WACO, TEXAS. Dozens of local and federal officials and community leaders gathered in Waco, Texas last week for a meeting that launched a pilot effort by Region VI Federal Interagency Council on Homelessness members to provide dedicated technical assistance across the range of federal agencies to the implementation of a jurisdictional 10-Year Plan.

Participants were welcomed by Waco Mayor Virginia DuPuy whose leadership helped the community complete development of a 10-Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness entitled, Opening Doors, Unlocking Potential. Mayor DuPuy was joined by Waco Director of Housing Jeff Wall, and Homelessness Administrator Teri Holtkamp for the meeting between the federal Regional Interagency officials and Waco's 10-Year Plan Implementation Committee. In 2005 a Baylor University study estimated that homelessness cost Waco, a city of 114,000, an estimated $7.6 million annually with the cost of each chronically homeless person estimated at $39,000 per year.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Regional Director and 2007 Chair of the Region VI Interagency Council Michael Garcia and Administration for Children and Families Program Coordinator and Working Group Chair Susan Macaulay led the Federal team that also included U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Network Director and 2005 RICH Chair Thomas Stranova, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Region VI Faith Based Coordinator Nicolas Ramon representing HUD Regional Director Cynthia Leon; and other senior regional officials from HHS, HUD, VA, Labor, Transportation, Internal Revenue Service, and the Corporation for National and Community Service. Also participating was Dr. Larry Rickards, Chief of the Homeless Programs Branch of the Center for Mental Health Services at SAMHSA. The Education Department was represented through officials of the Texas Homeless Education Office at the University of Texas at Austin.

"Mayor DuPuy has been a leader among mayors with her city's adoption of a results-oriented plan, the implementation of Project Homeless Connect, and leadership in the U.S. Conference of Mayors," noted United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano, who joined Mayor DuPuy for the July 2005 unveiling of Waco's 10-Year Plan. "The Mayor now partners in a strong federal collaboration to end the homelessness of Waco's most vulnerable and disabled neighbors."

The City's 10-Year Plan Implementation Steering Committee includes representatives of the Waco Housing Authority, Mission Waco, Baylor University, the Cooper Foundation, the Waco Independent School District, and the business, real estate, and legal communities. Also in attendance were members of the Housing, Data/Finance, Outreach, and Healthcare, and Ex Offender Reintegration Implementation Committees and other invited community participants including representatives of the Chamber of Commerce, and congressional offices.

Among the topics discussed at this first meeting were housing opportunities with a special focus on the potential availability of a building on the Waco Veterans Affairs Medical Center campus; mental health and substance abuse; and discharge planning from prison facilities and other state facilities.

The July 31st meeting was held on a day proclaimed by Mayor DuPuy as "Sally Shipman Day" in the City of Waco, honoring the late United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Region VI Coordinator Sally Shipman "for her committed public service for our community, as well as at the county, state, and federal levels of government, in an effort to better the lives and conditions of homeless individuals and families. . . The City of Waco honors the memory of Sally Shipman by recognizing her passionate desire to eliminate homelessness." Bob Shipman, Sally's husband, was a special guest at the meeting and was presented with a copy of the City's Proclamation honoring Sally and a special collage of pictures.

FARGO, NORTH DAKOTA. With public support from Fargo, North Dakota Mayor Dennis Walaker and Moorhead, Minnesota Mayor Mark Voxland that included jointly signed letters to the business community and to service providers urging their participation and support, last week's inaugural Fargo- Moorhead regional Project Homeless Connect reached more than 300 homeless and at risk individuals and families, including 60 veterans. The event was coordinated by the Fargo Moorhead Coalition for Homeless Persons and the West Central Minnesota Continuum of Care and with the encouragement of the regional office of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs incorporated a Veterans Stand Down.

In their joint letter to the business community, the mayors noted that Project Homeless Connect "has become a best practice standard around the nation and is a part of the Fargo 10-Year Plan to End Long Term Homelessness." The Plan, entitled Going Home, was adopted by the Fargo City Commission and formally kicked off by Mayor Walaker at a press conference with United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano in October 2006. In their letter urging business support for Project Homeless Connect, the mayors said, "Aside from connecting persons who are homeless to services, the event helps to better connect service providers to each other and most importantly, other sectors of society to the problem of homelessness. This is where you come in. The business community can support Project Homeless Connect through cash or in kind donations, through volunteerism, and by providing the problem solving mindset our "can do" business community is associated with." Bremer Bank, FedExKinkos, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, Burlington North, Dakota Medical Foundation, ShareHouse, United Way, Salvation Army and Great Plains Food Bank all helped support the event.

"These mayors join jurisdictional leaders in over 130 other cities and counties in implementing an innovation that achieves results in ending homelessness," noted Council Executive Director Mangano, commenting on the inaugural PHC event. "Partnership and innovation is taking root across North Dakota, starting in the Governor's office and extending to these mayors and the expansive partnership of all sectors." In 2004 North Dakota Governor John Hoeven through Executive Order created the North Dakota Interagency Council on Homelessness with a mandate to create a state 10-Year Plan to End Long Term Homelessness by encouraging local communities and reservations to develop plans that would be "collectively rolled up" into a statewide plan. Planning grants were offered to communities with the largest concentrations of homelessness. In October 2006, Fargo became the first North Dakota city to develop a 10-Year Plan, and Bismarck is scheduled to unveil its plan in November.

Held at the Fargo Civic Center, the PHC event brought together 45 agencies and providers from both jurisdictions, the Minnesota Department of Human Services, officials of the Social Security Administration, and the U.S. Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development and more than 70 volunteers to provide welcome and assistance to homeless guests. Services provided included rental assistance (deposit and eviction prevention) through a variety of housing providers; mental health screenings; medical and prescription assistance; legal services; walkers and canes; haircuts; benefits information from Clay and Cass County Social Services, the Social Security Administration and the VA; employment information from the North Dakota Job Service and Minnesota Workforce Center; and onsite child care by the YMCA. After an exit interview, guests were encouraged to gather toiletries, clothing, and food supplies in a gift bag. Although "lessons learned" are still being compiled, organizers note the importance of strongly encouraging onsite computer and internet access by providers to facilitate benefit and employment applications and eligibility determinations.

At a pre-event rally, Mayor Walaker, Moorhead City Commissioner Diane Wray Williams, Fargo VA Associate Director Lavonne Liversage, and Project Homeless Connect Event Chair Michael Carbone welcomed and thanked the volunteers and providers. Also present were observers from Grand Forks and Bismarck, ND which has scheduled a Connect event for August 17. Pictured here, top, l-r, Mayor Walaker, Commissioner Williams; bottom, l-r, Coalition for Homeless Persons Vice President Howard Barlow who led the greeters with VA Associate Director Liversage; Mr. Carbone.

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS. "This Commission is not going to study the problems of shelters and report on what we already know," said State Representative and co-chair Byron Rushing at the inaugural meeting of the new State Commission to End Homelessness in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. " This Commission is charged with actually developing a workable plan--which will be goal oriented with benchmarks and timelines to end homelessness in the Commonwealth. We need to stop talking about the problem and dealing with it piecemeal. We can actually do something about it. Massachusetts needs to end homelessness."

The State Commission to End Homelessness, created by legislation sponsored by Representative Rushing and signed by Governor Deval Patrick, will present a "broad based housing plan and 5 year budget proposal that recognizes service needs to end homelessness" to the Governor and Legislature by the end of the year.

United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano praised the development, noting: "Commission creator Representative Byron Rushing evidenced his committed leadership in the Legislature as an abolitionist on the issue of homelessness in Massachusetts. This action by the Commonwealth is good for all the people of Massachusetts, housed and homeless alike."

The 30-member Commission is co-chaired by Representative Rushing and Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development Undersecretary Tina Brooks. Noted Governor Patrick in signing the legislation, "The humanitarian and monetary costs of dealing with homelessness are very high, but the costs of not finding long-term solutions are even higher," adding, "The Commission will help us to resolve this troubling issue by creating a coordinated system to deliver support services that will lead to permanent housing for homeless individuals and families."

Members of the Commission include, among others, Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray; nine additional state senators and representatives; a number of state agency heads include Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Judy Ann Bigby, Administration and Finance Secretary Leslie Kirwan, and Economic Development Secretary Dan O'Connell; Mayors Tom Menino of Boston, Michael Sullivan of Holyoke, and Clare Higgins of Northampton; Chief Justice of the Housing Court Stephen Pierce; Massachusettts Sheriffs Association President James Cummings; Mass Veterans Inc. President Vin Perrone; and representatives of the provider community including Massachusetts Housing and Shelter Alliance Executive Director Joe Finn, and One Family Campaign Director Sue Beaton.

A Boston Globe August 8 editorial on the new commission concluded, "Ending homelessness once seemed like a pipe dream. Now it appears to be a job that Massachusetts can do."

RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA. A new state Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), an increase in funding for the state's Housing Trust Fund including continuation of a special initiative to provide supportive living apartments for SSI income level disabled persons, expanded Medicaid coverage and higher education assistance for foster youth, and support for community health centers are among the provisions in the biennial budget that includes $20.7 billion for FY 2007-2008 signed by North Carolina Governor Mike Easley last week.

The 3.5% refundable state EITC is expected to benefit more than 825,000 low and moderate income working families in the state. North Carolina joins a growing number of states that have created state level earned income tax credit programs that piggyback the federal EITC created in 1975. As reported recently in the e-news, the Earned Income Tax Credit is one of the foundational elements of the new United Way Financial Stability Partnership, to empower low- to moderate-income families to achieve long- term financial stability that reduces incidences of homelessness. The potential of this initiative to benefit families who are homeless has been the focus of conversation between the United Way and the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, which partnered last year with the United Way in exploring how United Way leaders could make a difference in the financial well being of low income families and individuals. The United Way is helping lead more than 30 jurisdictional 10-Year Plans across the country.

The additional $5 million in recurring funds for the Housing Trust Fund increases the recurring annual appropriation to $8 million. Additionally, $7.5 million is provided to the Trust Fund administered by the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency for the Housing 400 initiative created in 2006 to increase the supply of "independent and supportive living apartments" affordable at SSI income levels for persons with disabilities. Housing 400 is a collaborative effort between the Housing Finance Agency and the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services which received $3.5 million for rental assistance for the Housing 400 program as well as the 10% set aside in tax credit projects for persons with disabilities. The NCHFA is also instructed to continue and expand the Home Protection Pilot Program and Loan Fund through which foreclosure avoidance assistance is available to workers in counties participating in the pilot who have "lost their jobs through changing economic conditions." Funding for the North Carolina Intergency Coordinating Committee on Homelessness, which is the state's interagency council on homelessness appointed by the Governor and housed in the NC Department of Health and Human Services, will continue collaborations among state agencies and with the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness to support local jurisdictional efforts to develop and implement 10-Year Plans to end homelessness. State investment in a point person, Martha Are, has made the collaboration particularly effective. Currently a dozen North Carolina jurisdictional 10-Year Plans are in development or implementation. $1 million is provided for North Carolina food banks.

Medicaid coverage for foster youth is expanded to include those 18-20 years of age, and $3.3 million is provided to provide college scholarships for foster youth who have aged out of the system. The scholarship funding is part of a nearly $1 billion increase for education programs in the state. $5 million is provided for a competitive grant initiative for rural health centers and $2 million is provided in recurring funding to support expansion of primary and preventative medical services to uninsured or medically indigent patients at community health centers, state designated rural health centers, public health departments, free clinics, school based health centers and other non profit organizations. In a proclamation designating August 5-11 as "Community Health Center Week" in North Carolina, Governor Easley noted that these centers provide comprehensive primary medical care to over 330,000 patients, of which 50% are uninsured according to data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Bureau of Primary Health Care. "Community Health Centers have made great strides in the North Carolina health care system specifically by maintaining high standards of accountability, demonstrating cost effectiveness and efficiency in the delivery of care, and empowering communities to address unmet health needs, reduce health disparities, and reduce preventable deaths, costly disabilities and communicable diseases."

The budget begins the process of relieving over the next three years county share of Medicaid costs, currently 15% of the non federal share. The budget also permits counties to either raise sales taxes by a quarter of a cent or increase the land transfer tax from 0.2 percent of the sales price to 0.6 percent -- an additional $800 on a $200,000 home.

WASHINGTON, D.C. The National Association of Counties (NACo) continues to play a leadership role in fostering and promoting model jail diversion programs for non-violent mentally ill offenders with the announcement of a fourth round of seed grants to member counties seeking to develop or expand a program to connect those jail inmates with mental health needs to treatment services in the community. The U.S. Department of Justice' Bureau of Justice Statistics reported in 2006 that 64% of jail inmates suffer from some type of mental illness, while 24% meet the criteria for a psychotic disorder. Counties, more than 215 of which are partnered in the more than 300 jurisdictional 10-Year Plans underway across the county encouraged and supported by the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, are increasingly aware of both the cost and humanitarian benefits of connecting non violent mentally ill offenders with community based treatment and support rather than continuing their cycling through the jail and court systems. With an education grant from Eli Lilly and Company, NACo has been providing technical assistance and seed grants of up to $5000 to counties to develop the community collaborations and systems necessary to divert mentally ill offenders to community-based treatment.

In this latest round of funding for which applications are due September 28, NACo will award up to 5 grants with a special focus on proposals that highlight consumer access to benefits such as SSI/SSDI and Medicaid in setting up alternatives to incarceration for mentally ill offenders. Proposed projects must demonstrate the existence of county leadership in convening stakeholders and creating or strengthening collaborations between the criminal justice and mental health systems. The complete RFP may be found on NACo's website.

Fifteen counties and one state association of counties have received seed grants totaling $80,000 from NACo over the past three years: Campbell County, KY; Delaware County, OH; Douglas County (Omaha), NE; Elk County, PA; Maricopa County (Phoenix), AZ; La Crosse County, WI; Lee County (Fort Myers), FL; Lyon County, KS; Madison County (Huntsville), AL; Penobscot County, ME; Portage County, OH; Polk County (Des Moines), IA; Skagit County, WA; Yellowstone County, MT; Yolo County, CA; and the New Hampshire Association of Counties. Later this month, NACo plans to announce an awards program recognizing excellence in county initiatives to divert non-violent offenders with mental illness into treatment programs.

Last month United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano was invited to report to the nation's county leaders on the progress and results from 10-Year Plan efforts around the country at NACO's 72nd Annual Conference which was held in Richmond, VA. In July 2003, NACo adopted a resolution supporting the Administration's initiative to end chronic homelessness and the development of jurisdictional 10-Year Plans. Director Mangano met with incoming NACo president Eric Coleman of Oakland County, Michigan and presented at meetings of the Health, Community and Economic Development, and Human Services and Education Steering Committees.

WASHINGTON, DC. Ten more states have been selected to participate in the highly successful Federal SOAR (SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access and Recovery) Technical Assistance Initiative to support SSI enrollment for homeless persons with disabilities. Alabama, Alaska, Delaware, Louisiana, Michigan, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, Texas and West Virginia were selected in this third round of opportunity announced by the United States Departments of Health and Human Services and Housing and Urban Development, joining 24 other States already participating in the initiative.

"SOAR is a consumer-focused initiative that has been proven to deliver results that will assist state and local partners in bringing resources to bear on ending homelessness for those who are most vulnerable and disabled," indicated United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano. "The federal partners from HHS, HUD, and SSA who continue to collaborate and advance results-oriented strategies to increase access to income and health care are succeeding in opening doors to mainstream resources."

The SOAR initiative was an outcome from the federal interagency Policy Academies on chronic and family homelessness sponsored by a collaboration of federal agencies to help states identify and remove barriers that people experiencing homelessness face in accessing mainstream program benefits for which they qualify. SOAR is designed to increase access to SSA disability programs (Supplemental Security Income and Social Security Disability Insurance) for homeless persons with disabilities, including serious mental illnesses and/or co-occurring disorders. Already more than 4,000 front- line case managers have been trained through the SOAR initiative.

SOAR is one of the twin multi-year initiatives that also includes the Social Security Administration's Homeless Outreach Projects and Evaluation (HOPE). HOPE and SOAR are increasing successful enrollments for persons who are homeless - on the first application and without lengthy delays or appeals. From an initial level of 10-15% approval rates, the average is now over 60%, and the number of days to an initial SSA decision has been cut from 120 to 87 or less. The result of these targeted efforts, which reach applicants who have been homeless for an average of 33 months, reduces agency backlogs and achieves benefits for individuals, including health care and support in permanent housing.

WASHINGTON, DC. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Housing Service Section 515 program has been the principal funding program for rural multifamily housing serving low income persons. Currently there are over 17,000 USDA funded multifamily properties in rural areas across the nation, of which approximately 70% benefit from some form of rental assistance. By statute, those with very low incomes have priority over those at low to moderate income levels. Approximately 12-15% of Section 515 property residents have zero income.

Among the options that have been developed to revitalize aging projects and preserve the affordability of projects that are at or nearing eligibility for prepayment is a demonstration program to loan money to intermediary organizations that create revolving loan funds for holders of Section 515 loans. A Notice of Funding Availability by the Rural Housing Service in the August 7 Federal Register announces the availability of $6.3 million in FY 2007 for this Preservation Revolving Loan Fund demonstration. Eligible applicants include private non profit organization or their affiliate loan funds, and State and local housing finance agencies. The loans made to intermediary organizations under this demonstration shall have an interest rate of no more than 1% with a term not to exceed 30 years and the Secretary of Agriculture may defer the interest and principal payments to the RHS for up to three years during the first three years of the loan. Priority will be given to intermediary applicants with "equal or greater matching funds, including housing tax credits for rural housing assistance, and to entities with experience in the administration of revolving loan funds and the preservation of multifamily housing." The application deadline is September 6. Click here to read the full NOFA.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is one of the 20 federal member agencies of the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness. USDA Rural Housing Administrator Russell Davis encourages communities engaged in rural 10-year plan efforts to consult with the USDA through USDA's State Directors. USDA has flexibility through its demonstration authority to work with communities in developing innovative programs. A wealth of information can be accessed for each state on the USDA website.

WASHINGTON, DC. Cities across the country are stepping up to participate in the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness' next expert technical assistance opportunity focused on engaging families in the Project Homeless Connect innovation.

During a national conference call convened by the Interagency Council on September 6, Mary Carroll of the Office of Portland, Oregon City Commissioner Erik Sten will provide expert assistance in best practices for engaging families. Portland last year implemented the national innovation of Project Homeless Connect to a successful family model and will shortly convene their second family event. Topics will include special considerations in planning, site selection, event scheduling, family engagement, partnering with services and resources, and consumer-centric practices. Other experts from experienced PHC cities will also participate. The format for the call will include short presentations on key issues and a question and answer period.

A limited number of spaces for jurisdictional representatives are still available for this upcoming and informative call. To indicate your interest in taking part and receive further information, send an email to: nphc@usich.gov.

Is your city or county planning a PHC event? Be sure to notify the Council in advance if you want to be considered for review as an official National Project Homeless Connect event with recognized best practices to engage consumers. Send a message to nphc@usich.gov.

The Council's National Project Homeless Connect Week is scheduled this year for December 3-7.

email: usich@usich.gov

web: http://www.usich.gov