input, participation and commitment from the greater New Bedford community.” He added, “ Every individual and family faced with homelessness in New Bedford should have access to safe, decent, and affordable housing along with the resources to maintain it.”

United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano, invited to address the partners at the press conference, applauded the Mayor and those who worked on the plan for recognizing that the written plan “ is the beginning of the City’s efforts” and for including in the plan “ the call to get a broader and more expansive group of stakeholders to create the implementation and action phases.”

Director Mangano welcomed New Bedford “ to the results-oriented National Partnership” and added that, “Nothing is successful in terms of this issue of homelessness that leaves homeless people where they are. A proven reduction in the number of people living without a permanent home is the measure of success. Other cities that have developed 10-Year Plans have seen decreases in their chronic homeless population including Quincy, MA which has seen a 20% drop in its first year of implementation and Nashua, NH which has experienced a 40% decline in the first year and a half of its 10-Year Plan implementation.” He encouraged the city to maximize its opportunities to apply for and receive resources, such as through HUD’s permanent housing bonus, to create new permanent housing tenancies beyond the 100 committed to in the plan. Director Mangano also acknowledged the presence of a long time friend and champion of homeless people, Sister Rose Ellen Gallogly, Executive Director of Market Ministries and a founding member of the New Bedford Homeless Service Providers Network.

Pictured here standing are Mayor Lang (center), Patrick Sullivan, Director of the New Bedford Office of Housing and Community Development (right), and Director Mangano (left).

For more information:

Patrick Sullivan, 10-Year Plan Task Force Chair and Director, New Bedford Office of Housing and Community Development, 508-979-1500

John O’Brien, USICH Regional Coordinator, 617-994-8203

QUINCY, MASSACHUSETTS. Less than a year ago, the 19-member Quincy Leadership Council on Chronic Homelessness appointed by Quincy Mayor William J. Phelan and co- chaired by South Shore Chamber of Commerce President Peter Forman, Attorney Jeffrey Graeber, and South Shore Savings Bank COO John Boucher presented a 10-Year Plan aimed at ending chronic homelessness in this community on the south shore of Boston. Today, the city is already registering reductions in the size of its homeless population.

On April 28, Mayor Phelan presided over a ribbon cutting for Father McCarthy’s House, the latest step in the implementation of the City’s 10-Year Plan. Father McCarthy’s House will provide permanent supportive housing for 19 chronically homeless veterans. It is named for Father Bill McCarthy who has worked tirelessly to provide shelter and permanent housing opportunities for homeless persons in Quincy.

Speaking at the ribbon cutting ceremony, United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano praised Mayor Phelan for “demonstrating to mayors across the country a commitment both personal and professional” to the issue of ending homelessness. Mayor Phelan has supported implementation of his community’s 10-Year Plan with city housing resources including HOME and CDBG funds the city receives from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Mayor Phelan reported on implementation of the City's Plan, noting that data now show a 20% decrease in chronic homelessness in Quincy.

The Father McCarthy's House ribbon cutting ceremony was held as part of the city’s celebration of National Community Development Week. Participants in the ribbon cutting ceremony, in addition to Mayor Phelan and City Councillor Daniel Raymondi, included: Executive Director of Neighborhood Housing Services Normand Grenier, Executive Director of Father Bill’s Place John Yazwinski, Chairman of South Shore Savings Bank Arthur Connelly, and Vice President of Community Investment at Citizens Bank Julie Connelly. Council Regional Coordinator John O’Brien also attended the event.

The opening of Father McCarthy’s House builds on a model working partnership between the City, Neighborhood Housing Services, and Father Bill’s Place, and was made possible by a collaborative funding effort that also included South Shore Savings Bank, MA Housing Finance Agency, Interfaith Housing Partners, the state Center for Community Recovery Innovations, and HUD McKinney Act funding.

In his remarks, Director Mangano also spoke of a recent congressional hearing on homeless veterans at which advocates, providers and the VA all shared in the good news that efforts to reduce homelessness among our veterans through the investment of federal, state, local, philanthropic and business resources are achieving results. There’s been a 25% drop from an estimated high of 250,000 homeless veterans in the late 1990s. “ The trajectory is in the right direction," noted Director Mangano.

The accompanying photo of Father McCarthy at the ribbon cutting ceremony surrounded by the mayor and members of the community who served on the Task Force reminds us that ending homelessness is at its core a community effort, involving individual members of the community volunteering their time and expertise alongside those of political leaders – all dedicated to ending, not just managing homelessness.

Another good example of the importance of volunteers to community efforts to end homelessness can be seen in the programs and services offered by the Carpenter’s Shelter in Alexandria, VA. While offering “shelter” through an overnight winter shelter, a year-round residential shelter and a day shelter, volunteers working with the staff have enabled the Carpenter’s Shelter to become “ more than just a roof.”

Through hands-on participation and fundraising efforts, volunteers have helped the Carpenter’s Shelter to expand its services to include life skills building and job training readiness, transitional housing, child and family services, housing search, case management that also includes an innovative “aftercare betterment program” for graduates of the residential shelter and even educational scholarships for homeless and formerly homeless clients made possible by a $1 million donation from the Hubert N. Hoffman Jr. family. In the spirit of National Volunteer Week, Director Mangano was pleased to attend an event for the Carpenter’s Shelter this past week where he commended the Carpenter’s Shelter officials, employees and volunteers for working together so successfully to implement programs promoting lifelong self-reliance.

Pictured here at the Quincy ribbon cutting are (left to right, back row) Regina Durga, Program Manager, Commercial Energy Efficiency Programs, Keyspan Energy Delivery and Joseph Finn, Executive Director, Massachusetts Housing and Shelter Alliance, and Councillor-At-Large, City of Quincy, MA. (left to right, front row) Rob Corley, Director of Housing Development, Neighborhood Housing Services of the South Shore; Dennis E. Harrington, Director of Planning and Community Development, City of Quincy, MA; Daniel Raymondi, Ward 2 Councillor, City of Quincy, MA; Mayor Phelan; Normand Grenier, Executive Director, Neighborhood Housing Services of the South Shore; Director Mangno; Jay Davis, Ward 4 Councillor, City of Quincy, MA; Rev. William McCarthy, Founder, Fr. Bill's Place; Paula Newcomb, Program Representative, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; Nancy Callanan, Community Development Director, City of Quincy, MA; David Kilnapp, Senior Vice President of Citizens Bank, and Board Member, Neighborhood Housing Services of the South Shore; John Yazwinski, Executive Director, Fr. Bill's Place.

WASHINGTON, DC. With over 6000 applications expected to be received soon in the 2006 McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grants competition, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) last week held a second webcast for continuums of care. The April 26 broadcast supplemented information provided in an earlier broadcast on March 28. Both webcasts are archived and may be accessed on HUD’s website at www.hud.gov/webcasts/archives/supernofa06.cfm. The FY 2006 Notice of Funding Availability was published on March 8. Applications are due May 25. Approximately $1.2 billion will be awarded.

FOCUS ON CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS. Again this year, ending chronic homelessness is a key focus of the HUD competition. As part of the application package, communities are required to report their achievements in the past year toward reaching this goal and are expected to set forth their goals for the coming year. Information provided by HUD at the recent April 4 Full Council meeting revealed the extent to which results from the 2005 continuum of care funding competition are contributing to the goal of ending chronic homelessness-- $365 million awarded specifically to projects targeting chronic homelessness. 27,000 chronically homeless persons moved into housing, and over 5,700 chronically homeless persons finding employment.

PERMANENT HOUSING INCENTIVE. This year’s competition again includes a permanent housing incentive, previously referred to as the Permanent Housing bonus and now renamed the Samaritan Housing Initiative, to promote additional permanent supportive housing for persons who are chronically homeless. If the continuum’s number one priority project qualifies as an eligible, new permanent housing project exclusively serving chronically homeless persons, then the full amount of that project’s eligible housing activity costs, up to the lesser of 15% of the continuum’s initial pro rata need or $6 million will be added to the pro rata need amount for the continuum. Applicants should read the Notice of Funding Availability carefully for details on eligible costs.

ENSURING EDUCATION RIGHTS. HUD has also drawn attention to the section of this year’s application regarding continuum responsibilities for coordinating with State Education Agencies (SEA), which must be reported in Chart P in Exhibit 1: CoC Coordination Chart. The chart is the vehicle by which the continuum is to “assess its local homeless system’s overall strategic planning and coordination efforts.”

Federal requirements related to the education rights of homeless children and youth are authorized under Title VII of the McKinney Vento Homeless Assistance Act which is administered by the U.S. Department of Education. Guidance issued to continuums last week by HUD stated, “ HUD’s goal, shared by the (US) Interagency Council on Homelessness, is that HUD-funded programs ensure the protection of the education rights of homeless children and that families and children receive information about assistance in obtaining their rights.” In order for a continuum to receive credit for meeting the “coordination with state education agencies” requirement, HUD expects that the continuum will have, at a minimum, sent a list of all homeless facilities in the continuum serving children to the appropriate State Education Agency before the May 25 Homeless Assistance Grants application deadline. The full text of HUD’s guidance on this issue can be found on the HUD website at www.hud.gov/offices/cpd/homeless/library/education. cfm

Pictured here is HUD Secretary and current Council Chair Alphonso Jackson.

WASHINGTON, DC. April 23-29, 2006 may have been National Volunteer Week, but one of the largest volunteer efforts in the country that benefits the homeless, persons at risk of homelessness, and other needy persons will take place on Saturday, May 13th when tens of thousands of mail carriers will participate in the 2006 “Stamp Out Hunger” food drive.

This is the 14th year of the National Association of Letter Carrier (NALC)-sponsored one day food drive which also will get a boost from the National Rural Carriers Association. Last year the mail carriers collected a record 71 million pounds of non perishable food items during this one day event that is traditionally held on the Saturday before Mother’s Day. Altogether over a half a billion pounds of food has been collected over the past 13 years of the event.

Postmaster General John Potter (pictured here), a member of the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, expressed the U.S. Postal Service’s support of the food drive in a letter to NALC President William Young, noting that “ it is a source of personal pride and pleasure to express the full support of the Postal Service for the 14th annual National Food Drive and to participate as a cosponsor. This activity exemplifies the public service contributions of the Postal Service and its employees, and illustrates the power and reach of universal delivery in this country.”

The U.S. Postal Service is working with Campbell Food Company to print and deliver postcards to over 110 million households the week before the event, urging citizens to participate by leaving non perishable food items in or around mailboxes for pick up on May 13. After the food has been collected by the mail carriers, thousands of additional volunteers will help the carriers sort the items for distribution to food pantries, soup kitchens, emergency food programs, homeless shelters and after school programs in the local community. The “Stamp Out Hunger” event is the largest volunteer-driven one day food collection effort in the country.

United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano spoke at a meeting of the National Coalition for the Homeless Board of Directors this past week, at the invitation of new NCH Board President, Bob Erlenbusch, regarding the Council’s work to create a National Partnership to achieve the President’s goal of ending chronic homelessness and to promote the exchange and dissemination of information on results-oriented innovative practices for both prevention and intervention.

Director Mangano described the progress that has been made including having the jurisdictional leaders of more than 200 communities actively engaged in leading the development and implementation of 10-Year Plans, and 53 Governors of States and Territories establishing State Interagency Councils on Homelessness as well as some statewide 10-Year Plans. Federal participation in the Council now includes 20 agencies and a record level of funding--$4.1 billion -- being requested in the President’s 07 budget for programs and initiatives to prevent and end homelessness. True to the President’s Management Agenda that calls for investing in results rather than just activity, the Council is actively engaged in the dissemination of information on innovative solutions that can be replicated.

Director Mangano noted that this National Partnership of government at every level, and the broad range of community stakeholders participating in the 10-year planning process including business leaders, the United Way, health providers, law enforcement, academia, and so many others is making a difference. Communities that are investing in these innovative solutions are seeing decreases in people on the streets:

In Miami, a 30% decrease
In Raleigh, NC, a 15% decrease
In New York, 13% decrease
In Quincy, MA, a 20% decrease
In Nashua, NH, a 40% decrease
In Dallas, a 28% decrease
In Portland, a 20% decrease
In San Francisco, a 30% decrease

As more communities commit to the 10-year planning process, opportunities continue to grow for NCH members to support and participate in the development of these jurisdictional plans.

The National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH) awards ceremony also took place last week. This annual event recognizes individuals for their “leadership, innovation, courage and commitment in working to end homelessness.” This year’s award recipients were: Daniel Brettler, a businessman who co-chairs the Committee to End Homelessness in King County, WA; Dr. Sam Tsemberis, Founder and Executive Director of Pathways to Housing in New York City; Federal District Court Judge Jay Zainey of New Orleans for his work with the homeless before and after Hurricane Katrina; and Hearth, a non profit organization in Boston that works to prevent homelessness among elders.

WITH THIS ISSUE, the e-news presents information on the Title V federal surplus property program as an opportunity to secure resources to assist persons experiencing homelessness under the McKinney- Vento Homeless Assistance Act.

WASHINGTON, DC. Under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, federal surplus real estate - land and buildings - can be transferred to eligible non-federal applicants for purposes of homeless assistance. Properties identified as "suitable and available" are listed each Friday in the Federal Register and are available exclusively to applicants for homeless use for a period of 60 days from the date of the notice. Where property is described as for “off-site use only'', recipients of the property would be required to relocate the building to their own site at their own expense.

The April 28, 2006 listing of Federal buildings and other real property determined to be “suitable and available“ include buildings in Alaska and Minnesota and land in New Mexico and New York. A direct link to the April 28 Federal Register notice can be found on the Interagency Council's website by clicking on the Funding tab.

Applicants for these federal surplus properties must identify how they intend to utilize the property to meet the needs of homeless persons in their communities. Under a new policy, which is expected to take effect this spring, local governments and community organizations will soon be able to use federal surplus property for permanent supportive housing. To date, the use of federal surplus property has been restricted to homeless shelters, transitional programs, and services.

DO YOU want to support the Interagency Council’s State and City Initiatives to End Chronic Homelessness? Come to work for the Council!

The United States Interagency Council on Homelessness is looking for qualified individuals who are committed to the Administration’s goal of ending chronic homelessness and the Council’s mission and objectives. Join us full-time in support of our federal partnership with jurisdictional leaders in States, Cities, and Counties across the nation. Results-oriented, performance-based experience is important, as is knowledge of the Council's initiatives, and the ability to work closely and flexibly with Council staff and partners in Washington and the field to enhance our technical assistance tools and events for 10- Year Plan Cities and State Interagency Councils. Superior skills in all forms of communication are essential.

Are you interested? Send us a letter and resume by email, and we'll tell you more: usich@usich.gov