SALEM, OREGON. 120 state officials, local elected officials, provider agencies, and homeless advocates, representing the twelve jurisdictionally-led, community-based 10 Year Plans in Oregon gathered at the state capitol of Salem as the Oregon Ending Homelessness Advisory Council unveiled the state's own plan - "A Home for Hope" - that has been developed in support of twelve local 10 Year Plans in Oregon. Director Mangano is pictured here addressing the Summit.

United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano was invited to keynote the Summit at the Willamette University College of Law. The Summit was sponsored by Governor Theodore Kulongoski's Ending Homelessness Advisory Board and the Oregon Department of Housing and Community Services, with assistance from the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness.

Welcoming remarks were delivered by Ray Naff, Policy Advisor to Governor Kulongoski, Victor Merced, Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) Director, and Rick Crager, OHCS Deputy Director and Ending Homelessness Advisory Council Chair. Director Merced, who is very supportive of the Governor's initiatives, pledged his Department's commitment to the Plan.

Pictured here are (left to right): Lincoln County Commissioner Bill Hall, Vice Chair of Ending Homelessness Advisory Council; Director Victor Merced, Oregon Housing and Community Services; Deputy Director Rick Crager, Oregon Housing and Community Services, Chair of Ending Homelessness Advisory Council; and Director Mangano.

Stated Mr. Naff: "The Governor is committed to end the homelessness that threatens the lives of thousands of Oregonians. We cannot tolerate the continuance of homelessness, we must create this home for hope." Governor Kulongoski this year committed $16 million in new funding to the development of permanent supportive housing in communities throughout the state. Read more of Governor Kulongoski's letter to attendees in Words of the Week.

Indicated Director Mangano in his keynote: "Now the new Oregon State Plan makes it official, but it's been easy to see that Governor Kulongoski has been a partner for a long time in significant ways: revitalizing the State Interagency Council, adding resources into the state budget for housing targeted to some of the poorest, initiating an aggressive reentry initiative for ex-prisoners, creating the Advisory Council."

"And Oregon is home to many Champions on this issue: elected officials like Bill Hall of Lincoln and Mayor Piercy of Eugene and Mayor Abernethy of Bend, local community champions like Sally Erickson of Portland and innovators like Richard Harris of Central City Concern."

OHCS Deputy Director Crager, in introducing the State's 10 Year Plan remarked, "The state's plan is asking local communities to tell us the tools we can give to the community to get the job done. What state systems can we improve and change? What resources and actions does the State's plan need to bring to bear to help your local plans succeed? The State's plan will change as we act and as we learn, but the work starts now!"

Partners present discussed key strategies in developing and implementing local homelessness plans. Four more Oregon counties were represented at the Summit and will soon officially commit themselves to developing local plans, resulting in a total of sixteen local plans that cover most of Oregon.

Luncheon speaker Commissioner Bill Hall of Lincoln County, a rural county implementing its 10 Year Plan, reported on results: "In Lincoln County, we managed to bring together a number of energetic and talented people to attack this issue on many fronts at once. We're not quite eight months into plan implementation, but thanks to those folks, and good timing, we've already scored some successes: We have secured a $540,000 grant to provide our first six units of permanent supportive housing. We've already got a second project in the planning stages. We held our first Project Homeless Connect last October, serving more than 125 individuals, and have just started planning our second event . . . . " Commissioner Hall was recognized at the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness Third Annual National Summit for Jurisdictional Leaders in Washington with the "Home for Every American" Award for his leadership in Lincoln County. Read more of his remarks in Words of the Week.

Council Regional Coordinator Paul Carlson, who has actively encouraged and supported the development and implementation of plans in the state, participated throughout the Summit and led a morning session that provided technical assistance for the new local plans in development.

WARWICK, RHODE ISLAND. City Council Chambers was the site of last week's rollout of the new Warwick, Rhode Island 10 Year Plan. Mayor Scott Avedisian welcomed United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano to the press event where federal, state, and local government partners, as well as the private sector, were represented. Director Mangano is pictured here at the event in the historic City Council Chambers, speaking to community stakeholders.

Warwick is the first Rhode Island city to develop its own Plan, which is linked to the state's plan. Stated Warwick's planners: "Adopting a state-wide approach does not absolve municipalities from responsibility. Each city and town must take positive actions within the state-wide context to assure the state plan is fully implemented in their own jurisdictions."

Warwick is one of a very few U.S. cities that has modeled the example of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness to create an Interagency Council for its own jurisdictionally-led, community-based 10 Year Plan. On April 26, 2004, Mayor Avedisian issued Executive Order 2004-06 establishing an Interagency Council on Homelessness in the City of Warwick. Mayor Avedisian is pictured here at right with Director Mangano.

"In your Plan you are clear, you need to be part of a team that includes every level of government - city, state, and federal, with the private sector in an important role as well," indicated Director Mangano. "Well, Warwick and Rhode Island have their own 'Big Three' to vanquish homelessness. At the federal level, Senator Jack Reed has been an active champion on the issue, forwarding an important bill to update our national efforts. His consistent leadership on this issue and his interest in new ideas and partnership are shaping new legislative focus."

"At the State level, Governor Carcieri has created a State Interagency Council on Homelessness and ensured proactive initiatives by appointing Noreen Shawcross to head up the housing and homelessness efforts."

"And here in Warwick Mayor Avedisian has shown local leadership and issued his own Executive Order creating a city Interagency Council on Homelessness, encouraging both the public and private sectors to work together," he continued. "Warwick is wise in affirming its own responsibility, its own opportunities, its own local strategies, its own resources."

Prior to the press event, Director Mangano met with Mayor Avedisian and key officials to discuss the National Partnership and progress in Rhode Island. Noreen Shawcross, Chief of Housing and Community Development, State of RI and Maureen Volpe, Director, Warwick Human Services participated in the meeting. Brenda Pacheco of Senator Reed's office and Katie Mosunic of Senator Whitehouse's office also attended the press event. HUD RI Field Office Director Nancy Smith Greer and Council Regional Coordinator John O'Brien also participated. Pictured here are federal, state, and local partners during the pre-meeting.

Mayor Avedisian will be appointing a private sector Community Champion to Chair the plan implementation. The Warwick Council consists of Councilwoman Donna Travis, Chair; Janis Fisher, RI Family Shelter; Richard Walton, Jay Burdick, Anthony Andreozzi and Maureen Volpe, Director of Human Services and Council Coordinator. The Council appointed a number of citizens to sit in an advisory capacity.

The Executive Order noted that the City shares the mission of the United States Interagency on Homelessness to develop and implement a comprehensive strategy to end chronic homelessness within the next ten years. The Executive Order found that an action-oriented, performance-based plan that fosters a collaborative effort with local businesses, faith and community based organizations, educational institutions, charitable agencies and other groups is essential to the preparation and implementation of a successful effort to address homelessness. The Warwick Interagency Council has met on a regular basis over the last three years to gather data, identify resources, and to discuss how the City of Warwick can best develop a plan to end homelessness in Warwick.

Key findings and action items of the new plan include: implement the voter-approved $5 million bond issue to develop housing affordable for specific populations; develop a funding program with these bond funds to maximize leverage of additional resources (state, federal and private); establish an outreach effort to contact the City's non-sheltered homeless, including those aggressively approaching the public for assistance; require developers of over 20 units to set aside ten percent of same as affordable units or to provide a cash donation to be used for affordable housing development; establish a more effective homeless prevention program; and work with the School Department to establish a system to identify children from homeless families.

LANSING, MICHIGAN. "It is Project Homeless Connect's aim to provide mobile hospitality, by allowing the patrons to navigate the space and resources openly, but to also foster a sense of welcome, comfort, increased morale, and independence for our homeless population," stated Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero in his letter of invitation to homeless neighbors, City Council members, potential partners, and volunteers. Lansing convened its first-ever event last week at the Don Johnson Field House at Lansing Eastern High School. United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano was invited to keynote the pre-event rally with Mayor Bernero. Joan Jackson Johnson, Ph.D., Director, Lansing Department of Human Relations and Community Services, was key to the organizing and execution of the day's events and extended hospitality throughout. Mayor Bernero is pictured here addressing the rally.

Dr. Johnson and her team choreographed a successful event in just two months' time, and her commitment to best practice ensured that - when 700 guests were welcomed, more than double the expected number - all were welcomed. Lansing inaugurated its Project Homeless Connect event in collaboration with the Greater Lansing Homeless Resolution Network, and partners had taken the Council's Project Homeless Connect best practices to heart, gathering volunteers a full hour before the event launch. At the Project Homeless Connect rally before the doors opened, Mayor Bernero and Director Mangano welcomed community volunteers, along with Senator Gretchen Whitmer, Representative Mark Meadows, the Chair of the Ingham County Board of Commissioners, Angie Mayeaux, Chair of the Continuum of Care, and Dr. Johnson. Director Mangano, Mayor Bernero, and Dr. Johnson are pictured here.

Once the doors were opened, homeless neighbors were welcomed directly to restaurant style food service and entertainment, where they could relax and be oriented to available resources without lines. Mobile Hospitality Volunteers were "responsible for making sure everyone stays on track, ensuring that the homeless consumer has received meal service, and providing guidance and hospitality to each individual," and organizers sought a 1:1 ratio of volunteers to guests. Director Mangano (left) and Mayor Bernero (right) are shown here greeting guests in an outdoor tent.

Mayor Bernero, Dr. Johnson, and the Lansing team showed intent for outcomes and attention to detail in the focus on key elements for results throughout event materials and outreach. Mayor Bernero sent invitation letters to all City Council members, potential partners and donors, and volunteers, outlining the goals of Project Homeless Connect and urging their participation and partnership: "It is not just a day for people to wait in line, but a day for people to make changes, and have immediate access to essential services," said the Mayor. Pictured here is an illustration of the Lansing color-coded Project Connect volunteer t-shirts.

Prior to welcoming volunteers and opening the doors to welcome homeless guests, Mayor Bernero and Director Mangano met with an expansive group of partners from city, county, state, and federal government, as well as the private sector at the Lansing Center to discuss next steps for calibrating the city-county 10 Year Plan to best practices in partnership. Director Mangano is pictured here at the earlier event.

Earlier this year, key community partners executed a Memorandum of Understanding with initial commitments for participation from the Greater Lansing Homelessness Resolution Network, Department of Human Services, Capital Area United Way, Michigan State University, Community Mental Health Authority of Clinton, Eaton and Ingham Counties, Ingham County Health Department, and Mid South Substance Abuse Commission. The 2006 Plan called for an Implementation Plan and formalizing the Plan's Housing First goal.

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has announced a $1 million investment through the United Way of King County for the King County 10 Year Plan To End Chronic Homelessness. In the same week that Bill Gates departed his full-time Microsoft role to become a full-time philanthropist, the Foundation announced the investment to focus on 1,000 people in the county who have been homeless long-term and who are intensive users of publicly funded support systems.

The United Way Campaign to End Chronic Homelessness - in partnership with the City of Seattle, King County, the Seattle Housing Authority and the King County Housing Authority - will ensure access to permanent supportive housing for the targeted high utilizers.

Private philanthropic investment in 10 Year Plans has been key to leveraging new partnerships and results across the country. The United State Interagency Council on Homelessness this year recognized three philanthropists at the Third Annual National Summit for Jurisdictional Leadership, with "Home for Every American" Awards presented to Rick Schaden of the Schaden Family Foundation in Denver, Board Chair Elaine Rosen of the Kresge Foundation, and Atlanta's Kendeda Fund.

"We are very excited to have the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation support for our work to end chronic homelessness," said Jon Fine, President and CEO of United Way of King County. "The foundation is a highly focused organization that is making a significant impact across the globe, and we here at United Way share that focus to achieve fundamental change here in King County."

United Way is raising $25 million over two years for its Campaign to End Chronic Homelessness. These dollars will leverage additional investments of more than $200 million from partners in the public sector.

ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. Jurisdictionally-led, community-based, business-oriented 10 Year Planning was the focus of events in St. Augustine and St. Johns County, Florida last week as elected officials from St. Augustine, St. Augustine Beach, and St. Johns County convened with private sector leaders to consider advancing a 10 Year Plan in their region. In the aftermath of the U.S. Conference of Mayors Annual Meeting, United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano was invited to meet with officials and address a public-private partners' breakfast meeting to encourage jurisdictional commitment to a regional plan for Florida's oldest city and its neighbors.

St. Augustine Mayor Joe Boles was joined by St. Augustine Beach Mayor Rich O'Brien, and St. Johns County Administrator Michael Wanchick for the event. St. Augustine, which is launching its 450th anniversary celebration, also hosted Williamsburg, Virginia Mayor Jeanne Zeidler, who last year marked the same anniversary in her city and was present for St. Augustine's kickoff. Paul Williamson, City of St. Augustine Public Affairs Director and John Regan, COO of the City of St. Augustine were instrumental to the day's events. Regional partners agreed to develop a broader stakeholder meeting as a next step.

While in St. Augustine, Director Mangano also visited the emergency room of Flagler Hospital where he met with nursing and ER staff who shared their experiences of seeing people who are homeless and frequent users of costly emergency services. Taking part in the briefing on 10 Year Planning, partnership, and innovation from other communities were Police Chief Loran Lueders; Peter Ellis, Editor, St. Augustine Record; Joe Gordy, President, Flagler Hospital; Renee Morris, Executive Director, St. Francis House; Michael Smithson, President, St. Augustine Area Council of the St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce; Ron Stafford, Pastor, New Mount Moriah Baptist Church; and Holly Yelton, Mortgage Loan Officer, Colonial Bank. Michael German, the Council's National Team Leader, also participated.

HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA. The Music Box @ Henry Fonda Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard was the site of the most recent Hollywood Project Homeless Connect event, locally entitled "Y!MBY Connect Day" - "Yes! In My Backyard." Music Box co-owners Thad Smith, Marco Roy, and Burt Nelson opened their doors to about 200 community volunteers who welcomed 600 of their homeless neighbors for the one-day, one-stop engagement event, Hollywood's third event, which includes West Hollywood.

Kerry Morrison, Executive Director of the Hollywood BID, organized the successful event with PATH, and reported: "Something quite special is happening in Hollywood . . . it's palpable. Today we opened our arms to our neighbors. The day was tremendously successful."

The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, and the Hollywood Business Roundtable on Homelessness were key sponsors. The Roundtable is a group of Hollywood business and community leaders that meets regularly to discuss alternatives for ending homelessness in Hollywood. Other Project Homeless Connect sponsors included: Paramount Pictures/Viacom, CRA/LA , Council District 13, Commotion Promotions, Ltd, and Jewish Family Services/SOVA food pantry. Aileen Getty of GettLove feeding program coordinated the more than 600 breakfasts and lunches needed.

More than 60 local partners from the federal, state, city, and county agencies and the private sector provided resources at the event, including: BACUP (Benefits Assistance Clients Urban Project); Children and Family Services for Transitional Housing for emancipated former foster youth; Cirque Du Soleil providing art therapy, training and engagement in performing arts for youth; Department of Motor Vehicles; Ecclesia with foot care and spa treatment; Hollywood Work Source with employment/vocational services; PATH; and Military Women In Need with housing subsidies for female veterans. Pictured here are activities at the Music Box.

Noted United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano, who recently met with the Hollywood Business Roundtable: "We encourage communities to use venues that are not commonly utilized by homeless people for Connect events. The idea is to welcome our homeless neighbors into the heart of our communities in a location that that is new and 'disruptive' to their normal patterns in the effort to create a different trajectory for their life."

"We need the entire Hollywood community to get behind Project Y!MBY Connect Day and make it a success," said L.A. City Council President Eric Garcetti before the event. "This is a powerful opportunity for all of us to demonstrate our collective commitment, get involved, take action and be a part of ending homelessness."

Are you planning a Project Homeless Connect event?
Do you want to learn best practices from your peers?
Send your Project Homeless Connect contact information, including proposed date, to nphc@usich.gov and we'll keep you up-to-date on upcoming best practice events!

Coming this summer . . . National Project Homeless Connect webcast on Best Practices!

WITH THIS ISSUE, the e-news focuses on remarks of Oregon Governor Theodore Kulongoski in a letter to attendees at the recent Oregon Summit on Homelessness and remarks of Lincoln County, Oregon Commissioner Bill Hall who reflected on his county's experience in 10 Year Planning partnership.

Governor Kulongoski . . .

"As a state, we are aware of the complex issues that create and prolong homelessness, but clearly, we cannot tolerate the toll it takes on the lives of our children, families, and single adults. Today's gathering demonstrates your desire and intent to work collaboratively to craft the needed strategies and actions to give homeless persons a home for hope.

"As part of the state's 10 Year Plan, the core goals and strategies include the prevention and intervention in the plight of the homelessness, affordable housing with supportive services, and revamping our system of services. It is with these types of strategies that the state, in collaboration with local plans and efforts, can succeed.

"Many of you here today have pioneered new responses to serve homeless people through your 10 Year Plans to End Homelessness. We are learning from you, we thank you for sharing your work and lessons learned, ands we appreciate your willingness to assist other communities to develop their own local plans."

Commissioner Hall . . .

"When it comes to homelessness and the development of ten-year plans, local elected officials are essential to the success of this process. You need the initial commitment of elected officials to set the process in motion. You need the participation of elected officials to get all the stakeholders to the table. You need the leadership of elected officials to focus the attention of other community leaders and the news media. And you need the ongoing commitment of elected officials to following through when a plan is completed and making sure it doesn't just sit on a shelf, but rather that it produces tangible results . . .

"To those who say Ten Year Plans aren't the perfect solution, I would say I'm reminded of a quote from Winston Churchill to the effect that democracy is the worst form of government . . . with the exception of all others that have been tried. Ten Year Plans are the best vehicle we have for bringing the right stakeholders to the table, developing solutions, and most important of all, generating results. I challenge you to create a plan that will engage the right people and reflect the unique needs and strengths of your community, then start translating that plan into action.

"Results create public support, which generates momentum for more results."

From President Bush's Weekly Radio Address of June 28, 2008 on the work of faith-based and community organizations:

"Through their partnerships with the government, these organizations have helped reduce the number of chronically homeless by nearly 12 percent -- getting more than 20,000 Americans off the streets."
President George Bush

"Ending the homelessness of our neighbors is a patriotic act that attends to the ideals and promises of America. A home is the nexus point of 'life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.' This Independence Day we can celebrate that some of our citizens who were out in the long misery are now in, looking forward to that day when there will be a home for every American."
Philip F. Mangano, Executive Director
United States Interagency Council on Homelessness

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