FRESNO, CALIFORNIA. Fresno 10 Year Plan Co-chairs Mayor Alan Autry and Fresno County Board Chairman Henry Perea, with Fresno 10 Year Planning Council Chair Tom Richards, last week joined to unveil a new 10 Year Plan unanimously adopted by the City Council and County Board of Supervisors. The "Action Plan to End Chronic Homelessness in 10 Years: H.O.P.E (Housing, Opportunity, Prevention, Establishing collaboration)" was launched in April with a commitment to finalize the plan in just 100 days.

United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano, who had met with Mayor Autry and Chair Perea in 2007 to encourage their commitment to the Plan, was invited to address both the City Council and the County Board convenings before their votes: "Who would have guessed at the beginning of this decade the headlines on homelessness for our most vulnerable and disabled neighbors would be: 'Resources Up, Street Homelessness Down' ? And that's the promise on this historic day in Fresno as you act on the practical, down to earth, realistic Plan announced here today." Director Mangano also noted the important roles of Mayor's Chief of Staff Geogeanne White and Rep. Jim Costa who had sought the Council's expertise and partnership in encouraging a plan in his district.

"Homelessness has been a challenge for cities throughout the country, and we've grappled with different solutions. Now, this plan will give hope to people who have found themselves living on the streets," said Mayor Autry. Pictured above is Council Director Mangano after he was officially presented with the Plan by city and county officials. Also shown are Planning Council Chair Richards, Fresno City Council President Blong Xiong, County Board Chair Perea, Fresno Mayor Autry, and Fresno City Manager Andy Souza.

Chair Perea affirmed the importance of the unveiling, noting: "This is our equivalent to landing a man on the moon. You can't get to a destination unless you have a roadmap and what the Mayor has done, working with the county and this entire group, we have put together the roadmap."

On April 14, 2008, Chairman Perea and Mayor Autry announced that the County and City of Fresno would begin the process of developing a plan to end chronic homelessness in Fresno County. The officials convened community leaders to take on the challenge, and the group of civic leaders comprised the Leadership Council charged with the oversight for the development of the new Plan.

During the events last week, Mayor Autry reaffirmed his commitment to America's Road Home Statement of Principles and Actions and County Chairman Perea and City Council President Blong Xiong became new signatories. Mayor Autry is shown above as he re-signed America's Road Home to affirm his commitment to the statement. Council President Xiong and Board Chair Perea are shown at left, with Council Director Mangano at right. Council Regional Coordinator Ed Cabrera also took part.

Key aspects of the new Plan, which calls for an agency to serve as the single point of entry and accountability, include Housing First, with a goal of placing over 940 individuals in permanent supportive housing to end their chronic homelessness; expanding employment through public-private partnership with a 40% employment goal; increasing access to benefits and services including through the adoption of Project Homeless Connect; and expanding prevention initiatives including through improved discharge planning. Planners will also undertake a cost benefit analysis to add to the plan.

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA. California's state capital last week announced its first-ever decrease of 5 percent in chronic homelessness as it continues moving forward with the implementation of its city- county 10 Year Plan. Sacramento Mayor Heather Fargo and county officials last week welcomed United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano for the announcement and a briefing of the Ten Year Plan Policy Board and Planning Council. Sacramento County Department of Human Assistance Director Bruce Wagstaff and Cortez Quinn, Chief of Staff for Sacramento County Supervisor Roger Dickinson also participated. Pictured here is Director Mangano with Mayor Fargo and Chief of Staff Quinn.

"I'm just really pleased to be here today to say, 'Yes, it's working,' " said Mayor Fargo of the Plan implementation and results, acknowledging that she was initially skeptical of the federal initiative but has seen the results. The Mayor also noted that over 230 chronically homeless people have accessed housing and services over the first one and one-half years of implementation. An additional 260 units of permanent housing for homeless individuals and families are approved or under development.

"Sacramento is showing the visible, measurable, quantifiable results from a 10 Year Plan that creates a new standard of expectation on the issue of homelessness in the city and county," indicated Council Director Mangano. "With the leadership and commitment of Mayor Fargo and Supervisor Dickinson, Sacramento's residents - housed and homeless alike - can now expect change on our streets, in our neighborhoods, and in the lives of homeless people."

LaShelle Dozier, Interim Executive Director, Sacramento Housing & Redevelopment Agency (SHRA) Diane Luther, SHRA Director and former 10 Year Plan Director for Sacramento and Portland, OR, and Tim Brown, Director, Sacramento Ending Chronic Homelessness Initiative also took part. Pictured here are Council Regional Coordinator Ed Cabrera, Ms. Dozier, Mr. Brown, Ms. Luther, Director Mangano, Mayor Fargo, and Supervisor Dickinson's Chief of Staff Cortez Quinn.

Sacramento's innovations in its Plan implementation were the recent focus of two of the Council's 20 in 20 and 5 in 5 innovative profiles. The city's goal of public accountability for the 10 Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness created in 2006 was affirmed with the February 2008 public release of "The First Year: 2007 Progress Report For Sacramento's Ten Year Plan To End Chronic Homelessness." Public reporting and community education were included in the five strategies in Sacramento's Plan, and the new Progress Report provides the future foundation for the public accessibility to outcomes that the Plan called for.

The report card fulfills two purposes. First, it quantifies progress in achieving the goal of new housing for persons who are chronically homeless, in preventing homelessness through housing preservation and development, and creating the new Leadership Structure to oversee implementation and measure results. The report also provides illustrated profiles of formerly homeless neighbors who are succeeding in their new housing.

Second, the report card explains key concepts and plan activities in an easily read format, giving the progress report added value in educating the broader community about strategies and goals. The report card defines the housing and services pipeline ahead in the next phase of action steps, as well as potential barriers and challenges (budget issues, development underway, and funding applications pending).

As featured in 5 in 5, Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency (SHRA) is meeting the permanent supportive housing goals of the Sacramento City and County 10 Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness: 2006-2016 using redevelopment tax increment housing funds for rental assistance to support the Plan's two Housing First strategies during implementation: Units through Development and Units through Leasing. Typically, redevelopment agencies use tax increment funds to meet housing production goals both inside and outside redevelopment areas. Funds are generally used for gap financing for development costs.

BUFFALO, NEW YORK. "Ending Homelessness" was the title of this week's county- wide conference convened in Buffalo to focus on 10 Year Planning for the county and the adoption of field- tested, evidence-based innovations including Housing First. County partners are especially focused on addressing and reducing poverty in their community.

United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano, invited to keynote the annual symposium and meet with state, county, and city jurisdictional officials, joined Deputy Mayor Donna Brown and Erie County Executive Chris Collins on the dais with New York Governor David Paterson's representative Janique Curry and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Field Office Director Steven Banko.

"You are blessed by public officials who are ready to partner to enhance your Ten Year Plan to end homelessness, to put their political will and business expertise behind the effort," Director Mangano told the partners present for the event. "We know from plans across the country that the single most important factor in implementing the plans and getting results is the political will of the jurisdictional CEO's: Mayors and County Executives."

In meetings with Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown, Deputy Mayor Brown, and County Executive Collins, Director Mangano encouraged the economic re-framing of the county's plan, which the elected leaders are now committed to undertake. Newly installed County Executive Collins, whose business acumen and Six Sigma experience are central to his strategies for the county, will lead the re-calibration process to ensure business principles and results. Deputy Mayor Brown was especially encouraged by Director Mangano to link the plan's goals and strategies to the city's larger poverty reduction strategy. Pictured here are (left to right): Director Mangano, County Executive Collins, Mr. Banko, Mayor Brown, and Deputy Mayor Brown.

Joining in the discussions were symposium organizers and local partners Penny Selmonsky, Neighborhood Legal Services, Inc. and Bill O'Connell, Executive Director, Homeless Alliance of Western New York, which drafted the Erie County Plan. Mr. O'Connell was encouraged by the expression of political will from County Executive Collins and Mayor Brown.

Pictured at top are (left to right): Bill O' Connell, Executive Director, Homeless Alliance of Western New York; Buffalo Deputy Mayor Brow; Janique Curry, Representative of Governor Paterson's regional office; Penny Selmonsky, Neighborhood Legal Services; County Executive Collins; Director Mangano; HUD's Samuel Miller; Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown; and HUD's Stephen Banko III.

NIAGARA COUNTY, NEW YORK. Jurisdictional initiatives to end homelessness were the focus of discussions this week as United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano met with city and county elected officials in Niagara Falls and Niagara County to encourage partnership in planning.

In Lockport, New York at the Niagara County Court House, site of the county seat, Director Mangano joined Niagara County Board of Legislators Chair William Ross (pictured above) to discuss the ways in which 10 Year Plans can help communities meet economic development goals, including the maximization of Federal resources, accessing mainstream benefits, and through savings of public costs in expensive health care and law enforcement systems. Meeting later in Niagara Falls with Mayor Paul Dyster, Director Mangano (pictured here) also discussed the economic argument for planning, as well as the impact and benefits for consumers. The Niagara officials will now meet to discuss next steps.

Kathleen Granchelli, CEO of YWCA Niagara and Robyn Kruger, Executive Director of Community Missions also joined the discussions. Samuel Miller and John Zegarelli of HUD's regional staff also took part. Carolyn's House provides homeless women and children with long-term, transitional, supportive housing in a four-story site with 19 apartments - studio, one, two or three bedroom units. Community Missions is a more than 80 year old community agency providing a broad array of services and resources, including residential programs.

ANTIOCH, CALIFORNIA. "Project Homeless Connect is a good example of what can happen when the community and government come together to solve a national problem," said Concord Mayor Bill Shinn at the Contra Costa Fairgrounds, site of last week's third Contra Costa County Project Homeless Connect, where Contra Costa County Supervisor Federal Glover, Pacheco Town Council Vice President Doug Stewart, Antioch City Councilor Brian Kalinowski, and Martinez City Councilor Janet Kennedy also welcomed more than 600 homeless neighbors and more than 100 volunteers at the largest County Connect to date. Contra Costa Health Services (CCHS), the Greater Richmond Interfaith Program, and the City of Antioch sponsored the event.

United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano, who greeted homeless guests and volunteers, also presented Pacheco Town Council Vice President Doug Stewart with the President's Call to Service Award in recognition of his volunteer efforts. "The spirit of volunteerism is alive and well in Contra Costa, and I'm honored to present Doug Stewart the President's Volunteer Service Award for his tireless efforts to end homelessness," Director Mangano said. "In keeping with that spirit of the impact of volunteers, Contra Costa's Project Homeless Connect will offer homeless people a community living room of welcome and resources through the efforts of hundreds of citizen volunteers. Contra Costa continues to demonstrate that a community of good will and smart ideas will make a difference on homelessness." Director Mangano also witnessed the signing by Mayor Shinn, Councilor Martinez, Councilor Kalinowski, and Councilor Stewart of America's Road Home, as the new California signatories brought to almost 400 the total number of elected city and county officials nationwide who have committed to the Statement of Principles and Actions.

Councilor Stewart, who was just elected as Council President and is a jurisdictional partner to Contra Costa's 10 Year Plan which has most recently reported a 30% reduction in street and chronic homelessness, founded Pacheco Homeless Outreach in June 2004 to support people who were homeless in identifying programs and resources that could assist them. In his solo nightly outreach and engagement work, he also distributes needed items, such as soap and shampoo, socks, blankets, clothes, and food. He has volunteered as a member of the forensic multi-disciplinary team, which assists people who are homeless with mental illness. Mr. Stewart was elected in 2004. The public and private partners are shown here, with Councilor Stewart and his wife, Bailey Stewart, at center.

Cynthia Belon, County Homeless Programs Director and 10 Year Plan Point Person, noted, "Project Homeless Connect helps a lot of families and individuals meet a variety of important needs, all at one time. This event is made possible only through all the hard work of the volunteers and the unprecedented collaboration of service providers that are often inaccessible to the homeless population." More than 135 DMV ID's were issued at the event, and more than 70 homeless court cases resolved. 85 resource providers were engaged in the event, and other results included 30 pre-applications for shelter plus care, 132 haircuts, 10 bikes and 3 wheelchairs repaired (twice as many as last time), 50 mental health screenings/referrals, 77 dental exams and treatment, 150 flu shots, 30 received healthcare services, and 34 HIV tests given. Guests reached the fairgrounds using five shuttle bus locations.

Nearly 61 million Americans have answered the President's Call to Service by volunteering, and the USA Freedom Corps has supported the President's call by strengthening National Service Programs. The Bush Administration became the first to conduct a regular survey to quantify volunteerism. U.S. Census Bureau data show that nearly 61 million Americans now give their time to help their neighbors, an increase of more than 1 million since 2002.

NEW BEST PRACTICES RESOURCES ON LINE NOW FOR PLANNING FOR FOURTH ANNUAL NATIONAL PROJECT HOMELESS CONNECT WEEK

WASHINGTON, DC. If you're looking for best practices and new ideas from the Project Homeless Connect events in other cities, you now have a new on-line resource on the web site of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness. All of the weekly e-news reports of 2007-2008 Project Homeless Connect events - Lansing, St. Paul, New Britain, Springfield, MA, Albany, OR, Torrington, CT, Sacramento, Minneapolis, Akron, Vancouver, Eugene, Waco, Coeur d'Alene, and San Francisco, where it all began - are now available on the Project Homeless Connect web site.

On this new page, you'll read about what Mayors are doing, who the new community partners are, what new resources communities are offering, and more. And you're just one click away from other new electronic resources, including audio and toolkit resources from the August 5 national webinar on best practices for Project Homeless Connect events.

Listen to audio highlights of the recent Best Practices webinar. With over 200 cities across the nation, in Canada, and Australia convening Project Homeless Connect events, there's a lot to know about Best Practices. Peer-to-peer support has proven to be critical for results-oriented Project Homeless Connect events.

Look at new Best Practice Toolkits. Two new toolkits are posted on line from the webinar. One is a new Step-by-Step Guide to Project Homeless Connect, available to download and print. The second is a heavily illustrated chapter-by-chapter Toolkit on the ten key elements of Project Homeless Connect, showing action photos from some of the 300 events convened to date.

WASHINGTON, DC. Six months ago, the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation, created by President Bush, launched a "Pro Bono Challenge" as a key element of its mission to promote volunteerism and advance corporate social responsibility. Last week at the White House, Corporation for National and Community Service CEO David Eisner hailed $280 million in new pledges that pushed the pro bono campaign tally past $406 million, announced important new research spotlighting the untapped potential for pro-bono volunteers, and unveiled a new campaign brand entitled "A Billion + Change."

"Employee volunteering is always great; but, it becomes a powerhouse asset when employees use their expertise in marketing, technology, logistics, human resources and other areas of corporate strength to help nonprofits grow and tackle our toughest social problems," said CEO Eisner. The national "Pro Bono Challenge" encourages companies to promote skills-based volunteering by their employees to help build the capacity of nonprofits meeting community needs, creating more accessible pathways for individuals to find volunteer opportunities where they can apply their professional skills.

The Corporation also released new research showing that although most volunteers don't use their professional skills in their volunteer work, those who do are more satisfied volunteers. The issue brief, Capitalizing on Volunteers' Skills: Volunteering by Occupation in America, is based on three years of volunteering data from the U.S. Census and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. It helps the corporate and nonprofit sectors better understand the opportunities of skills-based volunteering by looking at the prevalence of volunteering among people in various occupations, showing how often they use their occupational skills when they volunteer, and how doing so impacts retention. The data show that while, many volunteers engage in fundraising, it may detract from opportunities to use their skills in other needed activities. Skills-based volunteering also appears to lead to more consistent commitment.

"This new research underscores the importance of the evolution away from old style volunteerism on homelessness, where civic and business leaders were called to the frontlines to make beds, serve soup, and brew coffee," indicated United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano, commenting on the new findings. "Now in the business model constellated across our country through the national partnership to end homelessness, the business community volunteers into their experience, into their expertise, to put to work for the poorest the business principles and practices that create results and foster accountability." Director Mangano further noted that the Council-encouraged innovation of "Community Champions" who are business and civic volunteers tapped by jurisdictional leaders to develop and implement 10 Year Plans has become a best practice model and national network of peers. Business partnership and volunteerism has also shaped Project Homeless Connect events in more than 200 cities nationwide, with support from corporate neighbors and volunteers from all walks of life.

CEO Eisner was joined by Jean Case, Chair of the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation, which founded the initiative and hosted the Pro-Bono Summit this February in New York where Eisner issued the $1 billion challenge, and by Stan Soloway, the Corporation's Board of Directors liaison to the campaign. Eisner, Case and Soloway congratulated IBM, Pfizer, Intel, KPMG, ING, and National Geographic for recent pledges supporting the A Billion + Change campaign, and call on other corporate leaders to join the 23 companies and organizations that have already made pro bono commitments.

Companies that participate in A Billion + Change gain access to technical assistance, can be matched with potential nonprofit partners, and receive recognition as a leader in this service frontier. Twenty-three companies and nonprofits have joined the effort, already pledging to provide more than $406 million in professional services over the next three years.

The International Downtown Association, a key partner to the efforts of the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, last week convened its Annual Conference under the leadership of IDA President Dave Feehan. IDA has been a strong partner to jurisdictional 10 Year Plan initiatives, in which Downtown Associations and Business Improvement Districts have played key leadership roles. Founded in 1954, the IDA's more than 650 member organizations worldwide cover North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa.

IDA President Dave Feehan has led the association in its search for and adoption of innovative ideas, especially in solutions to homelessness. President Feehan last year hosted Director Mangano when he spoke at IDA's "Big Idea" meeting in New York City.

"I'm honored to receive an award from an organization that is prioritizing resources to find solutions for our poorest neighbors," said Director Mangano at the event.

IDA's Annual Conference was the setting for recognition of individuals of national and international prominence who, through their "leadership, dedication, and generosity" have significantly advanced the cause of downtown revitalization. Interagency Council Executive Director Philip Mangano was presented with IDA's Lifetime Achievement Award, becoming just the sixth awardee in the 50-year history of the organization. Previous awardees include Senator Daniel Moynihan, and former Bush Administration Cabinet Secretary Norman Mineta.

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA. Heading Home Minnesota, Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty's public- private partnership to end homelessness, Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak and St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman, and Rep. Jim Ramstad, welcomed Minnesota partners and other attendees to a breakfast meeting focused on partnership and results in ending homelessness at the Thrivent Financial for Lutherans headquarters recently.

United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano, introduced at the briefing by Minnesota Housing Finance Agency Commissioner Tim Marx, commended Minnesota's leaders for their example. "The commitment of Governor Pawlenty to the housing of our homeless neighbors and the business approach of Commissioner Marx to end long term homelessness in this state, and the partnership of state point person Laura Kadwell are all models for states in our country, and are all indications of the importance of jurisdictional leadership on this issue." Director Mangano pointed to the almost 400 jurisdictional leaders who have signed the unprecedented 12-point Statement of Principles and Actions created by Mayors and County Executives as indicative of the role of jurisdictional leadership now committed to the issue of homelessness.

Carleen Rhodes of the Saint Paul Foundation and Minnesota Community Foundation welcomed attendees, who also heard from Missouri Senator Christopher Bond. Hennepin County Commissioner Gail Dorfman introduced LaDonna Lampkin, a consumer from New Foundations. Ramsey County Commissioner Toni Carter, and Nan Roman of the National Alliance to End Homelessness also spoke, along with Tom Ryan representing the Schaden Family Foundation's homelessness initiative. Kip Hadley, former Commissioner of MHFA and the new Executive Director of Heading Home Minnesota attended.

Just two weeks before, Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper welcomed elected officials and other partners for a briefing on Denver's Road Home, the city's 10 Year Plan. Among those jurisdictional officials gathered to learn of the results from Denver's public and private 10 Year Plan partnerships were Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon and Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter. Tom Ryan representing the Schaden Family Foundation's homelessness initiative and event sponsor, also participated.

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