Appearing at the first-ever National Conference on Offender Reentry in Cleveland, U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft announced awards of $6.7 million to 20 jurisdictions to improve public safety by addressing the successful re-integration of high-risk, serious offenders returning to their communities from imprisonment. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) conference, titled "Coming Together, Strengthening Partnerships, and Planning for the Future," included more than 1,200 stakeholders in the reentry field who gathered to exchange the latest information on programs that address high-risk serious offenders returning to their communities. The conference was co-sponsored in partnership with seven other federal agencies (see prior e-news). The new awards are provided through the Department of Justice's Office of Justice Programs (OJP).

"Just as critical to our success in keeping the rate of violent crime at a 30-year low is ensuring that the men and women who have served their time and who are released from prisons and jails will be productive, law-abiding citizens," said Attorney General John Ashcroft. "Public safety and the public good do not end with the clang of a prison door. Effective re- entry programs help individuals who have paid a debt to society return to their communities, make up for lost ground, and redeem themselves. With these awards, we are providing the resources to build strong and successful re-entry programs, giving inmates the opportunity to become solid citizens upon release."

The Department's Bureau of Justice Statistics reports that almost 650,000 criminal offenders are released from prisons every year and returned to neighborhoods across the country. According to Deputy Assistant Attorney General Cheri Nolan, who has been visiting awardees across the country to identify best practices in the reentry program, reentry grantee sites are working to build a framework to coordinate services and provide faith and community-based mentoring to prevent reoffending, enhance public safety, and redeploy existing community resources by fostering linkages and addressing access issues to ensure long-term sustainability of the Reentry Initiative.

"The ability of ex-offenders to lead crime-free lives is not guaranteed by the counseling or the education they receive while in prison," said Assistant Attorney General Deborah J. Daniels, who leads OJP. "They also must be guided as they pass through the prison gates, and supported long after they leave. That is why we are pooling our resources at the federal level to support these state and community public safety efforts."

Showing that step after step made in partnership and commitment brings visible results in ending chronic homelessness, newly signed mayoral commitments from every corner of Puerto Rico this week brought to seventeen the number of Commonwealth mayors committed to develop 10-Year Plans to End Chronic Homelessness. These commitments follow on the concrete outcome of the September Mayors' Summit to End Homelessness convened by the Commonwealth's three political parties, which brought together a record number of mayors to discuss homelessness for any jurisdiction. Newly making commitments are mayors of Aguada, Aguadilla, Cidra, Dorado, Fajarda, Humaco, Jayuya, Loiza, Orocovis, Patillas, San German, and Yuaco, Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico leads all states and Commonwealths in the number of mayors in partnerships with 10-year Plans.

Maria Fernanda Levis-Peralta of the Chana and Samuel Levis Foundation , which convened the Summit, stated, "The response and interest expressed by these Mayors to end chronic homelessness has been wonderful. Thanks to the support of the Interagency Council, the Policy Academy, HUD, the Office of the Commissioner of Municipal Affairs, state and local government, and our nine regional coalitions, we are confident that the plans to end chronic homelessness in Puerto Rico will be successful." The September event itself built on the success of last April's first-ever Puerto Rico Summit on Homelessness, which followed Puerto Rico's participation in federal Policy Academy sessions on chronic homelessness and family homelessness and demonstrated the growing and broad partnership to end homelessness at work in the Commonwealth, with participation by Puerto Rican community-based organizations, businesses, service providers, homeless advocates and people experiencing homelessness.

Convened by the Chana and Samuel Levis Foundation at the Doral Financial Corporation in San Juan, the September Mayors' Summit brought together CEOs from all three political parties and from across the island. Region IV Council Coordinator Mike German observed: "I'm proud of the partnering relationship we have with the Foundation and the municipalities to bring forward 10-Year Plans in this number." Pictured here at the September Summit are (left to right): Aguas Buena Mayor Buenaventura Davila, Council Executive Director Mangano, San Juan Mayor Jorge Santini, Doral Financial Corporation President Zoila Levis, Caguas Mayor William Miranda Marin, Quebradilla Mayor Luis Perez, Catano Mayor Wilson Soto, and Doral Financial Corporation President Salomon Levis.

SAN FRANCISCO, October 4. Joined by federal agency representatives from the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Veterans Affairs (VA), San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom this week announced that his City would receive $4.4 million in new federal competitive funds for treatment and veterans services. Region IX Department of Health and Human Services Director Calise Munoz announced $4 million in awards of targeted treatment resources for homeless persons with substance abuse, mental health, or co-occuring disorders. VA Homeless Network Coordinator Bobby Rosenthal, joined by San Francisco VA Medical Center Director Sheila Cullen, announced that the agency had awarded funds to serve homeless veterans with chronic mental illness. United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano was also present for Mayor Newsom's announcement to commend the partnership of federal agencies with the city. Mayor Newsom and 10-Year Planning Council Chair Angela Alioto unveiled the city's "10-Year Plan to Abolish Chronic Homelessness" on June 30. At the award event they indicated that the 10-Year Plan implementation council will be named soon.

Federal resources announced by the two agencies were part of the record $160 million in targeted investments to prevent and end chronic homelessness announced at last week's meeting at the White House of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, chaired by Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Anthony Principi. The new investments reinforce the Administration's commitment to end chronic homelessness in the next decade, as evidenced by progress also reported in developing state interagency councils, city and county 10-Year Plans to end chronic homelessness, and leveraging private sector partnership.

SAN DIEGO COUNTY, October 4. La Mesa Mayor Art Madrid and Escondido Mayor Holt Pfeiler were joined by San Diego VA Health Care System Director Gary Rossio and local partners for the announcement this week of a VA Special Needs Grant to serve women veterans, including veterans with children to Vietnam Veterans of San Diego. Also announced by the mayors was a $4 million award for two targeted treatment grants from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to North County Serenity House and Mental Health Systems. Officials from the recipient organizations were joined by San Diego United Way Executive Director Fred Baronowski and San Diego Regional Plan Administrator Hannah Cohen. Invited to attend the event was Interagency Council Director Philip Mangano. Pictured here are (front, left to right): La Mesa Mayor Art Madrid, Serenity House Administrator Kathy Valenzuela, Serenity House Deputy Director Mary Hubbard, Escondido Mayor Holt Pfeiler, Director Mangano, San Diego VA Healthcare System CEO Gary Rossio, Carl Davis of Pegasus East; and (back, left to right): Al Pavich of Vietnam Veterans of San Diego; Serenity House representatives Director Rosalind Corbett, Fred Colby, and Robyn Smith, and San Diego United Way Executive Director and Plan Co-chair Fred Baronowski. Also present for the announcements was Region IX Council Coordinator Eduardo Cabrera.

Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi last week announced his intention to develop a 10-Year Plan in his Long Island county. Speaking at the annual Nassau-Suffolk Coalition for the Homeless (NSCH) "Keys for the Homeless Conference to the over 350 community stakeholders who were present for the event, County Executive Suozzi joined the partnership of mayors and county executives in over 150 communities now committed to 10-Year Plans. The annual conference, entitled "The Path to Ending Homelessness," was both prevention and solution oriented, featuring discussions on homeless prevention and housing development.

The education of homeless children and youth was also a focus of the conference, with three formerly homeless young adults presented $1,000 college scholarships as part of the Coalition's Helen Martin Scholarship program, named for the Bellport-area housing advocate who founded the "Keys" conference in 1988. Congratulated by County Executive Suozzi were scholarship recipients Jessica Innocent of Johns Hopkins University and Corinna Carlisle of Siena College. Also present for the event was Region II Council Coordinator Carleton Lewis.

Contra Costa County, California, the first California county to complete a 10-Year Plan to end chronic homelessness, was the site of a county-wide forum on community solutions to homelessness this past weekend, and more than 150 people participated in the event. Contra Costa County is also one of the nation's 11 Collaborative Initiative to Help End Chronic Homeless sites, funded by the U.S. Departments of Housing and Urban Development, Health and Human Services, and Veterans Affairs.

United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano was invited to keynote the Forum and applauded the expansive partnership developing in Contra Costa County. While in Contra Costa County, he met with Richmond Mayor Irma Anderson, who heads the U.S. Conference of Mayors Health Committee. Mayor Anderson organized a meeting of over two dozen local elected officials to urge their support of the proposed Samaritan Initiative now in the U.S. Congress. Mayor Anderson presented a letter that points to the direction of the proposed $70 million interagency initiative, stating that it "requires performance outcomes measured by reducing the street population, increasing housing, and promoting prevention. It is important that we support this initiative and that we ensure that our Representatives know how important this initiative is to our community."

Pictured here is Mayor Anderson (center) presenting the letter from the City of Richmond, with City of El Cerrito Councilmember Janet Abelson, City of San Pablo Councilmember Genoveva Garcia Calloway, City of Pinole Councilmember Maria L. Alegria, Supervisor Mark DeSaulnier, Mayor Anderson, Director Mangano, Supervisor Federal D. Glover, Supervisor John Gioia, and Supervisor Gail Ulkema. County Supervisor Mark DeSaulnier also presented Director Mangano with a Contra Costa County Resolution joining the National Association of Counties in support of the proposed $70 million initiative.

"All the participants will play vital roles in making the county's 10-year plan a reality," said Contra Costa County Homeless Program Director Cynthia Belon. "The work really begins today," she said, explaining that the "working group" will be responsible for creating the blueprint to carry out the county's plan, approved by the Board of Supervisors in June. According to county data, 4,800 people are homeless in the county on any given night. Contra Costa County has a population of over 992,000 people and includes the communities of Concord, Martinez, Orinda, Pittsburgh, Richmond, San Pablo, San Ramon, and Walnut Creek.

Contra Costa was encouraged in efforts to end chronic homelessness in 2003, when it was named one of 11 communities in the nation to receive a federal HUD-HHS-VA Collaborative Initiative award to move persons experiencing chronic homelessness off the streets and out of shelters into permanent supportive housing. Through the $3.5 million investment, the county already has assisted 40 people in moving from the streets to apartments and an additional 300 people have been housed with the help of community groups.

Over 200 representatives of downtown business associations from across the United States and Canada gathered to hear about new strategies to end homelessness this past weekend at the 50th Annual Conference of the International Downtown Association (IDA) in Vancouver, British Columbia. United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano addressed the conference, focusing on federal strategies in the Untied States, including the development of 10-Year Plans, and delivering the message of multi-sector partnership as a key to ending chronic homelessness.

"Homelessness is a major and growing concern of most of our members", said IDA President David Feehan (pictured here with Director Mangano). "The presence of a coherent national strategy in the United States finally gives us some hope that something can be done about homelessness that is good for both our downtowns and for homeless people. We are ready to play our part." The International Downtown Association has expressed its support for the Administration's initiatives to end chronic homelessness in 10 years.

Stated Director Mangano, "Why are these mayors and county executives partnering with joining the federal initiative, developing plans? People experiencing chronic homelessness consume a disproportionate amount of resources in the homeless system and are very expensive in mainstream health systems. The innovative strategies or technologies targeted to this population overcome the sense of intractability with performance-based, results- oriented initiatives that have housing retention rates of up to 85% for the most complex and disabled homeless people. For many reasons - partnership, changing the status quo, economics - mayors are extending political will to reduce and end homelessness." Also present at the conference was Region X Council Coordinator Paul Carlson.

FOR THIS ISSUE, the e-newsletter focuses on remarks made by U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano at the recent Contra Costa County, California, Forum: "Ending Homelessness: Not Just Managing It."

"There is no more important antidote to the national disgrace of homelessness than housing. And we've learned in recent years that, even for the more disabled, most vulnerable, long term homeless people, housing with customized support services, that is, supportive housing, will end their homelessness. Here in Contra Costa you've been doing a great job for years in preparation for the planning and implementation that is now going on. Creating those ten-year plans and implementing them, that's no easy work. Ensuring that they are meaningful in your community, that's essential."

"In your planning process you have engaged your local business community as stakeholders and potential funders. Across the country that strategy of engaging the private sector in jurisdictional, CEO-endorsed, results-oriented plans has brought new resources to the table. And the Schwab Foundation and its ubiquitous homeless program director, Cassandra Benjamin, is present, bearing potential and real resources to your effort. Engage philanthropy. They're willing to come back to the table of homelessness when performance, results, and accountability are in the mix."

WITH THIS ISSUE, the e-newsletter continues its focus on federal surplus property and opportunities to secure resources for homeless programs. A navy base closing in Key West, Florida, in 1998 presented an opportunity for the local government and the U.S. Navy to partner in the re-use of property with over 200 townhouses on the base proper. Key West officials recognized their need for more affordable units in their community and secured an interim licensing agreement for housing in Poinciana Plaza. The 212 town homes in Poinciana Plaza were made available by the Navy under the Base Reuse and Closure Act (BRAC). The Department of Defense, pursuant to the provisions of the Base Realignment and Closure Act of 1990, closed major military bases between 1991 and 2001. BRAC placed responsibility for base reuse planning in the hands of the Local Redevelopment Authorities (LRAs), which are typically units of general local government. Another round of base closures is planned for 2005.

The City of Key West successfully negotiated with the Navy for the full transfer of ownership of the Poinciana Plaza housing complex, resulting in 144 affordable housing units. To facilitate the acquisition, the City received a $16,000,000 loan guarantee under the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Section 108 program to finance the housing project. The City will use $15,100,000 of the Section 108 funds to purchase the property and the remaining $900,000 for renovations.

After acquisition by the City, the Key West Housing Authority will fully rehabilitate the 144 units and convert the majority of the 36 four bedroom units into 1- and 2-bedroom apartments. Of the 144 units, the proposal allocates over 60% of the units to low and moderate-income families (80% of area median income) and 40% to moderate-income families (over 80% of area median income). The balance of the 212 units were conveyed to the U. S. Government Park Service, the Key West Police Department for use as a substation, and a homeless assistance organization.