Opening Doors: A Defining Moment in the Ending Homelessness Movement?

"Ending homelessness in America must be a national priority." — President Barack Obama, June 22, 2010

To be sure, this is a monumental moment. Any time the president of the United States says we must end homelessness, we have to take a collective step back and rejoice. This could be a defining moment in the history of the ending homelessness movement. It certainly feels like it is to us.

After a legislative mandate through the 2009 Homeless Emergency and Rapid Transition to Housing (HEARTH) Act, and after many months of drafting, debate and opportunities for public comment, on Tuesday morning the federal government released its first ever comprehensive plan to prevent and end homelessness, called Opening Doors (pdf).

The plan's four key goals are: "(1) finish the job of ending chronic homelessness in five years; (2) prevent and end homelessness among veterans in five years; (3) prevent and end homelessness for families, youth and children in ten years; and (4) set a path to ending all types of homelessness."

This is an ambitious agenda. At first glance, we would have preferred to have the government commit to ending family, youth and child homelessness in five years as well as it sets out for chronic homelessness and veteran homelessness. That way Obama could follow through on his commitments before he leaves office after his (hopefully) second term. If he loses the election in 2012, this plan will most likely die and homelessness will continue. It's crucial to move forward on this plan swiftly and strategically to ensure its success.

The question really is: What concrete improvements will really happen through this plan? Another question should be: Is this just political rhetoric that will lead to a large bureaucratic monolith?

Ten years ago the federal government's Interagency Council on Homelessness put forth its strategy of a "Ten Year Plan to End Homelessness." This was based on the Ten Year Plan model developed by the National Alliance to End Homelessness, a model we support.

One of the main criticisms of the ten year plan model is not in its philosophy, but in its execution. Some advocates have told us that the reality of the ten year plans is that many are bogged down by bureaucratic delays and red tape, and that coordinating all the stakeholders to make the plan truly effective is nearly impossible given some of the egos usually involved. The Opening Doors plan will face the same hurdles.

In theory, coordinating care and preventing the duplication of services is crucial to having the most efficient and effective homeless services systems possible. In practice, it’s complicated. Governors, county leaders, mayors and other elected officials, heads of federal, state and local government agencies, and executive directors of nonprofit organizations all have to be on the same page and put their egos aside for the greater good. Keep in mind the big picture. We all have the same goal — end homelessness now. Isn't that why we're all doing this in the first place?

Photo credit: Rich Lombino