Acting Administrator
James A. Williams
General Services Administration

10 YEAR PLAN FOR FRESNO, CALIFORNIA UNVEILED BY CO-CHAIRS MAYOR ALAN AUTRY AND COUNTY BOARD CHAIR HENRY PEREA

• H.O.P.E. plan unanimously adopted by City Council and County Board of Supervisors

FRESNO, CALIFORNIA. September 2008.  Under the leadership of Fresno Mayor Alan Autry and County Board Chairman Henry Perea who co-chaired the planning effort, the “Action Plan to End Chronic Homelessness in 10 Years: H.O.P.E. (Housing, Opportunity, Prevention, Establishing collaboration)" was unanimously adopted last week by the Fresno City Council and County Board of Supervisors.  The 100-day planning effort was launched in April at the direction of Mayor Autry and Chairman Perea who convened community leaders to take on the challenge led by 10 Year Planning Council Chair Tom Richards.

United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano, who had met with Mayor Autry and Chairman Perea in 2007 to encourage them to commit to a 10 year planning effort for this Central Valley community, 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 the Mayor's Chief of Staff Georgeanne White and Rep. Jim Costa who had sought the Council's expertise and partnership in encouraging a plan in his district.

Said Mayor Autrey: "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."  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." 

Key aspects of the H.O.P.E. 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.

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.