As headlined here last week, U.S. Senators Wayne Allard (CO) and Elizabeth Dole (NC) have introduced S. 2829, the Samaritan Initiative Act of 2004. As expected, the legislation has been referred to the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, where Senator Allard chairs the Housing and Transportation Subcommittee. The Senate legislation is nearly identical to H.R. 4057, the bill introduced in the House of Representatives in March by Representative Rick Renzi (AZ). The House bill currently has the support of a bipartisan group of about 30 members. The most recent additions to the cosponsorship list are Minnesota Representatives Mark R. Kennedy and Collin C. Peterson.

Two national voices have weighed in during the last week in affirmation of the Administration's intiatives to end chronic homelessness. Harvard University's Joint Center for Housing Studies last week issued a bi-partisan report on national housing policy, authored in part by former U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretaries Jack Kemp and Henry Cisneros. The report's first recommendation commends the Administration for establishing "an early and unambiguous goal of ending chronic homelessness. "

Also heard from this week, the Council of the United States Society of St. Vincent de Paul, representing 100,000 members across the country who engage in person-to-person ministry to the nation's homeless and poor, voiced its support for the Samaritan Initiative. In a letter to members of the Senate, Society National President Eugene Smith stated, "We believe that the $70 million funding stream created by the Samaritan Initiative for permanent housing linked to supportive services will help thousands of chronically homeless individuals rejoin society, and we enthusiastically ask you to support this measure." He continued, "Our members are painfully aware that the cost in human suffering, emotional and physical, for homeless individuals and families, cannot be measured."

Senator Allard (pictured here), in his introductory remarks in the Senate, pointed to the widespread support the Samaritan Initiative had received to date, including from the U.S. Conference of Mayors, National Association of Counties, National League of Cities, National Alliance to End Homelessness, The Enterprise Foundation, National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, National AIDS Housing Coalition, Corporation for Supportive Housing, Association for Service Disabled Veterans, and National Coalition for Homeless Veterans.

The state capital of Little Rock was the site last week of Arkansas' 15th Annual Statewide Conference on Homelessness. Thomas Green, Assistant Director of the Arkansas Office of Community Services and Chair of the Interagency Council, was joined by U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Field Office Director Bessie Jackson for the event. United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano keynoted the conference, which focused on the practical strategies and technical assistance needs identified as priorities by the Arkansas Policy Academy Team in their recent Action Plan.

"Your conference has a good theme: putting the pieces together. That's what we need to be doing across this country," stated Mangano. "Putting the partnerships together that will get the job done on homelessness. When we in partnership put all the pieces of the puzzle together the picture we are looking for is an America without shelters, without homeless programs, without homelessness. Arkansas is making a commitment to our national partnership in the map that you are developing to end homelessness here."

While in Little Rock for the Arkansas Interagency Council meeting, Executive Director Mangano, accompanied by Ms. Jackson, met with Arkansas Lieutenant Governor Win Rockefeller (pictured here) and Little Rock Mayor Jim Dailey to discuss federal initiatives and investments to end chronic homelessness and state and city issues and initiatives.

Creating change was the theme of the recent Florida Summit on Homelessness, convened by the Broward County, Florida, Coalition for the Homeless. Focusing on the 10-Year Plan "toolkits" developed by the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness and the National Alliance to End Homelessness, last week's Summit brought together federal, state, and local officials, as well as national advocates and regional providers, advocates, and homeless people.

United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano was invited to keynote the Summit, and he was joined in emphasizing the importance of jurisdictional 10-Year Plans by National Alliance to End Homelessness President Nan Roman. Also participating were Broward County Vice Mayor Ilene Lieberman, Florida Interagency Council on Homelessness Director Tom Pierce, Broward County Collaborative Initiative point person Steve Werthman, and Council Region IV Coordinator Michael German. Noting that Ft. Lauderdale is one of the 11 sites across the nation where the U.S. Departments of Housing and Urban Development, Health and Human Services, and Veterans Affairs last year invested a total of $35 million in supportive housing initiatives targeted to persons experiencing chronic homelessness, Director Mangano pointed to the value of this investment in defining the proposed Samaritan Initiative, now before the Congress (see e-news story): " It's the down payment to end chronic homelessness. We've seen the results from last year's Chronic Initiative, the precursor of Samaritan, invested in 11 cities across our country. Results: Hundreds of seemingly intractably homeless people move off the streets, beyond long term shelter stays, to permanent supportive housing - and staying there. Evidence of results in carrying out our mission - to end homelessness."

While in Florida, Executive Director Mangano met with Broward County Commissioner Diana Wasserman-Rubin and Ft. Lauderdale Mayor Jim Naugle to discuss federal initiatives to end chronic homelessness. Mayor Naugle agreed in the meeting to move forward with a 10-Year Plan. Pictured here are (left to right): Broward County Human Services Official Steve Werthman, Mayor Naugle, and Director Mangano.

Stating that, "we are serious about shifting our approach, our priorities, and our resources to dramatically reduce homelessness in New York City, " New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg last week unveiled a series of new steps to carry forward the plan to end homelessness he committed to in June (see previous e-news). "Our accountability plan shows the public that we are going to hold ourselves accountable for mobilizing resources, attacking problems and producing results. We will continue our work until all New Yorkers have a place to call home." The City's five-year action plan, Uniting for Solutions Beyond Shelter, aims to reduce homelessness in New York City by two-thirds over five years.

In follow-up to his June commitment to create a rapid implementation schedule, Mayor Bloomberg released a comprehensive implementation plan for Uniting for Solutions Beyond Shelter. Included are milestones and target dates for reconfiguring outreach services (July, 2006), creating a Citywide client database (September, 2005), strengthening performance management systems for shelter providers (July, 2005), developing new models for serving chronically homeless clients (September, 2006) and developing a takedown schedule and reinvestment plan for shelters (January, 2005). Beginning in January 2005, monthly updates on implementing the plan will be posted at www.nyc.gov/endinghomelessness.

Joined by New York City Department of Homeless Services (DHS) Commissioner Linda Gibbs, Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) Commissioner Shaun Donovan, and Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) Commissioner Thomas R. Frieden, MD, Mayor Bloomberg also announced the opening of six innovative homeless prevention offices in neighborhoods identified through the use of data and mapping that profiled high need. Over the next month, the new $12 million prevention initiative, called HomeBase, will begin providing casework services, issue short-term financial assistance, and help individuals locate and access existing community-based resources such as job training, child care, anti-eviction legal services and others. "We now have the ability to look at the community districts, the census tracts, the very apartment buildings that experience the most homelessness in our City," said DHS Commissioner Gibbs. "Through technological advances and mapping techniques, we've increased the probability of finding those most likely to become homeless before they reach the steps of the shelter intake center."

The New York City Plan has also prompted private and nonprofit partners to invest in supportive housing, with Enterprise New York, a national non- profit that helps build and rehabilitate low-income apartments, investing $150 million in new funding to jump-start the creation of 2,500 units of supportive housing in 45 buildings. In addition, the City and its community partners recently opened the nation's first Foyer Housing, a supportive housing model for youth aging out of foster care. The facility is located in a former YMCA residence and operated by Common Ground Community, Good Shepard Services, and Center for Urban Community Services, all of whom are experienced providers of housing and services to formerly homeless individuals. Three additional initiatives to provide similar supportive housing to at- risk youth are in the pipeline.

PITTSFIELD, MA. Homeless veterans "need to be able to see that the end of the story is permanent, affordable, decent housing," according to United Veterans of America (UVA) founder John "Jack" Downing as he looked out over the more than 200 attendees at the opening of the 60-unit Berkshire Veterans Transitional Living Facility in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, last week. Joining U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs Deputy Secretary Gordon Mansfield and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Deputy Assistant Secretary for Special Needs Pat Carlisle were Pittsfield Mayor James Ruberto, Berkshire County Sheriff C. C. Massimiano, Jr., homeless veterans, local and state officials, and representatives from the Massachusetts Congressional delegation, and Council Regional Coordinator John O'Brien.

Deputy Secretary Mansfield affirmed VA Secretary and U.S. Interagency Council Chair Anthony Principi's commitment to meet the Administration's goal to end chronic homelessness by 2012, stating, "Homelessness is a challenge for the entire community. It is only through partnership and collaboration that we can meet the goal of ending homelessness, particularly among homeless veterans." He reminded the audience that it is military tradition not to leave fallen comrades behind and that through this program, the United Veterans of America (UVA) are going into battle to bring back veterans who are missing in America.

LANCASTER, CA. WITH THIS ISSUE, the e-newsletter continues its series of reports on veterans' Stand Down events around the country. Stand Downs are community- based events targeted to homeless veterans and designed to offer a welcoming atmosphere, a safe gathering place, and easy access to a broad range of services for homeless veterans. Stand Downs are derived from the military practice of "standing down" from customary activity or the front line.

Grace Resource Center in Lancaster, CA., was the site last week of the second of three 1-day Stand Down events planned for this year. According to Steve Baker of the Resource Center, the Antelope Valley Stand Down included aggressive engagement strategies to reach veterans living on streets and in shelters who otherwise would not seek assistance, as well as an array of special programs and services specifically designed to help homeless veterans. Among these services were hands-on assistance provided directly to veterans and their dependents, clinical assessment and referral to needed medical treatment for physical and psychiatric disorders, including substance abuse, and assistance with employment and income supports, as well as permanent housing.

Pictured here is the Presentation of the Colors at the Fresno, CA, Stand Down held September 18.

. . . that the federally funded PATH program (Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness), which convened a national conference in Washington last week, provides community based outreach, mental health, substance abuse, case management, support services, and some housing supports to persons who are homeless and have a serious mental illness.

. . . that PATH, a program of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Center for Mental Health Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, received an FY 04 appropriation of $50.5 million, and the President has requested $55.2 million for FY 05. PATH served over 77,000 individuals in FY 03.

. . . that the 432 local organizations providing PATH services found 65% of their clients on the streets and in shelters, and found that 14% have been homeless for more than one year.

. . . that states receiving PATH funds must provide $1 in state or local match for every $3 in federal funds, and state programs provided over $30 million in match in FY 03.

FOR THIS ISSUE, the e-newsletter focuses on remarks made by Senator Wayne Allard in introducing the Senate Bill S2829, to create the Samaritan Initiative, a new $70 million Administration investment to end chronic homelessness.

"Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Samaritan Initiative Act of 2004, and I am pleased to have Senator Dole join me in this effort. The Samaritan Initiative would mark the beginning of a new, collaborative approach in the Federal effort to end chronic homelessness."

"The Initiative would create a groundbreaking joint effort between the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Department of Veterans Affairs. Each department would collaborate money to a joint fund and would coordinate in the effort to end chronic homelessness. This coordinated approach will streamline the grants application process and will ensure consistent standards. It will also ensure that each department continues to provide its own particular expertise. I am hopeful that other Federal agencies will join the effort as well."

"By addressing the comprehensive needs of homeless individuals, the Samaritan Initiative will help reduce incidents of chronic homelessness. According to the Interagency Council on Homelessness, this 10 percent of the homeless population consumes more than half of the resources. The Samaritan Initiative will help provide the flexible resources necessary to move chronically homeless individuals into stable, permanent, supportive housing, which will in turn free up other resources."

"For many years now I have been a strong advocate for the Government Performance and Results Act, which require a focus on outcomes through clear, measurable goals. I am pleased to say that the Samaritan Initiative embodies this outcome-based focus and requires visible, measurable, quantifiable performance outcomes in reducing and ending homelessness. A focus on outcomes, rather than case management or process, also allows for new, innovative solutions to chronic homelessness. This will ensure that taxpayer dollars are spent in a responsible, effective manner."

"I am proud to say that the Samaritan Initiative is supported by The U.S. Conference of Mayors, The National Association of Counties, The National League of Cities, The Enterprise Foundation, The National Alliance for the Mentally ill, the National AIDS Housing Coalition, The National Alliance to End Homelessness, The Corporation for Supportive Housing, the Association for Service Disabled Veterans, the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, and many other groups. I look forward to working with them, along with my colleagues in the Senate, to end chronic homelessness in America."

WITH THIS ISSUE, the e-newsletter continues its focus on elements of the Title V federal surplus property and opportunities to secure resources for homeless programs under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act.

BUILDINGS in California, Alaska, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, Wyoming, and Wisconsin are listed in the current weekly Federal Register report of buildings determined to be suitable and available to be accessed for use in assisting homeless people.

LAND in Alaska, Arizona, Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota, Texas, Virginia, and Washington is also listed.

Title V provides that state and local governments, as well as nonprofit organizations, are eligible to apply for land and buildings that have been determined by the federal government to be "suitable and available" for eligible uses to benefit homeless people. More than two dozen agencies of the federal government are included as "landholding" agencies that may have property.