MIAMI, FLORIDA. When Miami Mayor Manny Diaz declared homelessness "is an issue of critical importance to our city" during his 2004 State of the City Address and followed that with the unveiling of a 10-Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness, Helping Hands Mending Lives, that called for new public/private partnerships and cross agency collaborations, he set this city of just over 360,000 on a trajectory that led to the announcement last week of a 50% reduction in the number of homeless people between July 2006 and January 2007. Included in that reduction is a 27% decrease in the number of persons experiencing chronic homelessness.

The announcement made last Thursday at a press conference at the Camillus House Somerville Residence, a permanent housing residence and clinic serving 41 families, was an opportunity to share the good news with the community and to provide a glimpse of the many public and private partnerships at work to end homelessness in the city. Among the many partners in attendance were city, county, and federal officials, the City of Miami Homeless Assistance Program, the Miami-Dade Homeless Trust, Partnership for the Homeless, and Camillus House.

Noting a recent $1 million donation by Bank of America Charitable Foundation towards creation of a new Camillus House Center in the Miami Health District, Mayor Diaz said, "there is a common denominator in all of our partners and that is the tremendous sense of passion that I have seen for helping the most vulnerable citizens in the community and for giving them the opportunity to become members of our society to live in a dignified life and have a shot at self sufficiency." Camillus House, a non profit serving the south Florida area since 1960 that is collaborating in the effort to end chronic homelessness, has launched an $88 million campaign, Open the Door to Hope, and will build a new state-of-the-art campus with multiple buildings to include a total of 340 beds for homeless individuals who will be provided a wide range of social services and clinical treatment options. The Miami Homeless Assistance Program (MHAP) operates a nationally recognized outreach effort that includes the hiring of formerly homeless men and women who are trained as community outreach specialists. Currently, 30 formerly homeless men and women are employed by MHAP, which also provides assessment, placement, referral and transportation services.

United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) Executive Director Philip Mangano, who has encouraged the city's efforts including the creation of a 10-Year Plan and adoption of the Project Homeless Connect innovation, was invited by Mayor Diaz to join him at the announcement.

In his remarks, Director Mangano praised Mayor Diaz for his personal and professional commitment to ending homelessness that has led him to be a leader not only in Miami but among mayors nationally on the issue. Mayor Diaz is vice chair of the U.S. Conference of Mayors and a member of the USCM's Task Force on Hunger and Homelessness. Director Mangano noted that the record funding of nearly $25 million in homeless assistance grants announced by U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Jackson last month for the Miami-Dade Continuum of Care is the fourth largest amount won by any continuum in the country - a 60% increase over the last four years - and reflects the good work the city and county are doing. Miami-Dade County had the first dedicated revenue for homeless programs in the country and as Miami-Dade Homeless Trust Executive Director David Raymond reported at the event, the city and the county continue to support innovative initiatives.

Miami joins a growing list of 10-Year Plan jurisdictions to have reported decreases in homelessness including several who reported their results at last week's USICH sponsored The Pursuit of Solutions: Second Annual National Summit on Innovation for Jurisdictional Leaders.

Pictured here, top, l-r, Director Mangano, Camillus House Director of Government Relations Peter England, and Mayor Diaz. Pictured second, Mayor Diaz and Director Mangano speaking. Pictured third, Camillus House Director of Health Services Rosendo Collazo, D.O., Camillus House Executive Director Alina Perez-Stable, M.S.W., HUD Field Director Armando Fana, Director Mangano, and Mayor Diaz. Pictured fourth, Miami-Dade Homeless Trust Executive Director David Raymond, Director Mangano, Mayor Diaz, and Wayne Davis who formerly lived on the street and is now a home owner and a City of Miami employee. Pictured fifth, l-r, HUD Field Director Armando Fana, Director Mangano, Mayor Diaz, Wayne Davis, Camillus House President Dr. Paul Ahr, Trust Executive Director David Raymond, and USICH Regional Coordinator Michael German. Photos: Jorge R. Perez/City of Miami.

NASHUA, NEW HAMPSHIRE. Partnership at every level of government and with the private sector was in evidence Monday as Nashua Mayor Bernie Streeter, Governor John Lynch, U.S. Senator John McCain, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Regional Director Taylor Caswell, and United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano joined officials of Harbor Homes, veterans, business leaders and over 500 community residents in dedicating Buckingham Place, a 20 apartment transitional housing facility for homeless veterans. Unique in the nation, this facility will provide up to 24 months of housing for homeless male and female veterans, and homeless veteran families in a single facility.

The project is funded with a combination of government and private funds. Federal funding included $400,000 in capital funding and $200,000 annual Grant and Per Diem funding for operation costs from the VA, and $550,000 from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development through HOME Special Needs Projects. The City contributed over $500,000 from a combination of CDBG, HOME, and Economic Development Initiative funding. Numerous local businesses, banks, foundations, the United Way of Greater Nashua, and Nashua Rotary also contributed funds to make the project a reality.

In his remarks, Director Mangano praised Mayor Streeter and the City of Nashua for the 57% reduction in chronic homelessness achieved since implementation of its 10-Year Plan began in 2003. He commended Governor Lynch for his recent reaffirmation of a State Interagency Council on Homelessness and for the increased funding for homeless programs included in the Governor's FY 2008 budget proposal. He also commended the Federal Home Loan Bank for their participation in the project and other projects across the country and praised Senator McCain for being a champion of veterans in the Congress.

Director Mangano noted that record resources from Washington are helping communities implementing 10-Year Plans to get the job done. Last month, HUD Secretary Jackson announced record funding of nearly $1.4 billion in homeless assistance grants and the VA will spend an estimated $265 million on specialized homeless assistance for veterans this fiscal year. On February 22nd, VA Secretary Nicholson announced the largest ever one-time funding opportunity to expand community-based services to homeless veterans that will, among other efforts, support 1000 new transitional housing beds. "The good news is that the number of homeless veterans in our country has dropped from 250,000 a few years ago to 190,000 now. But we New Englanders aren't naïve. We know there's much more to be done. 190,000 is still a national disgrace and we can't rest until all are home. None left behind. And we will be moral insomniacs until the mission is accomplished," said Director Mangano.

Buckingham Place is the latest project of Harbor Homes, Inc, a non profit established in 1980 to "create and provide quality residential and support services for persons (and their families) challenged by mental illness and homelessness" and led by Peter Kelleher for more than two decades. Starting with a 9-bed group home, Harbor Homes now operates nearly two dozen residential and comprehensive support services projects in affiliation with a number of community organizations. Buckingham Place is Harbor Homes second Veterans F.I.R.S.T ( Federal Investment Recognizing Our Service Men and Women in Transition) program. An 8-unit project offering dorm like housing for up to 16 honorably discharged homeless male veterans opened in 2004.

Griffin Delainis, Disabled American Veterans Gate City Chapter 7 Commander and civilian aide to the Secretary of the Army, spoke stirringly of Byron "Bucky" Buckingham, a decorated World War II veteran and long time resident of Nashua who devoted himself to serving his fellow veterans, and in whose honor the building has been named.

For a VA Fact Sheet on programs for homeless veterans, click here. The 2007 edition of the Federal Benefits for Veterans and Dependents booklet is now available online. USICH encourages communities engaged in 10-Year Plan efforts to give special attention and consideration to the needs of homeless veterans in their community. Best practice in the convening of 10-Year planning partnerships and the development of jurisdictional plans incorporates early inclusion of partners who address the needs of homeless veterans, the development of jurisdictional data on their needs, and the design of partnerships and investments that prevent and end their homelessness. More information on meeting the needs of homeless veterans through 10-Year Plan efforts can be found on the USICH website.

Pictured here, Senator McCain at the podium. On the dais, front row l-r, Lori Piper of Merrimack County Savings Bank, John Lydiard of B.A.E. Systems, HUD Region 1 Director Caswell, William Hamilton of FHLB of Boston, Disabled American Veterans Gate City Chapter 7 Commander and civilian aide to the Secretary of the Army Griffin Delainis who served as emcee for the event, Mayor Streeter, and Governor Lynch. Second row, l-r, Ed Zrachet of the United Way, Dr. Esham Biswas of the VA, Claire Monier of NH Housing, David Gagnon of T.D. Bank North, Harbor Homes President Peter Kelleher, USICH Director Mangano, Tom Tessier of the Nashua Rotary Club, and Very Reverend Agapit Jean, representing the Diocese of Manchester. Third row, l-r, Richard Manganello of Windmill International, Thomas Hurd of Adden Furniture, Claudie Mahar of NH Charitable Foundation, and Tony Martinez from Nashua Rotary Club.

GASTONIA, NORTH CAROLINA. With leadership from the Gastonia City Council and Mayor Jennie Stultz, Gastonia became the second North Carolina community to adopt the Project Homeless Connect innovation. 137 community volunteers escorted the more than 200 consumers to available services that included housing assistance, clothing, haircuts, legal services, a bag of groceries, access to Jobline services through the North Carolina Employment Security Commission, and assistance from Gaston County Vocational Rehabilitation. During the event, 14 received job offers; 32 had initial job interviews and referrals; 8 households, totaling 13 people received permanent housing and 7 people who'd been living on the streets were approved in initial screening for transitional housing. More than 50% of those who attended the event left with follow-up appointments for medical services, bus passes, and veteran and other benefits assistance.

The housing was made available through a combination of a HOME-funded local tenant based rental assistance effort and the North Carolina "KEY" program. Housing Credit projects in North Carolina are required to set aside 10% of their units for persons with disabilities and homeless populations. Through the KEY program, project based operating subsidies are available for these units.

Community members had different reasons for volunteering at the Connect event. "Sharon" was born and raised in Gastonia but hard times and some poor decisions led her to prostitution and drug abuse. A changed life later, she wants to reach as many homeless and at risk women in Gaston County as she can to prevent them from repeating her mistakes. A decade ago, "Evita" found herself homeless. Now a successful businesswoman, she too is reaching out to others to "return the goodness that area churches once showed her." To Gastonia City Council Member Dale Burkett, Project Homeless Connect is more than just a nice event that makes everyone feel good for a day. "My mother and I stepped off a bus in Gastonia, and found ourselves with no place to go," he explains. "If it had not been for a local shelter, I don't know what we would have done."

Mr. Burkett was on site along with Mayor Stultz and fellow City Council member John Howren, Jr, Gaston City Attorney L. Ashley Smith, North Carolina Coordinator for Homeless Programs Martha Are, and United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) Regional Coordinator Eddie Woodhouse.

Later this week, United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano will travel to Winston-Salem, North Carolina at the invitation of the Forsyth County United Way to be the keynote speaker at their annual meeting. Like many United Ways around the nation, the United Way of Forsyth County is helping lead the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County 10-Year Plan effort. On April 18, Winston-Salem will hold the community's first Project Homeless Connect.

Pictured center, l-r, at Gastonia Project Homeless Connect, USICH Regional Coordinator Eddie Woodhouse, Executive Director of Reinvestment in Communities of Gastonia, Inc., and PHC Coordinator Mary McCreight, Gastonia City Councilor John Howren Jr., Mayor Jennie Stultz, NC Homeless Policy Specialist Martha Are, and Gastonia City Councilor Dale Burkett.

DALLAS, TEXAS. The Vogel Alcove in Dallas, Texas helps the youngest homeless members of the Dallas community. This non profit "haven for the children of the homeless" was established almost 21 years ago by a collaboration of 21 synagogues and Jewish organizations as a child care center for 11 children of homeless families living in a downtown shelter. Today, the Vogel Alcove is a multifaceted program providing free child care and development services, parenting services, and primary health care access to more than 100 infants, toddlers, and pre-schoolers daily. Its 11,000 sq. ft. facility houses 10 classrooms, including 3 Head Start programs. The children are referred to the Vogel Alcove from 20 affiliated organizations in the community including domestic violence and emergency shelters, and transitional housing programs. Requiring such referrals ensures that the parent(s) are linked to community services.

Two weeks after being enrolled at the Vogel Alcove, children receive professional development screenings to assess their motor, cognitive, behavioral, emotional, and language skills. Speech, play therapy, and other assistance is made available as appropriate to try to overcome any developmental delays the child is experiencing. Most of the children enrolled in the Alcove child care program are served onsite but some, particularly those whose parent is staying at a domestic violence shelter, receive services at affiliated sites. The Alcove also offers a parenting program one night a week with 4 classes running concurrently. These classes include "parenting matters", "beyond surviving", "infant massage to facilitate bonding and attachment between parent and infant", and a culturally sensitive program in Spanish.

Primary health care services, including well child check-ups, immunizations, vision and hearing checks, are provided twice weekly by the Homeless Outreach Medical Services (HOMES) Mobile Van of Parkland Hospital. The Hospital also contracts for a nurse to visit the Alcove every morning for 2 hours. The HOMES program is an effort between Parkland Health and Hospital System and the City of Dallas that uses mobile motor homes to provide medical care and social work services to the pediatric and adult homeless population within the City of Dallas. The mobile units are equipped with clerical and nursing stations, two examination rooms, a pharmacy and restroom. The HOMES program also played an important role post Katrina when thousands of Louisianans evacuated to Dallas. HOMES mobile units were set up outside Reunion Arena and the Dallas Convention Center to provide primary medical care and a dedicated pharmacy staff to provide prescription refills.

When the Alcove started to track where parents and children went after they left a shelter, they found that often those who were now housed had practical support needs such as furniture and other household items, baby formula etc. Two former Board members familiar with furniture banks in Houston and Atlanta incorporated the Dallas Furniture Bank three years ago. The Bank works on a voucher system with vouchers purchased for families by the Alcove. In collaboration with shelter and housing providers, the Alcove will continue to provide case management services for a time after the family is housed.

The Alcove continues to be mostly privately funded but does receive some limited HUD funding through the Continuum of Care process, small amounts of CDBG money from the city, and food nutrition assistance through the U.S. Department of Agriculture. More than 400 community members volunteer each year at the Alcove.

While the Alcove sees many situational homeless circumstances, many more appear to be "generational homelessness", according to Alcove Executive Director Barbara Landix. One voluntary parent survey found that 32% had had involvement with child protective services, more than 50% had a history of physical or sexual abuse or domestic violence, and increasingly there is a jail or corrections history. The Vogel Alcove program has been "adopted" by the Dallas Psychoanalytic Network whose members offer professional mental health assistance for the most difficult cases. Says Director Landix, "We all experience life as a journey. We travel life's highways, and occasionally there is a detour. Yet most of us are able to navigate, get our bearings and we get back onto life's road. But for some,. . . life's journey is much more complex. . . the Alcove is that oasis along the way. We give hope, we give help, and we allow weary travelers to regain their strength and chart their plans for the future."

WASHINGTON, D.C. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has published its schedule of webcasts for the programs covered in its FY 2007 "SuperNOFA"" published in the March 13 Federal Register. The SuperNofa announced the availability of nearly $2.4 billion through 38 grant programs including approximately $1.25 billion for the Continuum of Care Homeless Assistance Grants program. Again this year, applicants seeking funding through the Continuum of Care Homeless Assistance Grants Program will not be required to submit their applications electronically.

The Continuum of Care Homeless Assistance Grants webcast is scheduled for March 27 from 1:30 pm-5 pm Eastern time. For a complete schedule of the webcasts, click here.

Applicability to HUD programs of VAWA and Department of Justice Reauthorization Act.

The March 16th Federal Register includes a HUD notice addressing "inquiries to HUD about (1) The applicability to HUD programs of certain provisions of the Violence Against Women and Department of Justice Reauthorization Act of 2005, as amended by a technical corrections bill signed into law in August 2006, and (2) HUD's plans to issue rules or guidance on this new law. The Violence Against Women and Department of Justice Reauthorization Act of 2005 and the technical corrections described in this notice became effective upon enactment.

"This notice presents information from HUD's Offices of Community Planning and Development, General Counsel, Housing, and Public and Indian Housing, and provides an overview of key provisions that affect HUD programs, identifies those provisions that require program participants to take action to be in compliance, and advises of efforts underway within HUD to further facilitate compliance with this new law, including rules and guidance that are under consideration or development."

Domestic violence is repeatedly identified as one of the leading causes of family homelessness. As reported in the February 28th e-news, the U.S. Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) has a number of grant programs, technical assistance, and funding opportunities that may be helpful to state and local 10-Year Plan efforts.

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

The new federal inter-agency Task Force on Returning Global War on Terror Heroes examining services and benefits for returning combat veterans, chaired by VA Secretary Nicholson, has established a website. Active duty service members, veterans, family members, and others wishing to comment directly to the Task Force on issues relating to the accessing of federal benefits and services may do so by emailing TFHeroes@va.gov. For information on how to mail or fax your comments, click here.

The VA also has a Seamless Transitions web page providing benefits and assistance information for returning Active Duty, National Guard and Reserve service members of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.

To view the latest list of scheduled 2007 VA Stand Downs for homeless veterans, click here.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service

Last week, Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns announced that up to $5 million in Food Stamp Program Participation grants are available to improve the accessibility and awareness of USDA's Food Stamp Program for low-income households. The Department has established an FY 2007 priority for encouraging and supporting partnerships between State agencies administering the FSP and private non profit organizations, including faith-based and community organizations. The Department intends to make at least one award of up to $1 million to an acceptable proposal that involves a partnership between a State agency and one or more non profit organization with strong community ties. To read the grant announcement, click here.

Food Stamps, the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), and the Social Security Administration's Supplemental Security Income (SSI/SSDI) are examples of mainstream entitlement programs that can offer resources directly to the homeless and at risk of homelessness consumer. Successful 10-Year Plan efforts maximize both the effective utilization of federal and state program resources and the opportunity to increase access by homeless and at risk of homelessness families and individuals to mainstream entitlement resources for which they qualify.

To access a State and Local Food Stamp Agencies Outreach Kit, click here.

To access a Community Partner Outreach Kit, click here.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Community Services

Approximately $10 million is being made available through the HHS' Compassion Capital Fund to help build the capacity of faith-based and community organizations serving distressed communities address the following needs: help for at-risk youth; help for the homeless; marriage education and preparation services to help couples who choose marriage for themselves develop the skills and knowledge to form and sustain healthy marriages; or social services to those living in rural communities. A distressed community is defined as a neighborhood or geographic community with an unemployment rate and/or poverty rate equal to or greater than the State or national rate. No match or cost sharing is required. Maximum individual award will be $50,000. Click here for full application details.

Competitive applications are being accepted under authority of the Community Services Block Grant Act, Training and Technical Assistance Program for the Earned Income Tax Credit and Other Asset Formation Opportunities. $500,000 is available to fund up to 10 "capacity building collaborations that create or expand asset formation and financial literary services offered by eligible entities funded under the CSBG program." Click here to view application details.

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA. Housing California is the largest annual affordable housing conference in the nation. This year's April 23-25 event, Building Homes, Building Hope, will include three workshops developed in consultation with the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH). USICH Regional Coordinator Ed Cabrera will lead the workshops. Mr. Cabrera and his fellow USICH Regional Coordinators, whose work in the field involves disseminating innovations and best practices and providing other forms of technical assistance to prevent and end homelessness, are a good resource for jurisdictions or organizations planning housing and homeless conferences.

Common Sense and Dollar$ & Cents on Homelessness: The Antitdote to NIMBY will offer an opportunity to learn about how cost benefit analysis is having an impact in creating political will and garnering resources across the nation to create housing solutions for persons experiencing chronic homelessness. Last week's USICH sponsored Pursuit of Solutions: Second Annual National Summit on Innovation for Jurisdictional Leaders included a presentation by Dr. Dennis Culhane of the University of Pennsylvania in which he reviewed Emerging Research on the Costs of Homelessness including the USICH compilation of community cost studies from 10-Year Plan efforts. For more information on last week's Summit and to view presentations, please visit the USICH website.

Good to Better to Great: Innovations in 10-Year Plans: With increasing numbers of 10-Year Plan jurisdictions reporting decreases in street and chronic homelessness (see related story this issue on Miami) this session will focus on the elements of 10-Year Plan development and implementation that are helping communities achieve these results.

National Project Homeless Connect: More than 100 cities have adopted this one-day, one-stop innovation, originated in San Francisco by Mayor Gavin Newsom, and promoted nationally by USICH. This session will focus on how Project Homeless Connect builds political will for ending chronic homelessness and supports 10-Year Plan efforts by catalyzing community involvement, creating new partnerships, and generating new investments.

To view the Housing California Agenda, including other workshops under an Outreach, Services, and Housing Models track, click here.

IN THIS ISSUE, the e-news highlights remarks of Louise Casey, architect of England's successful "Rough Sleepers Initiative," who was a featured speaker at last week's United States Interagency Council on Homelessness sponsored The Pursuit of Solutions: Second Annual National Summit on Innovation for Jurisdictional Leaders. Held at the National Press Club in Washington, DC, the National Summit was attended by more than 200 state and local officials, their representatives, and other community leaders engaged in 10-Year Plan efforts.

. . . I can sense the tide is turning here in a way that it wasn't two years ago. There are many stories in the room of people who want to move in the right direction and are moving in the right direction. That means you are starting to move to a time that actually the group of people saying this is right and we can do this, this is achievable and we are going to do it, becomes greater and greater. That is what this Summit is all about. That is what all these strategies are all about. At the end of day, it's not about politics. It's completely and utterly about people. And it's about helping people and believing you can help those people.

. . . The reason I am here is because we reduced the number of people sleeping rough between midnight and 5 am across England, Scotland, and Wales in excess of 75% in under two yearrs. . . what we did got it right because the numbers have stayed that low since December 2001 when we met the target and in some cities and areas, have fallen even further.

. . . We were a collection of voices who said we were doing the right thing. That we had to hold our nerve. We had to be focused and clear, unnerving and unswerving in our utter and complete determination to make sure we reduced the number of people who were sleeping rough on our streets. To be unrelenting in our determination to get that number down when people wavered toward the path of the popular.

. . . So as I stand before you, the number of human beings that face early death, sickness, loneliness, and a poverty of spirit, let alone a financial and social poverty as rough sleepers, are less than 700 across the whole of the United Kingdom.

email: ichnews@setechnology.com

web: http://www.usich.gov