SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA. California's capital city has reported the second straight year of decrease in chronic homelessness, with a 31% decrease from 2008 to 2009, and a 35% decrease in the two year period 2007 to 2009. Sacramento's Policy Board to End Homelessness and Sacramento Planning Council comprise the leadership team for Sacramento's city-county 10 Year Plan, and new Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson and County Supervisor Roger Dickinson have this year reaffirmed their commitment to the plan. Leaders credit the new decrease with the successful housing of 320 individuals.

Sacramento leaders made their inaugural announcement of a 5% decrease in chronic homelessness in 2008 as it moved forward with the implementation of its Plan under then- Mayor Heather Fargo. Sacramento Ten Year Plan innovations have also been featured in the Council's innovations series, including the Sacramento report card on plan progress, and redevelopment tax increment financing to support housing under its plan.

Ending Chronic Homelessness Initiative Director Tim Brown and Diane Luther, prior Director and now Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Authority official overseeing permanent supportive housing production for the plan, also have launched a Faith and Families Initiative as a pilot program to help families avoid or escape homelessness. Patterned after successful programs in Denver, Colorado and Boise, Idaho, the initiative provides temporary housing assistance, financial planning and education provided by mentor teams, and other supportive services to families through a partnership between faith congregations and service providers. The philosophy of the program is based on developing relationships between families and groups of volunteer mentors from the faith community. Families targeted are newly homeless, who need short-term assistance to get back on their feet, and do not have significant problems with mental illness or drug/alcohol addictions.

TACOMA, WASHINGTON. "The Road Home" is Tacoma and Pierce County's Ten Year Plan, and the latest data from the city-county partnership show that the plan is working to end chronic homelessness, even in the face of the economic downturn. The city with Mayor Bill Baarsma's leadership and the county undertook their plan focused on chronic homelessness when their assessment showed that a five-year initiative on family homelessness was working.

Now the latest point-in-time data show the results for the chronic population. 2009 data show a 30% decrease in chronic homelessness, with a 20% decrease in chronicity among veterans. Decreases were strong for all profiles of individuals, with a 12% decrease in the singles population, and a 24% decrease in the number of unsheltered men.

The University of Puget Sound under the leadership of President Ron Thomas has been a strong partner to the Plan, and the Tacoma-Pierce County Coalition for the Homeless last year presented the University with The Road Home Leadership Team Award. Through Puget Sound's Civic Scholarship Initiative, which brings university resources to the aid of the community, faculty members undertook research on the most effective ways to help the hundreds of people living without homes throughout the county. Puget Sound faculty and students also volunteered to help at events such as Project Homeless Connect. The Puget Sound research work assisted Tacoma and Pierce County in developing job- training programs and permanent housing, contributing to the statewide effort to reduce homelessness by 50% within 10 years. The University announced this month that it would partner with the Coalition to conduct new family homelessness research.

RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA. Results of Riverside, California's most recent point-in-time count of people experiencing homelessness have been released and show a 25% decrease over two years. The January 2009 count found 3,366 people homeless, a decrease of 1,142 people from 2007. 41% of those identified were considered chronically homeless, and 69% were men.

With this news, Riverside - while facing the difficulties of the mortgage/foreclosure and job loss crisis - joins other cities across the country, including Asheville, NC, Santa Monica, CA, Springfield, MA, and New York City, that have reported new decreases even as Riverside Mayor Ron Loveridge, currently First Vice President of the National League of Cities, and Riverside County Supervisor John Tavaglione prepare to invest new recovery resources in their communities hit hard by the economic crisis.

ORLANDO, FLORIDA. Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and Orange County Mayor Richard T. Crotty have jointly announced a new $6.6 million commitment funding for a new residential center to intervene in men's homelessness. Using federal funds from the Community Block Grant Program, Orange County committed $5 million over the two-and-a-half-year design and construction period, and the City of Orlando will contribute $1.6 million over a two-year period.

The Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida will undertake the project designed for 250 men, which is similar to their existing programs for homeless women and families with children.

The two jurisdictional leaders are partnered in the Central Florida Commission on Homelessness which developed "Ten 2 End," the region's Ten Year Plan. Ed Timberlake, Chairman of Central Florida Seaside Bank and former Director and Chair of Heart of Florida United Way, serves as Managing Chair of the Commission. Among the commission members are Walt Disney World President Meg Crofton, Darden Restaurants CEO Clarence Otis, and the Orlando Magic's COO, Alex Martins.

WASHINGTON, DC. The White House Rose Garden was the setting this week as two Kansas City police officers were honored for their work in ending the chronic homelessness of one man they had encountered on a routine winter night call and then persevered in moving from the streets to a home of his own. The annual "Top Cops" awards honored 11 law enforcement teams for outstanding service. President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, and Attorney General Eric Holder were present for the National Association of Police Organizations ceremonies.

On a cold New Year's Eve, Officers David Loar and Christopher Skinner answered a routine alarm call at a Sears store, only to find a man sleeping near the underground garage. "Harold," a retired 70-year-old trucker, had lost his home seven years earlier after his marriage broke up and he fell on hard economic times. As many people experience when they become homeless, Harold lost all his identification papers and confronted barriers at every turn as he tried unsuccessfully to re-establish himself.

Just a week later, the officers began what became a series of steps to support one man in a return to stability, first visiting the County Health Department to obtain a birth certificate for Harold and then spending their own funds to rent a hotel room so that Harold could ready himself to acquire a post office box and obtain a Social Security card. When an obstacle presented itself - no P.O. box without ID - the officers stepped in to remedy it. Officer Skinner signed for the box for Harold.

At the Social Security office, Harold's police record was used as identification to issue a new card. Officer Loar inquired whether Harold was due any benefits and staff determined that he was, but had never applied. Harold recalled that his lack of ID had presented a problem. He was due a lump sum back payment of $9,800 according to Social Security, and a monthly benefit for the rest of his life, as well as Medicare, which staff enrolled him in. The officers then accompanied Harold to obtain a state ID card.

Housing was the next stop. The officers found an affordable unit to rent and negotiated a further discount. The landlord wanted an extra week to replace carpet, flooring, appliances and fixtures, so Harold had no place to stay in the meantime, though he was prepared to return to the Sears parking lot. When the officers and Harold arrived at Sears, they found all of Harold's belongings had been stolen, so the officers again rented a hotel room for the week. Before the apartment was ready, the officers collected coats and clothes which they delivered to Harold when they stopped by to check on him, and Officer Loar located furniture for the new apartment.

On March 22, Officer Skinner picked up Harold's $9,800 Social Security check from the P.O. Box and took Harold to the bank to open an account.

After move-in the officers continued to check in with Harold to see how he was settling in. On April 4, Harold called and invited them to come by. He had tracked every dollar the officers had spent and was ready to hand them $450 in repayment.

The commitment and compassion of Officers David Loar and Christopher Skinner underscores the importance of the stakeholder partnership of law enforcement in local communities committed to end homelessness and the personal support that is often required to cross barriers. The United States Interagency Council on Homelessness has previously recognized the innovative leadership of law enforcement in San Diego through the work of the Police Department and the Serial Inebriate Program, Reno Officer Patrick O'Bryan whose work with "Million Dollar Murray" Barr demonstrated the economic consequences of homelessness, and St. Paul's Sgt. Paul Paulos and Code Enforcement Officer Dean Koehnen, who started a community housing initiative to help individuals from street to home.

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS. Robert Glassman, co-founder and Co-chair of Wainwright Bank in Boston was honored last night with the Bob Ray Partnership Award for private sector leadership in ending homelessness. Mr. Glassman was presented with the award by outgoing United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano at the Massachusetts Housing and Shelter Alliance annual recognition event hosted by Executive Director Joe Finn. The late Bob Ray was a retired Gillette executive who gave substantially of his time and business expertise to shape non-profit response to homelessness.

"Bob Glassman has trusted what he calls the 'moral tenacity' of his borrowers given their commitment to a cause," noted Mr. Mangano in his remarks, pointing out that the bank's $700 million loan portfolio in community development has experienced zero in losses over 20 years. "He calls their relentless pursuit of a vision the 'moral collateral' that ensures the mutual benefit."

Established in 1987, Wainwright is a leading socially progressive bank, especially committed to homelessness, housing solutions, and community development. Having served as a platoon leader in Vietnam, Mr. Glassman subsequently earned a MBA from Harvard Business School and received an honorary doctorate in humane letters from the University of Massachusetts. Recognitions Mr. Glassman has received include the American Banker Community Banker of the Year Award, and the Boston Business Journal's CEO Social Leadership Award. Among its nationwide "firsts", Wainwright Bank, in 1999 created CommunityRoom.net, a website dedicated to building a virtual community of nonprofit organizations that enables them, at no cost, to build their online presence and accept donations from anywhere in the world. The Bank has received much recognition for its progressive social policies including being named one of the Top 20 Sustainable Stocks in the world by SustainableBusiness.com, and one of the 11 Best Lenders to Women in the U.S. by the Community Investing Campaign.

MIAMI, FLORIDA. Youth aging out of foster care have been documented as being at high risk for homelessness with the first year or two of exit, and new data from a Miami study underscores the importance of ensuring stable transition and supports fro this vulnerable group.

Over 340 young adults between 18 and 23 were studied over the course of a year, in research conducted by the Research Institute on Social and Economic Policy at Florida International University and commissioned by Our Kids of Miami-Dade/ Monroe, Inc., the Miami Coalition for the Homeless, and the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust. About 250 youth age out of foster care in Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties each year.

Researchers found that more than 25% were at risk of homelessness. Many cannot find housing that is affordable. After aging out, young adults may be eligible for a post secondary scholarship program if they are enrolled in a post secondary school on a full time basis. During enrollment they can receive a monthly stipend for living expenses. Researchers found that the average young adult paid over 60% of income for housing.

"Miami-Dade County is well known for its lack of affordable housing," said Ben Burton, Executive Director of the Miami Coalition for the Homeless, which helped fund the study. "This shortage, combined with the economic downturn, has severely impacted the lives of foster care youth aging out of foster care. Their biggest challenge is to find affordable housing in a safe neighborhood where they will have access to mass transit."

The federal Job Corps program is another residential option for aging out youth via successful Council- encouraged and no-cost Job Corps Foster Care Recruiting initiative. Results from the collaborative effort of the Department of Labor through its Job Corps program to reach and recruit aging out foster care youth for residential education and training placements, were reported last year as having enrolled 11,000 youth who were identified as foster care, runaways, or homeless individuals, from 2001 to 2007.

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA. Over 1,600 guests were welcomed by more than 1,400 community volunteers this week at Minneapolis and Hennepin County's seventh Project Homeless Connect event. Over 100 partners provided resources and services at the event at the Minneapolis Convention Center.

Cathy ten Broeke, City/County Coordinator to End Homelessness for Minneapolis/Hennepin County called the event "the smoothest and most hospitable Connect event yet," as organizers continued to improve consumer access to resources and services as a priority for Connect. Among the changes implemented were the introduction of "appointment cards" like those used in Disneyland for access to rides. Partners estimated how long it would take to serve one person and then created an appointment card for the consumer. For example, ID cards take six minutes per client to complete, so cards were given out accordingly to reduce waiting time.

Rather than distribute transportation passes as giveaways directly to consumers, the passes were given to providers to use for follow-up appointments for health care, employment, and more. Organizers developed a handbook that includes helpful hints for consumers, such as what is needed to access a particular resource or service, so that the consumer is better informed. This booklet also contained color coded maps of the event, which were also printed in large scale throughout the site.

Minneapolis continues to use a "checkbook" or flexible fund on site. The $4,000 emergency fund is used as a resource of last resort and tailored to individual needs. Whatever resource which could not otherwise be accessed to stabilize and assist an individual can be obtained through the fund, including steel-toed work boots, a small utility payment that yielded a payment plan with the utility company that made the bill "affordable" for the consumer, and a wig for a domestic violence victim.

Over 590 people received housing search assistance at the event, and over 285 had dental assessments. 69 had dental extractions. Almost 400 people used eye care services, and over 100 received medical care. 57 enrolled in job training, over 100 sought help with resumes, and 89 received job search assistance. 111 completed job applications, and over 200 took advantage of haircutting services.

email: usich@usich.gov

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