America Finally Has a Plan to End Homelessness

by Josie Raymond · 2010-06-22 09:59:00 UTC
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This morning, June 22, 2010, the country got its first ever comprehensive plan to end homelessness. It's hard to believe that an estimated 1,000 mayors and county executives have presented ten-year plans to end homelessness in their areas, but the federal government has been treating homelessness on a piecemeal basis for, oh, 234 years. Ah well, better way way way late than never, right?

The Obama administration and the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness unveiled a plan, called Opening Doors: Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness (pdf), that sets several ambitious goals: end chronic homelessness by 2015, end veteran homelessness by 2015 and end homelessness among families, children and youth by 2020. The contributing agencies plan to do this by emphasizing "housing first," keeping people on the verge of homelessness in their homes and ushering the homeless into permanent units as quickly as possible. Expect broad rental assistance like the celebrated stimulus effort the Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program and the promotion of permanent supportive housing units for those with chemical dependency and/or mental health issues.

The federal strategic plan is the culmination of work from 9,000 individuals, according to Barbara Poppe, the executive director of the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness and the MC for this morning's announcement ceremony, which also included speeches from Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan, Labor Secretary Hilda Solis, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki. For months, the USICH gathered public opinion. (Thankfully, anything along the lines of "They're bums!" was disregarded.)

In the days ahead, we'll have lots more coverage of the plan, including the opinions of stakeholders, a closer look at the timeline and a deep dive into the methods recommended for making homelessness a thing of the past. Stay tuned.

Photo credit: nathanborror

Josie Raymond is a Change.org editor who has reported from the streets of the South Bronx, written for several magazines that folded (not her fault) and fixed thousands of typos.
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