"I applaud this Samaritan Initiative legislation . . . In my endorsement, I join with the U.S. Conference of Mayors, which recently passed a resolution endorsing the Samaritan Initiative budget proposal for new resources, as well as many individual mayors and several leading advocacy groups." Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper (pictured here with United States Interagency Council Executive Director Philip Mangano)

"The Samaritan Initiative will help combat and end chronic homelessness. We applaud the Initiative's call for new funding for supportive housing as well as measurable performance outcomes in reducing homelessness." Columbus/Franklin County, Ohio, Community Shelter Board Executive Director Barbara Poppe

"This Subcommittee can move us closer to the tipping point that would move us away from managing the homelessness problem to ending it. We must do something for our most vulnerable citizens. Today, that something is supporting H.R. 4057." Philadelphia Deputy Managing Director Robert Hess

"[The Samaritan Initiative] holds the promise of being an important and valuable tool. The National Alliance to End Homelessness supports the Samaritan Initiative and urges Congress to authorize it." National Alliance to End Homelessness President Nan Roman

"The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) and the City of Los Angeles readily endorse the Samaritan Initiative because it will continue a successful collaborative model that will help us reach the national goal of ending chronic homelessness." LAHSA Executive Director Mitchell Netburn

"As a community we took what we have learned from our Mayor's Task Force to End Chronic Homelessness and applied it to our strategic 10-Year Plan. Our 10- Year Plan, encouraged in partnership and collaboration with the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, is an example of the way that public and private agencies can come together to strategically coordinate and collaborate . . . [The Samaritan Initiative] fits ideally into our city-parish efforts of one stop shopping for homelessness services. We support the housing strategies that move the chronic homeless from the streets and shelters into housing." Baton Rouge Mayor- President Bobby Simpson

"We thank the Subcommittee for its attention to the serious problem of homelessness in our country, and we are especially grateful to Congressman Renzi, Chairman Ney, and the other sponsors of the Samaritan Initiative Act of 2004 for their willingness to take a leadership role in Congress on behalf of some of our nation's most vulnerable people." Archdiocese of Denver Catholic Charities and Community Services President and CEO James Mauck, testifying on behalf of Catholic Charities USA, Volunteers of America, and Lutheran Services in America

"U.S. VETS supports any measure that provides assistance to programs serving the homeless, particularly those that make provisions for our homeless veterans." Prescott, AZ, United States Veterans Initiative Director Stephanie Buckley

In a hearing convened this week, the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity heard testimony on H.R. 4057, the Samaritan Initiative Act of 2004. The House hearing was chaired by Samaritan Initiative lead sponsor Representative Rick Renzi (AZ) and Subcommittee Chair Robert Ney (OH), who convened two panels of witnesses to address the Administration's FY 05 proposal to create new investments to end chronic homelessness. Participants in the hearing included local mayors, national advocacy organizations, faith- based organizations, service providers, and United States Interagency Council Executive Director Philip Mangano.

On the first panel testifying before the Subcommittee were representatives of cities advancing local strategies to end chronic homelessness and representatives of national advocacy and service organizations focused on homelessness. Those testifying were Philadelphia Deputy Managing Director Robert Hess, Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority Executive Director Mitchell Netburn, Columbus/Franklin County, OH, Community Shelter Board Executive Director Barbara Poppe, National Alliance to End Homelessness President Nan Roman, National Coalition for the Homeless Executive Director Donald Whitehead, Alameda, CA, Housing Authority Director Michael Pucci, Prescott, AZ, United States Veterans Initiative Director Stephanie Buckley, and Denver Catholic Charities CEO James Mauck.

Testifying with Mr. Mangano were Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper and Baton Rouge Parish Mayor Bobby Simpson. Denver and Baton Rouge are 2 of the 126 communities across the nation that have developed or are in the process of developing 10-Year Plans. Denver is one of the 11 communities benefiting from last year's historic Collaborative Initiative to End Chronic Homelessness, the precursor to the proposed Samaritan Initiative. Guided by the Interagency Council, this Collaborative Initiative combined for the first time the resources of the U.S. Departments of Housing and Urban Development, Health and Human Services, and Veterans Affairs into a single application process for communities to receive both permanent housing and supportive services funding targeted toward persons living long term on the streets and in shelters.

The proposed legislation would authorize new federal resources - $50 million from HUD in new housing resources, $10 million in new SAMHSA resources, and $10 million in new added health resources in VA - to promote and support community efforts to end chronic homelessness. The Samaritan Initiative was proposed in the President's FY '05 budget and introduced in Congress in March by Representative Renzi. The legislation supports the President's goal of ending chronic homelessness in ten years and is strongly supported by communities across the country that have been developing 10-Year Plans.

Stating that "chronic homelessness is not only a big city problem," Baton Rouge, LA, Mayor-President and Louisiana Conference of Mayors President Bobby Simpson told the House Housing and Community Opportunity Subcommittee on July 13 that the proposed $70 million investment will address "a problem that affects communities across the country large and small, urban and rural. We have formed the Mayor's Task Force to End Chronic Homelessness. This task force was established to link and expand the local network of homeless service providers to include businesses, schools, local law enforcement and the faith community. This has to be a collaborative community effort." Mayor Simpson went on to point out that the proposed Samaritan Initiative interagency approach, which will utilize a single application, will fit well with the changes his community has implemented.

Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper (pictured here), who testified at the hearing, stated that he "ran for office on the issue of measurable outcomes" and described his community's commitment. "I appear here today representing the citizens of Denver, Colorado, but I expect that I also speak for the mayors of many localities across the country. Like more than 100 other cities and counties, Denver is committed and working aggressively to end homelessness in our community within ten years," he said. "We have mobilized the best hearts and minds in our city through a large, broad-based commission of homeless individuals, business leaders, service providers, government agencies, city council members, and neighborhood representatives."

Mayors Simpson and Hickenlooper spoke of the endorsements of the National League of Cities and the U.S. Conference of Mayors of the Samaritan Initiative. Both Mayors were clear that their 10-year planning processes would be supported in gaining results through Samaritan investments.

National Alliance to End Homelessness President Nan Roman (pictured here second from right on panel), testifying in support of the proposed Samaritan Initiative before the House Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity this week, told legislators that H.R. 4057 "promises to encourage communities to take on the complex but do-able task of moving chronically homeless people into housing by providing resources in a flexible but targeted fashion." Ms. Roman was one of several representatives of national advocacy and service organizations who testified in support of the bill. She went on to tell the members of the Subcommittee that the interagency initiative will, "by insisting on an outcome focus, give communities the tools they need to assess how they might more efficiently apply resources to get people into housing rather than leave them on the streets."

Ms. Roman pointed to the flexibility proposed in the initiative and the focus on permanent supportive housing as being key strengths of the new initiative. Flexibility was also emphasized in the testimony of Stephanie Buckley of Prescott, AZ, United States Veterans Initiative, who described the Samaritan Initiative as an important opportunity for rural communities to address chronic homelessness.

Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority Executive Director Mitchell Netburn, representing one of the 11 Collaborative Initiative sites, stated, "I am pleased to report that the project has met its goal to house 70% of its clients within the first six months of the program. This model works. In addition, Los Angeles' Collaborative established an unprecedented level of local interagency cooperation among parties that had not previously coordinated. "

City of Philadelphia Deputy Managing Director Robert Hess told the Subcommittee that the proposed new $70 million investment "dedicated to funding chronic homeless programs, [will ] enable us to do more of what we already know needs to be done and, frankly, what we already know will work." Hess described his city's record as "a testament that political will when coupled with increased funding can dramatically reduce the number of men and women experiencing chronic homelessness."

Columbus, OH, Community Shelter Board Executive Director Barbara Poppe told the Subcommittee that the proposed Samaritan Initiative is a "positive step in achieving our collective goal " of ending chronic homelessness. Others giving testimony raised concerns regarding the Section 8 issues as did several of the Representatives. National Coalition for the Homeless Executive Director Donald Whitehead expressed these concerns and fell short of endorsing the $70 million Samaritan Initiative. Otherwise, all other witnesses - mayors, advocates, and providers - despite other reservations, supported Samaritan.

Testifying on behalf of the Administration before the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity in its hearing on the proposed Samaritan Initiative, U.S. Interagency Council Executive Director Philip Mangano (pictured here) expressed concern for those on the streets of our communities and long term in our shelters. Based on a quarter century of experience as an advocate, provider, and public official, he recognized the moral, spiritual, and quality of life reasons to take action for those vulnerable populations. In the creation of permanent, supportive housing, he acknowledged the economic reality that "the failed ad hoc responses of the past are more expensive than the coordinated solutions of the future."

"Samaritan is an investment in 10-year plans and partnerships and indicates our non-partisan support to reduce and end homelessness on our streets and in our shelters . . . In developing these city plans we've worked closely with the U.S. Conference of Mayors who have agreed with us that on this issue of homelessness, partnership trumps partisanship. There is no D or R or I. We're just Americans partnering to end a national disgrace."

"Congress has received two letters from over 80 mayors endorsing Samaritan. The U.S. Conference of Mayors endorsed the Samaritan Initiative last month at its annual meeting. A number of national homeless, faith-based, and issues-related organizations have endorsed, as well as individual provider agencies . . . But the most important endorsement for Samaritan comes from the field - from the streets - from last year's precursor to the Samaritan Initiative, the Collaborative Chronic Homelessness Initiative. That initiative, invested in 11 cities across the country, has produced results. Newly funded, results-oriented initiatives begun earlier this year have already found the target and hit the bull's-eye. Hundreds of those who have been on our streets for years and long term in our shelters have moved into permanent supportive housing - and are staying there. By the end of the year hundreds more will join them. These efforts are improving lives and saving money."

Two new cosponsors have joined the growing list of House members supporting H.R. 4057, the Samaritan Initiative. Representative Jim Ramstad of Minnesota (pictured here), a member of the House Ways and Means Committee and the Health and Trade Subcommittees, has become a cosponsor. Representative Ramstad has been involved in issues of mental health and substance abuse, as well as law enforcement. Representative Ramstad's district includes parts of Anoka and Hennepin Counties, Eden Prarie, Minnetonka, and Wayzata.

Representative Howard McKeon (CA), a member of the House for over a decade, has been extensively involved in education issues and is a senior member of the House Education and the Workforce Committee. Since 1995, Representative McKeon has chaired the House Subcommittee on 21st Century Competitiveness, with jurisdiction over higher education, technology in education, job training and welfare reform. Representative McKeon's California district includes the Santa Clarita and Antelope Valleys, portions of San Bernardino County and all of Inyo and Mono Counties.

Representatives from California, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Utah, and Wisconsin are now signed on to this effort to increase resources targeted to ending chronic homelessness. Now that the hearing has occurred there continues to be an opportunity for members of the House to support the legislation. New housing and service resources provided by Samaritan are recognized to be part of the solution to end chronic homelessness.

. . . that HUD's statement for the hearing record in support of the Samaritan Initiative included the following:

• " . . . Of the more than $1 billion awarded for targeted HUD homeless assistance projects in 2003, nearly half of the persons to be assisted by these funds are homeless families. Specifically, HUD's funding assisted over 200,000 families, including over 350,000 children."
• " . . . Over 2,000 of the nearly 3,800 projects awarded will target homeless veterans among those they serve. Over 100 of these projects specifically target homeless veterans."
• " . . . A total of 930 awarded projects will serve homeless youth while more than 160 serve victims of domestic violence. Our commitment to serving all homeless groups is unwavering."