NEWPORT, OREGON. There's no doubt that Lincoln County, Oregon is intent on ending homelessness. Last Thursday, community leaders unveiled their 10-Year Plan, At Home in Lincoln County, at a 9 AM public ceremony at Newport's Church of the Nazarene that was immediately followed by the community's first Project Homeless Connect. "By providing tangible services here we are showing that we are about more than talk, we are about action," said Commissioner Bill Hall who co-authored the plan along with Tom Hatley, Director of Housing for the Community Services Consortium. Pictured, l-r, Lincoln City Councilor Doug Holbrook; Lincoln County Commissioner Don Lindley; Lincoln Commission on Children and Families Director Barbara Dougherty; Newport City Councilor Terry Obteshka; Lincoln City Mayor Lori Hollingsworth; Lincoln County District Attorney Bernice Barrett; Lincoln City Councilor Ed Kuntz; Lincoln County Commissioner Bill Hall; Community Services Consortium Housing Director Hatley; and United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Region 10 Coordinator Paul Carlson.

The launch of the community's 10-Year Plan was the culmination of over a year's effort to gather data, solicit community input through forums, stakeholder meetings, and interviews with people experiencing homelessness, and identify the best evidence- based practices at work across the nation that could be brought to bear in ending homelessness in Lincoln County. In June 2006, Commissioner Hall participated in the Oregon Leadership Summit on Ending Chronic Homelessness sponsored by the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness that brought together over 100 city and county leaders with state and federal officials at the historic Reed Opera House in Salem. He also is a member of Governor Ted Kulongoski's Ending Homelessness Advisory Council, which serves as the state's interagency council on homelessness established with the encouragement of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness.

Addressing the elected officials and community members gathered for the plan launch by video webcast, Council Executive Director Philip Mangano expressed gratitude to Commissioner Hall and Tom Hatley for their leadership in moving forward with a plan. "Who wouldn't want to be At Home in Lincoln County," asked Director Mangano noting the beauty of the region and the caring community he'd found on an earlier visit. He commended the community for creating a plan organized around the central antidote to homelessness - housing, and particularly the focus on housing first and permanent supportive housing strategies. He noted that Lincoln County was joining 135 communities in adopting the Project Homeless Connect innovation creating a "living room" in the community into which their homeless neighbors were being welcomed and offered what they need to put them on a trajectory to ending their homelessness. Council Region 10 Coordinator Paul Carlson was also invited to speak at the Plan launch and attended the Homeless Connect event that followed.

Carol DeMuth of Lincoln County Food Share chaired the organizing committee for the Connect event which provided assistance to 150 homeless individuals and families. "We want people who are homeless to know we care and are willing to help," said Ms. DeMuth. "We had one goal: change the life in some way for each participant whether he/she is homeless and seeking assistance or is a volunteer offering to give." Nearly 100 volunteers were on hand including 50 representatives of nearly two dozen federal, state, and county agencies including Community Services Consortium, the Oregon Department of Motor Vehicles, Lincoln County Veterans Services, Senior and Disability Services, Samaritan House, Thugz Off Drugz, Legal Aid, My Sisters' Place, and a number of employment agencies. Donations from U.S. Bank and Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Charitable Contribution Fund helped support the event. The Lincoln County Transit System scheduled its Annual Customer Appreciation Day to coincide with the event providing free transportation throughout the day. Pictured, l-r, Barbara Dougherty, Lincoln Commission on Children and Families; Nancy Smith, Lincoln County Food Share; Carol DeMuth, Lincoln County Food Share and PHC Chair; Lee Pate, Newport Church of the Nazarene; and Tom Hatley, Community Services Consortium.

The "At Home in Lincoln County" plan incorporates housing first and permanent supportive housing strategies with special attention to those experiencing chronic homelessness, young people aging out of foster care, victims of domestic violence, re-entry strategies for those previously incarcerated or on probation, and workforce housing. Short term strategies include the Project Homeless Connect, improving resource directories, addressing the need for day service centers, and strengthening current service providers. The Plan takes note of several promising program models including "Lighthouse Ranch"- a faith based approach for teens experiencing homelessness; the Oxford House model, represented locally by Thugz Off Drugz, that "provides a high degree of structure and accountability and has been proven to be very effective in reducing recidivism"; and Home for Good, developed in several Oregon communities that brings together local corrections, Housing Authorities, and the faith community to provide re-entry support to transitioning offenders.

BOISE, IDAHO. This week Boise Mayor David Bieter presented a 10-Year Plan to Reduce and Prevent Chronic Homelessness to the City Council for consideration. The Plan is the product of a year long effort announced at a Livability Summit convened by Mayor Bieter last November and keynoted by United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano.

"We knew we needed a 'housing first' approach, and we knew we needed to make this a robust collaborative effort to be successful," said Mayor Bieter of the plan. Over the coming two months, public comments will be sought on the plan and an Implementation Team identified following which Mayor Bieter will return to the City Council to report on the public input and seek support for a long term funding strategy.

Presentation of the 10-Year Plan to the City Council this week also coincides with the first anniversary of Mayor Bieter's initiative to "engage the compassion of Boise's business and faith-based organizations in a partnership with the City to rapidly rehouse homeless families, and then offer supportive services to address the issues that contributed to their homelessness." First year results show that the initiative, C.A.T.C.H. (Charitable Assistance to Community's Homeless), has successfully housed 25 families including 68 children to date.

Local businesses and faith congregations agree to sponsor a family for the terms of a lease, up to a maximum of twelve months. The leases are signed between the family and a landlord, and typically range in market value from $500-$800. The City of Boise covers all of the administrative costs of C.A.T.C.H. operations including case management. Thirteen congregations, several businesses, the United Way of Treasure Valley, St. Vincent de Paul, and the Boise State University School of Social Work are partnered with the City in this effort.

This summer a generous grant from United Way and matching grants from Key Bank, Wells Fargo Bank, and Idaho Power funded a second case manager position. Recently, Mountain West Bank announced a new CATCH Match program to help propel families to greater self sufficiency by matching dollar for dollar the money families save while in the C.A.T.C.H. program. The Bank contributed an initial $7500 to establish a matching fund pool and will solicit additional funding from other banks and businesses to grow the program. Families will receive Financial Literacy Training and as recommended by C.A.T.C.H. case managers, may also be provided with one on one financial mentors. The City hopes to capture more community attention and resources with a "CATCH 22" fundraising effort that seeks $22 or more donations in recognition that "families experiencing homelessness understand the meaning of CATCH 22 as they daily face dilemmas and obstacles on their way to self sufficiency." The first year anniversary will be celebrated on November 4 with a CATCH Me If You Can 5K Walk/Run.

THE NORTH CAROLINA TRIANGLE. Across the nation, United Ways have joined the National Partnership being constellated by the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness to create strategies to prevent and end homelessness that are making a difference on our streets and in our shelters. Among the standout efforts is that of the Triangle United Way in North Carolina and its CEO Craig Chancellor who have helped lead the development and now implementation of jurisdictionally-based 10-Year Plans in Wake, Orange, and Durham Counties.

The Triangle United Way's leadership was in evidence again last week with a "trifecta" of Homeless Connect events held simultaneously on October 25 in Chapel Hill, Durham, and Raleigh. While each event had its own "personality," the events all received seed grant monies from the United Way and the North Carolina Interagency Council for Coordinating Homeless Programs, and help with volunteer recruitment and other logistics from the United Way. Triangle United Way Homeless Specialist Stan Holt helped coordinate the three events.

United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano accompanied by Council Team Leader Michael German visited all three Triangle Connect events. Speaking at the opening event at the Hargrave Community Center in Chapel Hill, Director Mangano acknowledged the efforts of Mayor Kevin Foy, City Councilor and chair of the Orange County 10-Year Plan Sally Green, and organizer Jamie Rohe.

He told the assembled organizers and volunteers, "Here today in this hall, you are creating a community living room. To offer hospitality to your homeless neighbor. To listen. To respond. To connect with resources. All sorts of resources. Whatever they need. From transportation to treatment. From haircuts to housing. Creating a place of unconditional welcome, unlimited hospitality, and unprecedented resources. That's what today is about."

Director Mangano also acknowledged the work of the Triangle United Way and its CEO Craig Chancellor and Stan Holt. Later he joined CEO Chancellor and members of the United Way Campaign and Allocations Leadership in the lunch tent at the Raleigh event to thank them for their financial support of the Homeless Connect events and discussed ways to bring about even greater business community involvement in 10-Year Plans.

The volunteers, including many University of North Carolina students, and homeless guests were also welcomed by Mayor Foy, Councilor Green, and Chris Moran, Executive Director of the Interfaith Council for Social Services. "The biggest problem for the homeless is that they don't know how to maneuver through the system, so we're bringing the system to them," said Karen Carr, a citizen volunteer and director of logistics at the Chapel Hill event. "I'm thrilled, I'm ecstatic," said lead organizer Jamie Rohe to a Herald Sun reporter. "It's going well -- we had a really strong planning team. So many people have so much enthusiasm and care about this issue. This event is so cool because you ask people to help and they say, 'I'll do it.'

Pictured above, top, l-r Mayor Foy, Director Mangano, Councilwoman Green, and UW President Chancellor. Pictured second, clockwise from lower left, NC Homeless Policy Specialist Martha Are; Virgin Islands observer; Wake County NC Human Services Director Ramon Rojano; Triangle United Way President Chancellor (partially hidden); Deloitte and Touche LLP Managing Partner J.R. Shearin; Wake County Commissioner Gardner; Triangle United Way Homeless Specialist Holt; Wake Human Services Board Chairman Dr. Dave Filipowski; Council Director Mangano; TrustAtlantic Bank Chief Administrative Officer John Anthony; and Duke University Assistant Vice President for Community Affairs Michael Palmer.

In Durham, the Homeless Connect was held at Urban Ministries and included an opening welcome from Master of Ceremony and 10-Year Plan Director Edy Thompson, Durham County Commissioner Chairwoman Ellen Reckhow, Durham Mayor Bill Bell, Mayor Pro Tem Cora Cole McFadden, Commissioner Michael Page, 10-Year Plan Chair Reverend Herbert Davis, and Urban Ministries Executive Director Lloyd Schmeidler. As he had in Chapel Hill, Council Director Mangano praised the elected officials and organizers and rallied volunteers to the mission of hospitality and immediacy of services. Pictured is Director Mangano with Mayor Bell.

Wake County's event was held outdoors in Moore Square Park in downtown Raleigh. Organizers created an atmosphere reminiscent of other community festivals that would be held in the park. Tents provided shelter from the off and on rain. Volunteers and homeless guests were welcomed by Raleigh Mayor Charles Meeker; County Commissioner Lindy Brown, who was the honorary PHC Chair and is a member of the Wake County 10-Year Plan Leadership Council; and PHC Planning Committee Co-Chair Carson Dean. Also on hand was Commissioner Kenn Gardner, who was County Commission Chair when the original commitment to developing a 10-Year Plan was made. Especially concerned about foster care youth being at risk for homelessness, Mr. Gardner has raised over $100,000 for a scholarship program. Human Services Director Ramon Rojana allowed Human Services Employees to volunteer their day for the event. Pictured are Wake County Commissioners Lindy Brown and Kenn Gardner (right) with Council Director Mangano.

Attending the event as observers were US Virgin Islands Commissioner of Human Services Chris Finch and his special assistant for homelessness Brenda Harrigan-Walwyn, and Angeli Ferdschneider, special assistant to Virgin Islands Governor John deJongh. They are shown here being greeted by Council Director Mangano. During a meeting with Governor John deJongh Jr. and Commissioner Finch in June, Director Mangano had encouraged adoption of the Project Homeless Connect innovation and suggested that a team visit an event to get a first-hand look at organization and service strategies. The Virgin Islands will hold its first Connect on November 19. While in North Carolina, the Virgin Islands representatives were hosted by North Carolina Homeless Policy Coordinator Martha Are.

Joining the many county, state, and federal agency representatives and service provider volunteers in Raleigh were representatives of Congressman Brad Miller, and Senators Elizabeth Dole and Richard Burr's offices. Pictured here, are Carol Reid Erichsen and Gail Eluwa from Congressman Miller's office, Esther Clark from Senator Dole's office, and Betty Jo Shepheard from Senator Burr's office.

Across the country there have been 24 Project Homeless Connect events held in October, many in conjunction with the United Way Days of Caring. A future edition of the e-news will provide more information on highlights, outcomes, and best practices from these events as the Council continues to encourage more communities to adopt this innovation and participate in the Council's upcoming 3rd annual National Project Homeless Connect Week December 3-7.

DES MOINES, IOWA. As co-chair of the US Conference of Mayors Task Force on Hunger and Homelessness, Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie has helped nurture the partnership between the U.S. Conference of Mayors and the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness to encourage the development of jurisdictionally-led, community- based 10-Year Plans to end homelessness in more than 300 cities and counties across the nation.

To further the 10-Year Plan effort in Des Moines and Iowa, Mayor Cownie this week hosted a Mayor's Homelessness Summit for the Des Moines community and also invited city leaders and stakeholders from the state's largest cities to gain first-hand knowledge of effective housing initiatives and service strategies from innovators around the country. The Summit, cosponsored by the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, the Downtown Community Alliance, United Way of Central Iowa, and the City of Des Moines, featured participation and presentations by Council Executive Director Philip Mangano; Dan Buck, Executive Director of the St. Patrick Center in St. Louis; Becky Kanis, Street to Home Project Director for the New York-based non profit Common Ground; Linda Kaufman, Chief Operating Officer for Pathways to Housing-DC; and Michael Dunthorn, Project Manager for Knoxville's 10-Year Plan.

After a morning tour coordinated by the United Way of local housing and service programs, including Central Iowa Shelter and Services, Riverfront YMCA, House of Mercy, and H.O.M.E., participants gathered at the Des Moines Public Library for the keynote summit event which was open to the public.

Pictured top, l-r, Mayor Cownie, Becky Kanis, Director Mangano, and Des Moines City Manager Richard Clark. Pictured bottom, l-r, Ms. Kanis, Mr. Dunthorn, Mr. Buck, and Ms. Kaufman (at podium).

In opening remarks, Council Executive Director Philip Mangano thanked Mayor Cownie for his commitment on the issue of homelessness, and focused attention on the innovative ideas that have created initiatives that remedy the homelessness of those who are the most disabled and vulnerable, who live and die on the streets. "You invest your resources through a strategic plan in those initiatives which have already been proven in other communities with the intent of reducing street and chronic homelessness, and that approach creates results," said Director Mangano. "It moves beyond the outcome-less good intentions of the past to the visible results that cities are achieving." Noting that the presentations they were about to hear would only increase their appetite for these solutions in their own cities, Director Mangano encouraged the city leaders and stakeholders to make "pilgrimages" to cities that are achieving results "to see these efforts work where they're being implemented."

Click on the links for information on the innovative programs and approaches represented by Pathways to Housing-DC COO Linda Kaufman; Common Ground Street to Home Project Director Becky Kanis; St. Patrick Center CEO Dan Buck; and Knoxville 10-Year Planner Michael Dunthorn.

Following the summit, Director Mangano accompanied by Council Team Leader Michael German met with members of Governor Chet Culver and Lt. Governor Patty Judge's Policy Team, including Senior Policy Advisor Brett Mills, Iowa Homeless Programs Coordinator Lyle Schwery, and Economic and Workforce Development Liaison Erin Andrew. Director Mangano and Mr. German also met with United Way of Central Iowa President Shannon Cofield and discussed the role of United Ways in 10- Year Plans across the country.

SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS. Referring to the move-in of the first tenants into the newly completed Seeds of Hope supportive housing rental units as having been "the most important day in the history of the Salem Mission," Mission President Andrew Oliver was joined by United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano, Salem Mayor Kimberley Driscoll, Massachusetts State Representative John D. Keenan, and MassHousing Executive Director Thomas Gleason in welcoming new residents and community members to a Grand Opening this week. Also present was Council Region I Coordinator John O'Brien.

In this community of 40,000 on the North Shore of Boston where the Salem Mission has been providing emergency shelter for more than 20 years, the completion of the 22 SRO units is the most visible outcome to date in the transformation of the Mission's vision from caring for homeless men and women through emergency shelter to ending their homelessness through housing with supportive services.

"Let us be very clear," Mr. Oliver has said, "We are not done when this project is completed. We passionately believe that the solution to homelessness is housing . . . not shelters. We will, therefore, be looking at the possibility of providing more housing - again, if possible, in conjunction with others- so that we can look forward to the day when we can actually close the shelter."

Invited to speak at the ceremony, Director Mangano praised the Salem Mission for its "consumer centric strategy that offers a place to live and quality of life sensibility. Housing is the antidote to homelessness, not to life. We need a roof over our head. And we need to live a life of hope for ourselves and our children. That's the genius of Salem Mission. The offer of housing and hope. Attention to both. The creation of change in lives."

Purchasing the former St. Mary Catholic Church property in 2004, the Salem Mission has created an expanded Mission Centre that now includes the 22 SRO units, 34 emergency shelter beds that increase to 52 beds in the winter, a community meals program that serves over 120,000 meals annually, and through expanded community partnerships offers day services including case management, job training and counseling opportunities, a 3-day a week nurse-staffed health clinic, a street outreach worker, and food pantry. The Salem Mission has raised $4.5 million for the Seeds of Hope project nearly equally divided in public and private funding including a recent successful effort to match a $250,000 van Otterloo Family Foundation Challenge Grant.

Pictured above, l-r, Mayor Driscoll, Director Mangano, Mr. Oliver (speaking), State Representative Keenan, and MassHousing Director Gleason.

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA. NAHRO, the 22,000 member National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials, is the latest national organization to include in its Annual Conference an opportunity for its members to learn how they can participate and bring resources to local 10-Year Plan efforts to achieve reductions in chronic homelessness.

NAHRO members own or administer more than 1 million public housing units, more than 1.7 million Section 8 units, and nearly 400,000 other assisted housing units in communities across the country. At the NAHRO Annual Conference held in San Diego October 28-30, United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Region 9 Coordinator Ed Cabrera joined Martha Fleetwood, Executive Director of San Francisco HomeBase; Chris Block, Executive Director of Charities Housing in San Jose who is facilitating the San Jose/ Santa Clara County Blue Ribbon Commission on Ending Homelessness; and moderator Rob Fredericks of the Santa Barbara Housing Authority to present on Understanding 10-Year Plans to End Chronic Homelessness and How Public Housing Authorities Can Help.

This session focused on the jurisdictionally-led, community-based 10-Year Plan process, and described leadership opportunities and resources housing authorities can provide and secure to increase the supply of affordable housing options for the chronically homeless, including housing choice vouchers, project based vouchers, the use of set asides, and other funding avenues. Santa Barbara's 61-unit El Carrillo Studios permanent supportive housing project developed by the Santa Barbara Housing Authority and dedicated a year ago by city and county 10-Year Plan leaders is one example. Council Coordinator Cabrera presented members with an overview of the Council, the National Partnership, and information on cost benefit analyses, innovations, and results.

Pictured here, l-r, Rob Fredericks, Regional Coordinator Cabrera, Chris Block, and Martha Fleetwood.

In the wake of the California wildfires, which the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services reports destroyed just over 2000 homes, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has deployed trained disaster recovery teams to selected shelters to help rapidly identify transitional housing for displaced families.

Disaster assistance victims forced from their homes benefit from a Memorandum of Understanding signed earlier this month between HUD and the American Red Cross. Under the agreement, the Red Cross will allow HUD disaster response staff access to Red Cross Shelters in the earliest stages of a Presidentially-declared disaster where HUD will be able to inform all sheltered families of available housing opportunities through HUD's new National Housing Locator. Additionally, HUD disaster response staff will be able to register previously HUD- assisted families and other eligible special needs persons for the Department's housing assistance programs. Pictured here are HUD Assistant Deputy Secretary for Disaster Policy and Response Nelson R. Bregón and Red Cross Senior Vice President for Disaster Services Joe Becker after signing the agreement.

The National Housing Locator combines federal housing resources with several commercial apartment locators and housing websites to offer one platform that allows housing agency personnel and emergency responders immediate accessibility to available rental housing resources nationwide. All displaced families are eligible to receive information through the National Housing Locator, regardless of income. Search criteria include: desired location; price range, acceptance of housing vouchers, acceptance of pets, handicap accessibility, assisted and elderly accommodations and number of bedrooms.

NEW WEB VIDEO RESOURCE FOR USING DISABILITYINFO.GOV RELEASED AT ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION.

Last week, U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao celebrated the fifth anniversary of DisabilityInfo.gov, a collaborative effort among 22 federal agencies to provide a one-stop federal source for disability- related information at an event held at the Department of Labor headquarters in Washington. The website was created in response to President George W. Bush's 2001 New Freedom Initiative policy, a government-wide effort to accelerate the full inclusion of people with disabilities into mainstream American life. The website is managed by the Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) and aims to provide nearly 50 million Americans with disabilities and others with national, state and local tools on numerous subjects, including benefits, civil rights, community life, education, employment, housing, health, technology and transportation.

"From its inception, our vision for the Web site DisabilityInfo.gov has been to make it an effective and widely available means of helping people with disabilities tap information they can use to make a better life for themselves and their families," said Secretary Chao. "Five years later, DisabilityInfo.gov is an award-winning collaboration among 22 federal agencies that has reached more than seven million visitors from 180 countries."

Secretary Chao was joined by Maj. Daniel Gade, the White House's associate director for domestic policy, and David Eisner, chief executive officer of the Corporation for National and Community Service, which is DisabilityInfo.gov's newest federal agency partner. Also present were representatives from many federal agencies that contribute content to and support the website. An educational video highlighting the many uses of the site was premiered and is available for viewing on DisabilityInfo.gov.

Among those attending last week's North Carolina Triangle Project Homeless Connect events (see related story) were representatives of Virgin Islands Governor John deJonge, Jr. who were observing the events as a learning tool for hosting their first Virgin Island Homeless Connect on November 19. Their observer visit is just one example of what has become a phenomenon in the National Partnership being constellated by the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, namely "pilgrimages" by 10-Year Plan leaders to other 10-Year Plan jurisdictions to see first hand what's working and what is not working.

Earlier this month Fort Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief led a 22 person Study Group of business and community leaders, who will be instrumental in developing a 10- Year Plan for the city, on a trip to review programs in Denver, Seattle, and Los Angeles. Last month Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Zev Yaroslavsky visited Denver where he met with Mayor John Hickenlooper and other key Denver Road Home implementors and toured successful housing first programs. Last week leaders from Nashville, Tennessee and Calgary traveled to Denver to observe the city's 5th Project Homeless Connect and had the opportunity to make site visits to a number of programs. A number of 10-Year Plan leaders from cities including Birmingham and Wichita have traveled to Atlanta to learn more about its Gateway Center and St. Louis' St. Patrick Center has hosted visitors including Columbia South Carolina Mayor Bob Coble and City Councilman E.W. Cromartie.

Encouraged to do so by the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, officials from several dozen cities interested in holding Project Homeless Connect events in their communities have traveled to San Francisco where Mayor Gavin Newsom originated the Project Homeless Connect innovation. Similarly, Council Region 10 Coordinator Paul Carlson has facilitated observer visits by representatives of 10- Year Plan jurisdictions in Washington, Oregon, Alaska, and Idaho to Project Homeless Connect events in Portland and other Northwest communities.

Recently in an example of a "reverse pilgrimage," Portland City Commissioner Erik Sten who has been instrumental in the development and implementation of the Portland/Multnomah 10-Year Plan and has been actively involved in Portland's Project Homeless Connects for both chronically homeless individuals and for families, was invited to travel to Seattle to present to the Seattle/King County 10-Year Plan Governing Board. In just three years, Project Homeless Connect has grown from 1 city to being held in more than 135 communities.

The Council actively encourages the "legitimate larceny" of best practices, and peer-to-peer exchanges through "pilgrimages" are a particularly effective tool.

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