The nation's Mayors this week acted unanimously to pass several related resolutions on innovation in preventing and ending homelessness at the United States Conference of Mayors Annual Meeting in Miami. Affirming the Mayors' partnership with the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, the Mayors noted the key role of the Council in encouraging innovation and cost benefit studies in jurisdictionally-led, community- based, business-oriented 10 Year Plans around the country that are achieving results in ending homelessness. "Innovation is the 'R & D' of strategies to end homelessness," indicated Council Executive Director Philip Mangano. "The Council is committed to the rapid dissemination of innovation and identifying 'what works,' to end the homelessness of our most vulnerbale neighbors."

The nation's Mayors acted on resolutions affirming the evidence-based adoption of innovations, and increased investment in proven strategies that end chronic homelessness, with a strong focus on permanent housing with supportive services. The Mayors urged a $2 billion level for federal resources for HUD homeless programs and the creation of an innovative grants program to support demonstration grants to communities implementing 10 Year Plans, expressing their support for the expansion of HUD-VASH supported by Congress and the Administration, rapid rehousing initiatives for families, new housing resources for aging out foster care youth, and new resources for services.

Recognizing the productive results-oriented partnership of more than five years with the Council, USCM affirmed "the value of the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness and commends its initiatives to support mayors as they implement ten year plans."

Mayors also passed unanimous resolutions on Council-driven innovations including Community 10 Year Plan Champions, Housing First, and Project Homeless Connect. Pictured here is new USCM President and Miami Mayor Manny Diaz.

"Once again our nation's Mayors demonstrated their appetite for innovation and the resources to implement field-tested and evidence-based practice in their Ten Year Plans to reduce and end the long misery of homelessness for our most vulnerable neighbors," indicated Director Mangano. "The leadership of Mayor Diaz, who has seen a decrease in homelessness in Miami and Dade County, ensures that a champion on the issue and a partner to the Council will offer new opportunities to partner with Mayors in the coming year."

*USCM photos

Resolution No. 34, Supporting Innovative Policies to End and Prevent Chronic Homelessness Across the Nation, proposed and sponsored by:
San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Miami Mayor Manuel A. Diaz, Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, Norfolk Mayor Paul D. Fraim, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon, Sacramento Mayor Heather Fargo, San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed, Providence Mayor David Cicilline, Oakland Mayor Ronald Dellums, San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders, and Somerville, MA Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone.

WHEREAS, mayors are committed to ending chronic homelessness in our nation's cities; and
WHEREAS, chronically homeless individuals, those with the most persistent forms of homelessness, are afflicted not only by poverty but also by severe conditions such as mental illness and substance abuse; and
WHEREAS, mayors and cities are on the front lines of the response to chronic homelessness; and
WHEREAS, in order for persons experiencing chronic homelessness to succeed in their housing, supportive services are necessary to mitigate health, substance abuse, and mental health problems; and
WHEREAS, numerous studies compiled by the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness have shown that permanent supportive housing models to end chronic homelessness are highly effective and that the cost of providing supportive housing is substantially offset by savings in the most expensive systems of community care including hospitalizations, jails, and other correctional facilities; and
WHEREAS, these supportive strategies improve the quality of life for both the individuals being housed and the community at large; and
WHEREAS, ending chronic homelessness requires collaboration and coordination at all levels of government, together with community institutions, businesses, and faith-based organizations, to determine how best to implement prevention and intervention strategies; and
WHEREAS, more than 330 local governments have created jurisdictionally-based 10-Year Plans to end chronic homelessness, many of which are showing results; and
WHEREAS, though there is progress in many communities, new data demonstrates that homelessness continues to be one of our nation's most challenging social problems; more than 2 million people experience homelessness over the course of a year; and
WHEREAS, over 20 percent of all homeless adults are veterans and 44,000 and 64,000 veterans are chronically homeless, representing a national tragedy,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the U.S. Conference of Mayors strongly supports the increased investment in proven strategies that end chronic homelessness, with a strong focus on permanent housing with supportive services; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the U.S. Conference of Mayors, to achieve the goal of ending chronic homelessness in 10 years, urges Congress to appropriate $2 billion in HUD's Homeless Assistance Grants program, which would enable communities to develop 15,000 units of permanent supportive housing; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the U.S. Conference of Mayors continues to endorse and urges Congress to create new permanent funding sources for supportive services for the homeless within the Health and Human Services budget; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the U.S. Conference of Mayors urges Congress to re-authorize the McKinney-Vento Act with provisions for regulatory relief that would allow existing federal funds appropriated through McKinney-Vento to be fully expended and more efficiently utilized each budget year; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the U.S. Conference of Mayors urges Congress, through the re-authorization of the McKinney-Vento Act, to fund an innovative grants program that would provide demonstration grants to communities across the nation implementing ten-year plans to end chronic homelessness; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the U.S. Conference of Mayors calls on Congress and the Administration to provide permanent supportive housing to assist the nation's significant and growing homeless veterans population, including providing additional Section 8 Vouchers for the HUD-Veterans Affairs Supported Housing (HUD-VASH) program, which provides permanent housing subsidies and case management services to homeless veterans with mental and addictive disorders; and through the VA Medical Care Account, provide a dollar for dollar supportive services match for the HUD-VASH Section 8 vouchers; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the U.S. Conference of Mayors urges Congress and HUD to end homelessness for the roughly 600,000 families who are homeless each year by providing rapid rehousing programs that focus on helping homeless families move back into permanent housing as quickly as possible; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the U.S. Conference of Mayors endorses and urges Congress to enact legislation that would provide Federal housing assistance and services to youth over the age of 18 aging out of foster care and in need of assistance; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the U.S. Conference of Mayors affirms the value of the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness and commends its initiatives to support mayors as they implement ten year plans.

Pictured above is resolution sponsor San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom as he co-chaired the meeting of the Mayors Hunger and Homelessness Task Force.

An evidence-based innovation in 10 Year Planning is the appointment of a Community Champion by a committed Mayor 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 Mayors in their resolution noted the importance of 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."

Pictured here preparing to attend the USCM Community Development and Housing Committee meeting to discuss the proposed resolutions are (left to right): Little Rock Mayor Mark Stodola, Green Bay, WI Mayor and Housing Committee Co-chair Jim Schmitt, Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin, and McKinney, Texas Mayor Bill Whitfield.

Read on for the full text of Resolution No. 31. . . .

Resolution No. 30, The Selection of "Community Champions" by Mayors to Inspire 10 Year Planning Efforts with Jurisdictional Leaders, proposed and sponsored by:
Dallas Mayor Thomas Leppert, Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin, Norfolk Mayor Paul Fraim, and Santa Barbara Mayor Marty Blum.

WHEREAS, mayors and cities are on the front lines of the response to chronic homelessness; and
WHEREAS, mayors are committed through 10 Year Plans to ending chronic homelessness in our nation's cities; and
WHEREAS, over 335 cities and counties have created jurisdictionally-led, community-based 10 Year Plans to End Homelessness focused on ending the disgrace of homelessness, not managing it, and many of these plans are leading to results; and
WHEREAS, the development and implementation of these 10 Year Plans to End Homelessness bring together community leaders representing all stakeholder groups, including the leadership of the private sector; and
WHEREAS, 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; and
WHEREAS mayors have recognized the critical importance of the involvement of these private sector leaders and the business mindset they bring to the success of their Plan; and
WHEREAS, mayors have therefore adopted the Community Champion model, disseminated as a national innovation by the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, in the appointment by the mayor of a highly visible and credible private sector leader or leaders not primarily associated with homelessness to lead the implementation of the 10 Year Plan; and
WHEREAS Community Champions have leveraged significant new resources, including drawing in new private sector partners in support of the implementation of 10 Year Plans; and
WHEREAS, these new resources have shown direct impact on the results these communities are achieving,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the U.S. Conference of Mayors endorses the national innovation of the Community Champion; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the U.S. Conference of Mayors, encourages mayors to adopt the Community Champion innovation in the development and implementation of the 10 Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness in their communities.

The innovative Housing First technology pioneered by Dr. Sam Tsemberis in Pathways to Housing, and which has achieved housing stability and recovery for persons experiencing chronic homelessness, has been named an evidence-based practice by the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). About 85% of Housing First participants were stably housed after two years, versus 30% for participants in the comparison group, who were assigned to traditional programs that made treatment and sobriety prerequisites for housing. Rapid rehousing strategies also seek to reduce the length of homelessness and assist both families and individuals.

Soon after its revitalization by the President, the Council affirmed the value of Housing First and created a $55 million federalinteragency initiative that replicated the best practice in 11 cities across the country. Housing First - which has been adopted in sites around the country and by the majority of federal awardees in targeted interagency permanent supportive housing collaborations - is designed to end homelessness and support recovery for individuals who are homeless and have severe psychiatric disabilities and co-occurring substance use disorders. Housing First model is based on a foundation that emphasizes consumer choice in accessing services. The innovation addresses homeless individuals' needs from a consumer perspective, encouraging them to define their own needs and goals, and provides immediate housing without any treatment or sobriety requirements. Treatment and support services are effectively provided through an Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) team consisting of social workers, nurses, psychiatrists, vocational and substance abuse counselors, peer counselors, formerly homeless individuals and other professionals. These services may include psychiatric and substance use treatment, supported employment, illness management, and recovery services.

In their unanimous affirmation of the innovation of Housing First/Rapid Rehousing, the nation's Mayors recognized both the results of cost benefit analysis that support the use of the innovation versus "random ricocheting" through expensive systems of health care, treatment, and law enforcement, and the adoption of the housing innovation as a core strategy of 10 Year Plans.

The Mayors concluded their statement of support: "The U.S. Conference of Mayors recognizes the effectiveness of the partnership between Mayors and the U. S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, manifested in the development of 10 Year Plans to End Homelessness that are leading to reductions in chronic homelessness."

Pictured here is the USCM Community Development and Housing Committee meeting to discuss proposed resolutions.

Read on to see the full text of Resolution No. 31 . . .

Resolution No. 31, Housing First and Rapid Re- Housing as Key Strategies In Ending Homelessness and Creating Results in 10 Year Plans, proposed and sponsored by: USCM President and Miami Mayor Manny Diaz, Norfolk Mayor Paul Fraim, Wichita Mayor Carl Brewer, and Santa Barbara Mayor Marty Blum.

WHEREAS, people experiencing chronic homelessness are our most disabled and vulnerable citizens and most likely to die on the streets of our communities; and
WHEREAS, research has indicated people experiencing chronic homelessness comprise between 10 and 20% of all homeless persons, but consume 50% of the resources targeted to homelessness; and
WHEREAS, research has also shown that people experiencing chronic homelessness are very expensive in mainstream health, treatment, and law enforcement systems and, according to current research, may cost the community between $35,000 and $150,000 per person per year in their random ricocheting through such systems; and
WHEREAS, permanent housing is the central antidote to homelessness; and
WHEREAS, research has shown that providing permanent housing with wrap-around support services in the context of permanent housing, known as Housing First and Rapid Re- Housing, results in costs ranging from $13,500 to $25,000, resulting in the potential for significant cost savings to communities; and
WHEREAS, research studies across the country indicate that 85% of people experiencing chronic homelessness who move into Housing First and Rapid Re-housing options stabilize and maintain that housing; and
WHEREAS, the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness has disseminated Housing First and Rapid Re- Housing as a national innovation that is leading to results, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has designated Housing First as an evidence-based practice; and
WHEREAS, the mayors and county executives of over 335 cities and counties have committed to develop and implement jurisdictionally led, community based 10 Year Plans to End Homelessness, in partnership with the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness; and
WHEREAS, most jurisdictionally led 10 Year Plans to End Homelessness now recognize Housing First as a core strategy in their 10 Year Plans to reduce and end chronic homelessness; and
WHEREAS, a number of communities implementing 10 Year Plans to End Homelessness with Housing First and Rapid Re- housing strategies are seeing reductions in the number of people experiencing chronic homelessness living on their streets and languishing in emergency shelters,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the U.S. Conference of Mayors recognizes Housing First and Rapid Re- housing as key strategies in ending the homelessness of the most vulnerable and disabled people in our communities; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the U.S. Conference of Mayors recognizes the effectiveness of the partnership between Mayors and the U. S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, manifested in the development of 10 Year Plans to End Homelessness that are leading to reductions in chronic homelessness.

Project Homeless Connect is the one-day, one-stop engagement innovation first pioneered by San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom to extend hospitality and increased access to resources to people experiencing homelessness through a convenient one-stop model.

From its origins in San Francisco, Project Homeless Connect has been identified by the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) as an innovation that mobilizes civic will to end homelessness and achieves results for consumers. Communities have adopted the innovation to move people more quickly toward housing and stability and to further the goals of their 10 Year Plans to end homelessness.

More than 300 Project Homeless Connect events in over 170 communities in the U.S., Canada, and Australia in less than three years are evidence of the rapid adoption of this innovation which builds on models of response to Katrina and Stand Downs for veterans. Cities and counties of every size from coast to coast have engaged in Project Homeless Connect events.

The Mayors' resolution noted that the Council identified Project Homeless Connect as a replicable innovation and supports "pilgrimages" to experience the event which welcomes people experiencing homelessness back into community life by mobilizing volunteers from all walks of life. As noted in the resolution, cities have launched Project Homeless Connect events specifically to engage homeless youth, homeless families, and chronically homeless individuals and have engaged business, academia, professional sports, and an expansive range of new public and private partners in executing Project Homeless Connect events.

Through their support of the resolution, the Mayors encouraged the adoption of the innovation and Mayoral partnership in the Council's 2008 National Project Homeless Connect Week, December 1-7.

Read on to see the full text of Resolution No. 27 . . .

Resolution No. 27, Endorsing the Innovation of National Project Homeless Connect to Engage Our Homeless Neighbor and Offer Resources, proposed and sponsored by: San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, Miami Mayor Manuel A. Diaz, Norfolk Mayor Paul D. Fraim, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders, Wichita Mayor Carl Brewer, Las Vegas Mayor Oscar B. Goodman, San Rafael Mayor Albert J. Boro, Oakland Mayor Ronald Dellums, and San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed.

WHEREAS, mayors are committed to ending homelessness for individuals and families in our nation's cities; and
WHEREAS, mayors and cities are on the front lines of the response to homelessness; and
WHEREAS, the National Partnership created by the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) has brought together 20 federal agencies, 52 governors of states and territories, and over 335 mayors to remedy chronic homelessness; and
WHEREAS, the partnership of the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness with the U.S. Conference of Mayors has resulted in the creation of over 335 jurisdictionally based 10- Year Plans to end chronic homelessness, and many cities of all sizes now report quantifiable results in reducing street and chronic homelessness; and
WHEREAS, Project Homeless Connect was created by Mayor Gavin Newsom in San Francisco, CA in October 2004; and demonstrated remarkable results in engaging street and chronic homeless people; and
WHEREAS, the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness identified Project Homeless Connect as a replicable innovation and supported "pilgrimages" to experience the event, when there was a five-fold increase in the number of events hosted nationwide; and
WHEREAS, the innovation of National Project Homeless Connect disseminated by the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness is helping cities welcome people experiencing homelessness back into community life by mobilizing volunteers from all walks of life to provide services and housing in one-day, one-stop engagement events that support the goals of their 10-Year Plans; and
WHEREAS, over the last four years more than 170 cities of all sizes have adopted this innovation first developed in San Francisco, hosting over 300 events, and building on models of response to Katrina and veterans' Stand Downs; and
WHEREAS, mayors have organized Project Homeless Connect events specifically to engage homeless youth, homeless families, and chronically homeless individuals; and
WHEREAS, mayors have engaged business, academia, professional sports, and an expansive range of new public and private partners in executing Project Homeless Connect events; and
WHEREAS, research compiled by the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness suggests that Project Homeless Connect provides consumer-centric strategies to deliver immediate results in needed services, housing, and employment, and supports a new way of doing business to achieve results for homeless consumers; and
WHEREAS, cities of all sizes have developed best practices in Project Homeless Connect events and have been encouraged by the Interagency Council to share their strategies with other cities; and
WHEREAS, the Interagency Council has convened coordinated annual National Project Homeless Connect events in December 2005, December 2006, and December 2007 to partner with cities, and has designated December 1 -7, 2008 as 2008 National Project Homeless Connect Week,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the U.S. Conference of Mayors encourages and supports the increased involvement of Mayors in creating Project Homeless Connect events and participating in the 2008 National Project Homeless Connect Week and throughout the year in proven strategies that end homelessness; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the U.S. Conference of Mayors commends this innovative initiative and encourages mayors to adopt the National Project Homeless Connect model and participate in the 2008 National Project Homeless Connect Week.

Our series of Special Issues reporting the results of the U.S. Conference of Mayors Annual Meeting will conclude tomorrow with a Special Issue focused on resolutions unanimously passed by the Mayors in support of the HUD-VASH housing program for veterans and new reentry resources in the Second Chance Act.

email: usich@usich.gov

web: http://www.usich.gov