Spring Council Meeting Reviews Early COVID-19 Response and Establishes Charter 

This year, USICH’s Spring Council meeting took place on March 25 via conference call as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Council meeting focused on reviewing and approving a new USICH charter, reviewing next steps for the upcoming revision of the federal strategic plan to prevent and end homelessness, and sharing updates from member agencies around their response to COVID-19, as it is impacting people at risk of and experiencing homelessness.  

COVID-19 Response   

USICH Executive Director Robert Marbut provided an update on the COVID-19 response, which focused on intensive community and provider outreach and the launch of a webpage dedicated to resources. Other Council members shared their respective agency’s efforts to address COVID-19, including resources on their websites and activities to help address the pandemic.   

U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness Charter  

At the December 2019 meeting, outgoing chair, U.S. Department of Education Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education, Frank Brogan, requested that USICH develop bylaws that document the Council’s overall governance, functions, and duties. That charter, which is now publicly available on the USICH website, was presented to the Council and approved through a voice vote.  

Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness 

USCH Council Chair, Department of Labor Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training John Pallasch, reviewed plans to revise the federal strategic plan to prevent and end homelessness by Labor Day through an inclusive process that gathers input from a wide range of stakeholders.