Opening Doors: Federal Strategic Plan To Prevent and End Homelessness

Opening Doors
federal strategic plan to

prevent and end homelessness
2010
united states interagency council on homelessness
department of agriculture department of labor

Secretary Tom Vilsack Secretary Hilda Solis
department of commerce department of transportation

Secretary Gary Locke Secretary Ray H. LaHood
department of defense department of veterans affairs

Secretary Robert M. Gates Secretary Eric K. Shinseki
department of education corporation for national and

Secretary Arne Duncan community service
Chief Executive Officer Patrick Corvington
department of energy
Secretary Steven Chu general services administration
Administrator Martha N. Johnson
department of health
and human services office of management and budget
Secretary Kathleen Sebelius Director Peter Orszag
department of homeland security social security administration

Secretary Janet Napolitano Commissioner Michael J. Astrue
department of housing and u.s. postal service

urban development Postmaster General John E. Potter
Secretary Shaun Donovan
white house office of faith-based
department of interior and community initiatives
Secretary Ken Salazar Executive Director Joshua DuBois
department of justice united states interagency council

Attorney General Eric Holder on homelessness
Executive Director Barbara Poppe
It is simply unacceptable for
individuals, children, families
and our nation’s Veterans to
be faced with homelessness
in this country.
President Obama
June 18, 2009
Opening Doors
federal strategic plan to
prevent and end homelessness
2010
Photography Credits
Front Cover
top row
left: Bob Levy
right: Cathy ten Broeke. Used with permission of The Corporation for
Supportive Housing Minnesota, “Stories from Supportive Housing.”
middle row
left: Cathy ten Broeke. Used with permission of The Corporation for
middle: Eric Hylden. Used with permission of Greater Minnesota
Housing Fund, “Portraits of Home: Families in Search of Shelter”
right: Cathy ten Broeke. Used with permission of Greater Minnesota Housing
Fund, “Portraits of Home II: Veterans in Search of Stable Housing.”
bottom row
left: Cathy ten Broeke. Used with permission of The Corporation for
right: Bob Levy
Back Cover
top: Cathy ten Broeke. Used with permission of The Corporation for
left: Ben Garvin. Used with permission of Greater Minnesota
Housing Fund, “Portraits of Home: Families in Search of Shelter”
middle: Bob Levy
right: Bob Levy
Title Page
Inye Wokoma. Used by permission of United Way of King County, Washington
USICH would like to thank the photographers

who generously donated use of their work.
other Credits
minnesota profiles, pages 14, 19, 21, 22, 25, 27 and 32
Interviewer: Oral Historian Margaret Miles
Contents
Letter from President Obama
Preface from the Chair
Executive Summary 4
Vision and Development of the Plan 7
Homelessness in America 10
Sources of Data 11
How Many People Experience Homelessness? 12
Families With Children 12
Unaccompanied Youth 15
Individual Adults 17
Veterans 20
Systems 23
The Plan 25
Increase Leadership, Collaboration,
and Civic Engagement 30
Increase Access to Stable and Affordable Housing 35
Increase Economic Security 40
Improve Health and Stability 44
Retool the Homeless Crisis Response System 49
The Steps: Framework for Action 52
References and Endnotes 64

Since the founding of our country, “home” has been the center of the American dream. Stable
housing is the foundation upon which everything else in a family’s or individual’s life is
built—without a safe, affordable place to live, it is much tougher to maintain good health, get a
good education or reach your full potential.
When I took office in January 2009, too many of our fellow citizens were experiencing home-
lessness. We took decisive action through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act by
investing $1.5 billion in the new Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program.
We have made record Federal investments in targeted homeless assistance in the FY2010
budget and FY2011 budget request. And the recently passed Affordable Care Act will provide
new and more effective methods for targeting uninsured, chronically ill individuals as well as
children, youth, and adults experiencing homelessness. In addition, through the leadership
of the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, we are coordinating and target-
ing existing homelessness resources, as well as mainstream programs that can help prevent
homelessness in the first place.
But there is still much more work to do. Veterans should never find themselves on the streets,
living without care and without hope. It is simply unacceptable for a child in this country to
be without a home. The previous Administration began the work to end chronic homelessness.
Now is the time to challenge our Nation to aspire to end homelessness across all populations—
including families, youth, children, and veterans.
This will take a continued bipartisan effort, as Republicans and Democrats in Congress have
collaborated for years to make progress on fighting homelessness.
And preventing and ending homelessness is not just a Federal issue or responsibility. It also
will require the skill and talents of people outside of Washington—where the best ideas are
most often found. Tremendous work is going on at the State and local level—where States,
local governments, nonprofits, faith-based and community organizations, and the private and
philanthropic sectors are responsible for some of the best thinking, innovation, and evidence-
based approaches to ending homelessness. These State and local stakeholders must be active
partners with the Federal Government, and their work will inform and guide our efforts at the
national level.
As we undertake this effort, investing in the status quo is no longer acceptable. Given the fiscal
realities that families, businesses, State governments, and the Federal Government face, our
response has to be guided by what works. Investments can only be made in the most promis-
ing strategies. Now more than ever, we have a responsibility to tackle national challenges like
homelessness in the most cost-effective ways possible. Instead of simply responding once a
family or a person becomes homeless, prevention and innovation must be at the forefront of
our efforts.
I was excited to receive Opening Doors: Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness. The
goals and timeframes set forth in the Plan reflect the fact that ending homelessness in America
must be a national priority. Together – working with the Congress, the United States Interagency
Council on Homelessness, mayors, governors, legislatures, nonprofits, faith-based and commu-
nity organizations, and business and philanthropic leaders across our country – we will make
progress on ensuring that every American has an affordable, stable place to call home.
Preface from the Chair
As the Chair of the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH), I am honored to present the
nation’s first ever comprehensive Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness.
As the most far-reaching and ambitious plan to end homelessness in our history, Opening Doors will both
strengthen existing partnerships—such as the combined effort of HUD and the Department of Veterans
Affairs to help homeless Veterans—and forge new partnerships between agencies like HUD, HHS, and the
Department of Labor.
This is the right time to align our collective resources toward eradicating homelessness. We have a legislative
mandate from the HEARTH Act of 2009 and bi-partisan support to adopt a collaborative approach. Most
importantly, we now know how to address this important issue on a large scale. Over the past five years, the
public and private sectors have made remarkable progress in reducing chronic homelessness. By developing
the “technology” of combining permanent housing and a pipeline of support services, we’ve reduced the
number of chronically ill, long-term homeless individuals by one-third in the last five years.
I join my fellow Cabinet Secretaries and Council members to call for an alignment of federal resources toward
four key goals: (1) Finish the job of ending chronic homelessness in five years; (2) Prevent and end homelessness
among Veterans in five years; (3) Prevent and end homelessness for families, youth, and children in ten years;
and (4) Set a path to ending all types of homelessness.
This Plan outlines an interagency collaboration that aligns mainstream housing, health, education, and human
services to prevent Americans from experiencing homelessness in the future. We propose a set of strategies
that call upon the federal government to work in partnership with the private sector, philanthropy, and state
and local governments to employ cost effective, comprehensive solutions to end homelessness. Our partners
at the local level have already made tremendous strides, with communities across the nation—including over
1,000 mayors and county executives across the country—having developed plans to end homelessness. In the
current economic climate, we recognize that from Washington, DC, to Salt Lake City, Utah, everyone is making
difficult decisions based on the need for fiscal discipline. Working together, we can harness public resources
and build on the innovations that have been demonstrated at the local level and in cities nationwide to provide
everyone—from the most capable to the most vulnerable—the opportunity to reach their full potential.
The Council members and the Administration are fully committed to taking these
best practices and proven solutions to scale across the federal government. I am
committed to leading an open dialogue with all stakeholders as we ensure our
efforts reflect the most current research and data on homelessness.
By working together in new ways, we can—for the first time—set a path to end
homelessness for the over 640,000 men, women, and children who are without
housing on any single night in our country. They cannot afford to wait.
Sincerely,
HUD Secretary and USICH Chair Shaun Donovan

United States Interagency Opening Doors:
Council on Homelessness Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness :: 2010
Executive Summary
“Homelessness cannot be Our nation has made significant progress over the last decade reducing homelessness in
specific communities and with specific populations. Communities across the United States—
solved by a single agency
from rural Mankato, Minnesota to urban San Francisco—have organized partnerships between
or organization, by a single
local and state agencies and with the private and nonprofit sectors to implement plans to
level of government, or by prevent, reduce, and end homelessness. These communities, in partnership with the federal
a single sector. Everyone government, have used a targeted pipeline of resources to combine housing and supportive
should be reminded of the services to deliver permanent supportive housing for people who have been homeless the
intricacies of homelessness as longest and are the frailest. The results have been significant.
a policy area, and remember
In many respects, this current period of economic hardship mirrors the early 1980s when wide-
that preventing and ending
spread homelessness reappeared for the first time since the Great Depression. Communities
homelessness will take real will need all of the tools in our grasp to meet the needs of those experiencing homelessness,
coordination, collaboration, and including families and far too many of our nation’s Veterans. In particular, we are concerned
a constant exchange of ideas.” that recent national data shows a significant rise in family homelessness from 2008 to 2009.1
HHS Secretary
Kathleen Sebelius HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, VA Secretary Eric K. Shinseki,
and Labor Secretary Hilda Solis declared the vision of the Plan to be centered on the belief
that “no one should experience homelessness—no one should be without a safe, stable place
to call home.” The Plan is focused on four key goals: (1) Finish the job of ending chronic
homelessness in five years; (2) Prevent and end homelessness among Veterans in five
years; (3) Prevent and end homelessness for families, youth, and children in ten years; and
(4) Set a path to ending all types of homelessness.
The goals and timeframes we aspire to in this Plan are an important target for the nation. They
demonstrate the Council’s belief that ending homelessness in America must be a priority for
our country. As President Barack Obama has said, in a nation as wealthy as ours, “it is simply
unacceptable for individuals, children, families, and our nation’s Veterans to be faced with
homelessness.“ We believe it is important to set goals, even if aspirational, for true progress
to be made.
This Plan is a roadmap for joint action by the 19-member United States Interagency Council on
Homelessness along with local and state partners in the public and private sectors. It will pro-
vide a reference framework for the allocation of resources and the alignment of programs to
achieve our goal to prevent and end homelessness in America. The Plan also proposes the re-
alignment of existing programs based on what we have learned and the best practices that are
occurring at the local level, so that resources focus on what works. We will take action in part-
nership with Congress, states, localities, philanthropy, and communities around the country.
From years of practice and research, we have identified successful approaches to end
homelessness. Evidence points to the role housing plays as an essential platform for human
and community development. Stable housing is the foundation upon which people build their
lives—absent a safe, decent, affordable place to live, it is next to impossible to achieve good
health, positive educational outcomes, or reach one’s economic potential. Indeed, for many
persons living in poverty, the lack of stable housing leads to costly cycling through crisis-driven
systems like foster care, emergency rooms, psychiatric hospitals, emergency domestic violence
shelters, detox centers, and jails. By the same token, stable housing provides an ideal launching
executive
summary 4
During the year after entering pad for the delivery of health care and other social services focused on improving life outcomes
supportive housing, formerly for individuals and families. More recently, researchers have focused on housing stability as an
homeless persons in Portland,
Maine experienced: important ingredient for the success of children and youth in school. When children have a
stable home, they are more likely to succeed socially, emotionally, and academically.
6 77% fewer inpatient
hospitalizations
Capitalizing on these insights, this Plan builds on the significant reforms of the last decade
6 62% fewer emergency
room visits and the intent by the Obama administration to directly address homelessness through
6 60% fewer ambulance intergovernmental collaboration. Successful implementation of this Plan will result in stability
transports and permanency for the more than 640,000 men, women, and children who are homeless on a
6 38% fewer psychiatric single day in America. At the same time, its execution will produce approaches to homelessness
hospitalizations
that are cost‐effective for local, state, and federal government. The Plan’s content presents
6 62% fewer days in jail initial goals, themes, objectives, and strategies and was generated through the collaboration
6 68% fewer police contacts and consensus of the 19 USICH member agencies. Since the Homeless Emergency Assistance
and Rapid Transition to Housing (HEARTH) Act requires USICH to update the Plan annually, the
In Portland, Oregon, the
experience was similar: substance of this Plan represents the beginning of a process toward our goal of preventing and
ending homelessness.
6 58% fewer days in
inpatient medical
hospitalizations The Affordable Care Act (Health Reform), a landmark initiative of the Obama administration,
6 87% fewer emergency will further the Plan’s goals by helping numerous families and individuals experiencing
room visits homelessness to get the health care they need. Medicaid will be expanded to nearly all
(Mondello, M., 2007; Moore, T., 2006) individuals under the age of 65 with incomes up to 133 percent of the federal poverty level
(currently about $15,000 for a single individual). This significant expansion will allow more
families and adults without dependent children to enroll in Medicaid in 2014. In addition,
Health Reform will support demonstrations to improve the ability of psychiatric facilities
to provide emergency services. It will also expand the availability of medical homes for
individuals with chronic conditions, including severe and persistent mental illness. Expansion
of Community Health Centers is another major change that will serve many vulnerable
populations, including those who are homeless or at risk of being homeless.
The Plan proposes a set of strategies that call upon the federal government to work in
partnership with state and local governments, as well as the private sector to employ cost
effective, comprehensive solutions to end homelessness. The Plan recognizes that the federal
government needs to be smarter and more targeted in its response and role, which also includes
supporting the work that is being done on the ground. The federal government’s partners at
the local level have already made tremendous strides, with communities across the nation—
including over 1,000 mayors and county executives across the country—having developed plans
to end homelessness. The Plan highlights that by collaborating at all levels of government, the
nation can harness public resources and build on the innovations that have been demonstrated
at the local level and in cities nationwide to provide everyone—from the most capable to the
most vulnerable—the opportunity to reach their full potential.
The Plan includes 10 objectives and 52 strategies. These objectives and strategies contribute to
accomplishing all four goals of the Plan.
The first section details the development of this first-ever comprehensive federal plan to
prevent and end homelessness. This section sets out the core values reflected in the Plan
and the key principles that guided the process. It also describes the opportunities for public
comment offered during the development of the Plan.
executive
summary 5
The second section of the Plan provides an overview of homelessness in America. Since
homelessness takes many different forms by population or geographic area, we provide a
synopsis of the issues facing these varying groups experiencing homelessness. The section
also addresses the sources of data used throughout the Plan.
The third section represents the core of the Plan including the objectives and strategies to
prevent and end homelessness. It provides the logic behind each objective, the departments
and agencies involved, the key partners, and strategies to achieve the respective objectives.
The Plan concludes with a section that defines the steps USICH partners will take next,
providing a framework for action. This includes the impact we aspire to have that will require
active work from many partners at all levels of government and across the private sector.
This section provides a brief summary about the context in which we move forward in terms
of the economic, policy, and political challenges and opportunities. There is a discussion of
the measures that will be used to track progress over time toward the Plan goals. Initiatives
currently under way that help advance the Plan goals are summarized. Finally, the section lays
out the documents USICH will produce to provide information and transparency to the public,
Congress, and our partners going forward.
executive
summary 6
vision
No one should experience homelessness—
no one should be without a safe, stable place to call home.
goals
 Finish the job of ending chronic homelessness in 5 years
 Prevent and end homelessness among Veterans in 5 years
 Prevent and end homelessness for families, youth, and children in 10 years
 Set a path to ending all types of homelessness
themes
INCREASE Leadership, COLLABORATION, and Civic Engagement

Objective 1: Provide and promote collaborative leadership at all levels of government
and across all sectors to inspire and energize Americans to commit to
preventing and ending homelessness
Objective 2: Strengthen the capacity of public and private organizations by increasing
knowledge about collaboration, homelessness, and successful
interventions to prevent and end homelessness
INCREASE ACCESS TO Stable and Affordable Housing

Objective 3: Provide affordable housing to people experiencing or most at risk of
homelessness
Objective 4: Provide permanent supportive housing to prevent and end chronic
homelessness
iNCREASE economic security

Objective 5: Increase meaningful and sustainable employment for people experiencing
or most at risk of homelessness
Objective 6: Improve access to mainstream programs and services to reduce people’s
financial vulnerability to homelessness
IMPROVE HEALTH AND stability

Objective 7: Integrate primary and behavioral health care services with homeless
assistance programs and housing to reduce people’s vulnerability to
and the impacts of homelessness
Objective 8: Advance health and housing stability for youth aging out of systems
such as foster care and juvenile justice
Objective 9: Advance health and housing stability for people experiencing homelessness
who have frequent contact with hospitals and criminal justice
RETOOL THE HOMELESS CRISIS RESPONSE SYSTEM

Objective 10: Transform homeless services to crisis response systems that prevent
homelessness and rapidly return people who experience homelessness
to stable housing
vision
and development of the plan 7
Development of the Plan
The President and Congress charged USICH to develop “a national strategic plan” to end home-
lessness with enactment of the Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Hous-
ing (HEARTH) Act in May 2009. This Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness
reflects agreement by the agencies on the Council on a set of priorities and strategies including
activities initiated by the President in the budget for fiscal years 2010 and 2011.
The Council affirmed six core values to be reflected in the Plan:

 Homelessness is unacceptable.
 There are no “homeless people,” but rather people who have lost their homes who
deserve to be treated with dignity and respect.
 Homelessness is expensive; it is better to invest in solutions.
 Homelessness is solvable; we have learned a lot about what works.
 Homelessness can be prevented.
 There is strength in collaboration and USICH can make a difference.
The Council decided the development of the Plan should be guided by key principles.
It should be:
 Collaborative
 Solutions-driven and evidence-based
 Cost-effective
 Implementable and user-friendly
 Lasting and scalable; and
 Measurable, with clear outcomes and accountability
We stressed the importance of transparency. We encouraged multiple opportunities for input,

feedback, and collaboration in the development of the Plan from researchers, practitioners,
state and local government leaders, advocates, people who have experienced homelessness,
and federal agency staff.
Four workgroups were convened to analyze specific populations:

 Families with children
 Youth
 Veterans
 Individuals experiencing chronic homelessness
A fifth workgroup (Community) analyzed how the federal government can better support
communities (including public and private sectors) in their efforts to prevent and end
homelessness. Workgroup members from Council agencies reviewed the literature and talked
with experts for additional insights into the scope of the problem, its causes and consequences,
and best practices. They then synthesized the information into recommendations for the Plan.
vision
We obtained input from more than 750 leaders of regional and state interagency councils and
stakeholders from across the country during regional meetings held in February and early
March. Additional input was generated through meetings and conference calls with Mayors,
Congressional staff, the National Alliance to End Homelessness Leadership Council, and the
National Health Care for the Homeless Consumer Advisory Board. A number of organizations
submitted written comments.
We also produced an interactive website for public comment on the Plan’s themes that
produced 7,734 visits and 2,318 individual comments. The site was promoted in the Council’s
e-newsletter distributed to more than 19,000 stakeholders, as well as an advertisement placed
in eight of the North American Street Newspaper Association’s newspapers (with circulation
over 150,000).
Input included a broad range of perspectives from both external and federal government
stakeholders on the challenges, priorities, and strategies for preventing and ending homeless-
ness in America. All input helped to inform the Plan’s priorities and strategies.
We look forward to continuing this important dialogue as we offer opportunities for ongoing
input. We will work with key stakeholders to implement the Plan, as well as update the Plan
annually to reflect the most current research and information on homelessness.
Input from the New York stakeholders meeting is captured in

a graphic format by Art of Hosting volunteer Drew Dernavich.
vision
Homelessness in America
Homelessness takes many forms. The most common face is the person living on the street.
When we refer to people who are unsheltered, we are referring to people who live on the
streets, camp outdoors, or live in cars or abandoned buildings. Some people stay in emergency
shelters or transitional housing, a group referred to as sheltered. A third group is staying
temporarily with family or friends, a group referred to as doubled up.
Everyone needs safe, This Plan provides a framework for addressing the needs of people confronted by homelessness.
stable housing, health While everyone needs safe, stable housing, health care, income, and community support,
care, income, and
there are specific approaches and programs that are designed to help each of the sub-
populations identified above.
community support.
The Plan acknowledges and supports the full range of federal definitions of homelessness as
prescribed in statute, as each plays an appropriate and essential role in supporting and
stabilizing those whom they are intended to help. A common language is necessary for this
Plan to be understandable and consistent. This language does not embrace or negate the
definitions used in different programs. The challenge then is how to speak with one voice that
helps all families and individuals in need without creating fractures in the systems intended to
improve their circumstances. If we are to truly end homelessness, we must use all resources
that exist—both those that are intended for targeted homeless populations and those that are
9,557,813
available for a broader segment of the population—to create lasting bridges across current
gaps in housing and services.
Surplus The number of people experiencing homelessness has grown.2 Thirty years ago, homelessness
was predominantly experienced by single adults. Homelessness among children did not exist
in the same way it does today. Economic downturns have historically led to an increase in the
712,258
number of people experiencing homelessness. In the last three decades, however, the number
AMI
ELI VLI Low Income of people experiencing homelessness has remained high even in good economic times.
Units Units Units
3,077,016 The increase in homelessness is the result of a convergence of three key factors: the loss of
Shortage affordable housing and foreclosures; wages and public assistance that have not kept pace with
the cost of living, rising housing costs, job loss and underemployment, and resulting debt; and
Figure
Shortage and Surplus of Units the closing of state psychiatric institutions without the concomitant creation of community-
by Income Threshold based housing and services.
Source: Pelletiere, D., National Low Income
Housing Coalition, 2009
AMI: Area Median Income

In the meantime, the federal response to homelessness has changed. Initially, a spike in
ELI: Extremely Low Income the number of people experiencing homelessness was viewed as a short-term crisis. The
(<=30% AMI) response was emergency shelter. Later, the strategy of a continuum of care was implemented,
VLI: Very Low Income
(<=50% AMI) the theory being that people experiencing homelessness would progress through a set of
Low interventions, from outreach to shelter, into programs to help address underlying problems,
Income: (<=80% AMI) and ultimately be ready for housing.
Units are affordable within an income
category if rent and utilities cost 30%
or less of top threshold income. The Over the last decade, there has been a movement for communities to create 10-year plans
numbers shown reflect the absolute to end homelessness and a focus to use funds strategically on ending chronic homelessness
shortage or surplus of units for
households in each income group. through housing and services. People experiencing chronic homelessness represent 17 percent
of all people experiencing homelessness according to the annual point-in-time count conducted
across the country. They spend long periods of time—often years—living in shelters and on
homelessness
in america 10
the streets, or cycling between hospitals, emergency rooms, jails, prisons, and mental health
and substance abuse treatment facilities at great expense to these public systems. Permanent
supportive housing has emerged as the solution for people facing the greatest challenges to
housing stability including serious and persistent physical and behavioral health problems.
Short- and medium-term resources now exist to prevent homelessness for families who are at
risk of losing their homes, and to rapidly re‐house those who could return to stable living with
immediate assistance.
Sources of Data
Data in this Plan comes from the most recently available sources. It is drawn predominantly
from HUD’s Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR) for 2009. This data predates the full
impact of the current recession. The AHAR data is the most comprehensive national data that
tells us something about the profile of people experiencing homelessness. AHAR uses data
from two sources:
 The first is a point-in-time count conducted by most communities every January.
It only counts people who are unsheltered or in emergency shelters or transitional
housing. Families, youth, and other individuals who are doubled up are not included.
 The other source of data is an annualized count of everyone reported in Homeless
The Homeless Management Management Information Systems (HMIS) over the course of a year. These annualized
Information System (HMIS) figures, based on a representative sample of communities and weighted to represent
databases are operated the entire nation, show the number of people that come into contact with a homeless
at the local or state level
and are required by the residential assistance program and reveal a more accurate picture of who is experi-
Department of Housing encing homelessness than can be understood from just one night. These figures do
and Urban Development not include people who do not use shelter or transitional housing at any point during
to receive funding for HUD
homeless programs.
the year. They do not include women who use domestic violence shelters, which are
exempted from reporting for reasons of safety.
The Department of Education requires all state educational agencies and local educational
agencies to report school enrollment information in order to determine the extent to which
states ensure that homeless children and youth have access to a free, appropriate public
education (Title VII, Subtitle B of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (the Act), also
authorized as Title X, Part C, of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as amended).
The purpose of the Education for Homeless Children and Youth (EHCY) Program under the Act
is to improve educational outcomes for children and youth. All of the more than 15,000 public
school districts have a required designated homeless liaison. These officials conduct outreach,
identification, and coordination with other agencies serving homeless children and youth.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) also collects information on Veterans using its
targeted programs, and some limited information about Veterans using programs not operated
by the VA.
homelessness
in america 11
How Many People Experience Homelessness?
Estimated The 2009 Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR)3

Point-in-Time Annual
documents that on a single night, 643,067 people were
Persons
in Families 238,110 535,447 homeless. Of those, 63 percent were sheltered, 37 per-
cent were unsheltered. Individuals made up 63 percent
Individuals 404,957 1,034,659
and people who presented within family groups were
Total 643,067 1,558,917 37 percent.
Source: HUD 2009 AHAR
Over the course of the year, the AHAR reports 1,558,917 people used emergency shelters or
transitional housing programs. Most had relatively short lengths of stay in emergency shelters.
A small number of people (about one percent) were served in shelters for both families and
individuals during the same year. The total number of people experiencing homelessness as
noted in the table above is adjusted to avoid double-counting them.
African Americans accounted for a disproportionate share of people experiencing homeless-

ness. While African Americans represent 12.4 percent of the total U.S. population in 2008, they
represented 39 percent of the total sheltered homeless population.
In 2009, more than two-thirds of all people in shelters were located in large cities.4 Most shel-
ters are located in urban areas; this number tells us more about shelter capacity than where
people experiencing homelessness live. While homelessness exists in communities all across
America, it is concentrated in several states and large cities. One out of every six people in
HUD’s 2009 point-in-time count lived in the Greater Los Angeles/Orange County area, New
York City, Las Vegas or New Orleans while only eight percent of all Americans resided in these
areas. Over half of all people experiencing homelessness were in California, Florida, Nevada,
Texas, Georgia, and Washington as compared to representing just 31 percent of the general
Persons population.5
in Families
Individuals 37%
63% According to the Council for Affordable and Rural Housing, rural homelessness tends to have
a distinctive profile.6 They report that most people in rural areas who would otherwise be
homeless live in cars, doubled up, or in grossly substandard housing. Rural areas have fewer
shelters or resources for people to turn to, although individuals in these areas tend to have
larger extended family and friend networks.
Figure
People Using Emergency Most individuals who become homeless in rural areas are experiencing homelessness for the
Shelters or Transitional
Housing Programs, 2009
first time and tend to remain homeless for shorter periods. Most people experiencing home-
Source: HUD 2009 AHAR
lessness in rural communities are married, white, working females, and often with families.7
Rural areas have a rate of unsheltered persons in families almost double that of urban areas.8
Housing instability also impacts a significant number of Native Americans and farm laborers.
Families With Children
On a single night in 2009, 238,110 people in families were counted as homeless. Most (79 per-
cent) were sheltered in emergency shelters or transitional housing. Over the course of 2009,
as many as 535,447 people in families were sheltered, an increase of 4 percent from the previ-
ous year and 13 percent since 2007. Only a small group of families used shelters repeatedly.9
homelessness
in america 12
For the 2008-09 school year, public schools reported over 956,000 homeless students were
enrolled, a 20 percent increase from 2007-08. Over 617,000 students were reported served
Between 22% and 57% by McKinney-Vento sub-grants in 2008-09, a 31 percent increase from 2007-08. This number
of women experiencing is higher than numbers from HUD because the Department of Education counts children who
homelessness report that are doubled up or living in motels or other temporary habitation, and HUD does not. Possible
domestic or sexual violence
was the immediate cause factors contributing to these increases could be better data collection processes, natural
of their homelessness, disasters, and economic downturn.10
depending on the region
and type of study. Families experiencing homelessness are usually headed by a single woman who on average
National Law Center on
Homelessness and Poverty
is in her late 20s with approximately two children, one or both under six years of age.11 The
three most important differences between families experiencing homelessness and other
poor families concern the resources they need to secure housing. Families experiencing
homelessness have extremely low incomes, have less access to housing subsidies than low-
income families who remain housed, and have weaker social networks that are not able to
provide sufficient help.12 Some families have been hurt by the foreclosure crisis, including
families who were renting from a landlord whose property went into foreclosure.13
Domestic violence creates vulnerability to homelessness for women and children with limited
economic resources. Among mothers with children experiencing homelessness, more than
80 percent had previously experienced domestic violence.14 Domestic violence often includes
exertion of financial control, leaving victims with poor credit and few resources. Finding safe,
affordable housing is one of the greatest obstacles that women who leave abusive partners
face. Many victims must leave their homes to escape violence but may not have the money to
support themselves and their children. Emergency domestic violence shelters generally limit
stays to 90 days or less in order to maintain beds for those in the most immediate danger.
When shelter is inaccessible or unavailable, many victims end up in precarious and often
unsafe housing situations, including living with friends or families where their abuser might be
able to locate them, or living in uninhabitable conditions. Others are forced to return to their
abuser if they have no viable options available.
According to Domestic Violence Counts 2009, on a single day, 65,321 adults and children
nationwide sought services after leaving life-threatening abuse. On this same day, domestic
violence programs provided emergency shelter and transitional housing to more than 32,000
adults and children.15 Domestic violence and sexual assault programs are vital allies in a
coordinated strategy to prevent and end homelessness among families with children.
When families become homeless, the experience itself is traumatizing, especially for children.
Children in families experiencing homelessness also have high rates of acute and chronic health
problems and the majority has been exposed to violence.16 Homeless school age children are
more likely than similar age children in the general population to have emotional problems
such as anxiety, depression, withdrawal, and manifestations of aggressive behavior.17 Repeated
school mobility leads to decreased academic achievement, negatively impacting both the
child’s and the school’s overall performance.18
Some homeless assistance programs have practices that break families apart, forcing male
children, for example, to find shelter separate from the rest of their family. Homelessness has
a high correlation with family separations including foster care and involvement with child
welfare services. Among families involved with child welfare services, the rate of placement
in foster care is highest for the children of women with at least one episode of homelessness.
homelessness
in america 13
Council on Homelessness FEDERAL STRATEGIC PLAN TO PREVENT AND END HOMELESSNESS :: 2010
In Washington State the cost Homelessness can also make the reunification of separated families more difficult, particularly
of transporting a homeless
student to and from his or
if parents lose access to income and housing supports that allow them to create a suitable
her school of origin is 6 to 80 environment for their children.19
times higher than that of the
general student population. There are significant costs associated with family homelessness—costs associated with
(Carlson, D., 2006) supporting both the parents and the children. The first is the high cost of the homeless system
itself. The cost is significant for a family to live in emergency shelter or transitional housing. But
there are other costs as well, including transporting children to schools and other strains on the
education system caused by high mobility. There are also costs borne by the child welfare and
the healthcare system. There is limited understanding of the long-term health and education
costs associated with child homelessness.
The good news is there are solutions. Some solutions provide direct support to family
Children from families members: jobs that pay enough to afford a place to live; affordable housing and income and
with housing problems are work supports; health insurance and access to quality health care; keeping families together
more likely to be in foster and accommodating all family configurations in housing and shelter. Schools have played
care than children without
housing problems (46% an important role identifying and supporting children, youth, and families experiencing
vs. 27%). These children homelessness, in addition to state and local coordination between education and other
are more likely to be “long supportive services for children, youth, and families experiencing homelessness. Domestic
stayers” in foster care
compared to children from violence services play a key role in helping victims achieve both safety and housing stability.
adequately housed families. Some solutions involve transforming systems: coordinating all the programs and assistance
(HHS, National Study of Protective, available to families as well as matching programs to the specific needs of families.
Preventive and Reunification Services
to Children and their Families, 1997)
Rapid re-housing uses short-term strategies to help families quickly move out of homelessness
and into permanent housing. These may include providing supportive services to help a
household quickly secure housing, providing short-term financial and rental assistance, and
addressing barriers to long-term housing stability. For a small subset of families with multiple
barriers to stable housing, permanent supportive housing, tailored to the unique needs of
families, is the right intervention.
Jaslyn lives with her son, 6, and daughter, 9, in an apartment

they found through a rapid re-housing program. Jaslyn used to be
on the run from her children’s father, who abused her. Now, she
says, they are all doing really well. The kids are so happy to have
their own rooms. “Last summer I was invited to go to Washington,
D.C. to help pass the bill called “Bring America Home” so there
might be sufficient housing for everybody. I felt honored. Then
I got invited out a second time to meet Members of Congress.
Everyone there treated me as an equal, not as an outsider.”
Used with permission of The Corporation for Supportive
Housing Minnesota, “Stories from Supportive Housing.”
Photographer: Cathy ten Broeke
homelessness
in america 14
Unaccompanied Youth
A 2005 study of 18- to The actual number of youth experiencing homelessness is unknown. Estimates vary depend-
21-year-old youth experiencing ing on definitions of homelessness, including youth who are staying in unstable, temporary
homelessness found that
arrangements, and on the age range being considered as youth.20 Unaccompanied youth are
two-thirds had not obtained
a high school diploma or difficult to count because they often are not connected to services or shelters. The counts and
a GED certificate at the estimates that do exist vary widely.
point of program intake.
(Barber, C.C., 2005) According to 2009 figures from HUD, unaccompanied youth are 2.2 percent of the sheltered
homeless population or about 22,700.21 It is widely agreed that this is a serious undercount of
youth experiencing any form of homelessness, including youth in unsheltered and doubled-
up living arrangements. Other sources suggest that approximately 110,000 youth live on the
streets and other public places, cars, abandoned buildings, including 55,000 homeless youth
age 18-24 plus 55,000 young teenagers age 12-17.22 The most recent information from the De-
partment of Education shows 53,000 unaccompanied youth supported through school-based
programs.
Youth often leave home as a result of a severe family conflict which may include physical and/
Almost 2 in 5 of all HIV- or sexual abuse. Some youth become homeless when they leave foster or institutional care
positive adolescents seen at (including running away, aging out, or being discharged). Some studies suggest that racial
a NYC clinic had a history of and ethnic minority youth as well as youth who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and
unstable housing associated
with abuse and neglect.
questioning represent a larger proportion when compared to the overall population. Others
suggest no significant differences between youth experiencing homelessness and the larger
(Eastwood, E.A., 2007)
population.23
Some teenaged boys are separated from their families because some shelters have policies
that force older adolescent males to be housed in adult shelters apart from their families.
Many youth who become homeless have histories of academic difficulties including suspen-
sions and expulsion.24 If a youth has not dropped out prior to becoming homeless, the experi-
ence of homelessness frequently disrupts schooling.25 The likelihood of successful transitions
to post-secondary education and employment is also decreased.
Research shows a high prevalence of depression, suicide initiations, and other mental health
disorders among youth who are homeless.26 Chronic physical health conditions are also common
including asthma and other respiratory problems, hypertension, tuberculosis, diabetes,
and hepatitis.27 Homeless adolescents also have high rates of substance abuse disorders.28
Behaviors associated with mental health and substance abuse disorders can cause problems
cultivating relationships.
Additionally, those that have been abused or neglected are at increased risk of abusing or
neglecting their own children. The likelihood of personality disorders, depression, anxiety, and
substance abuse is also higher among those who have been abused and neglected. Research
also shows that abuse and neglect affect a youth’s behavior and ability to learn.29
Homeless youth engage in risky behaviors including selling drugs, panhandling, stealing, and
sex work as a means of subsistence. They have high rates of prior arrests and convictions.
homelessness
in america 15
Each year, 30,000 youth ages 16 and older transition from foster care to legal emancipation or
“age out” of the system. One quarter of former foster youth experience homelessness within
four years of exiting foster care.30
A significant number of unaccompanied young women are pregnant or parenting.31
Youth experiencing homelessness are often blocked from getting what they need because
programs are geared toward adults. For those under the age of eighteen, signing a lease or
qualifying for some benefits can be especially challenging or in many places impossible. They
may need a release from a parent for the most basic services like medical care. Many homeless
programs serving families with children may not have expertise supporting teenagers. Even
programs targeting youth may not have the capacity or expertise to support youth who are
parents.
Homeless youth engage More needs to be known about the cost associated with youth homelessness. But we know
in risky behaviors, such as that high rates of medical and behavioral health issues and incarceration are costly. These
unprotected sex, sex with
multiple partners, intravenous costs compound over a lifetime, as today’s homeless youth become tomorrow’s homeless
drug use and needle sharing, adults, or when risky behaviors or sexual exploitation result in HIV infection.
that place them at high risk
for contracting HIV/AIDS. There are six areas consistently referenced in reports and studies on youth homelessness that
(Wagner, L.S., 2001)
must be addressed in order to prevent and end homelessness for this population:
 Individualized goal-based service planning
 On-going support services connected to mainstream resources
 Independent living skills training
 Connections to supportive and trustworthy adults and support networks
 Employment and education
 Housing
Youth also need shelter, transitional programs, and services that emphasize stabilization and
reunification with families when appropriate (recognizing that, in many cases, youth have
become homeless because of hostile and dangerous conditions at home and that reunification
with families may not be appropriate for groups such as victims of abuse and many gay, lesbian,
bisexual and transgender youth). Youth shelters provide a safe alternative to adult shelters and
the dangers of victimization and life on the streets. Transitional living programs and supportive
housing for some youth with special needs provide housing, life skills, and services to young
people who cannot be reunited with their families.
Youth would benefit from focused attention by systems adapted to their unique needs and
more collaborative work across systems to align resources across a range of needs. Assistance
is needed to help youth transition from youth-specific systems like child welfare and juvenile
courts to adult service systems that provide mental health services, housing, health care, and
other basic needs. More research would be helpful to examine patterns of youth homelessness
and factors associated with extended or repeated episodes of homelessness. Better tools are
needed for counting youth who are experiencing homelessness.
homelessness
in america 16
Individual Adults
Pre-enrollment health care Over the course of 2009, 983,835 people accessing shelters and transitional housing programs
costs for people helped by were individual adults (63 percent). Close to three quarters were men. Forty-three percent
the federal Collaborative
of sheltered adults without families had a disabling condition and 13 percent were Veterans.
Initiative to Help End
Chronic Homelessness There is a growing population of older adults who are homeless—one out of four is over
averaged more than $27,000 the age of 50. Fourteen percent of individuals were in institutional settings the night before
annually for each person. becoming homeless.32
(Mares & Rosenheck, 2010)
The 2009 HUD point-in-time count showed 47 percent of the 404,957 individuals experiencing
homelessness were living on the streets.
Only 35% of participants In 2009, there were 110,917 adults experiencing chronic homelessness. This represents 26
in a HUD study of Housing percent of unaccompanied adults that were counted and 17 percent of all people counted
First programs for homeless that night. Six out of ten people experiencing chronic homelessness are not sheltered. While
persons with serious mental
illness had Medicaid at people experiencing chronic homelessness are mostly male (75-80 percent), there is also a
the time of enrollment. significant number of women. After declining 30 percent between 2005 and 2007, the number
(HUD, The Applicability of Housing of persons who experienced chronic homelessness remained essentially the same in 2008, but
First Models to Homeless Persons
with Serious Mental Illness, 2007)
dropped 11 percent in 2009.33
Among those experiencing chronic homelessness, needs are prevalent and acute. Despite
disabling health conditions, most people experiencing chronic homelessness are not currently
enrolled in Medicaid or other health insurance programs. As this cohort ages (the average age
is close to 50), health care needs increase.34 Health Reform will help many individuals, including
people experiencing chronic homelessness, who were not eligible for Medicaid previously.
Medicaid will be expanded to all individuals under the age of 65 with incomes currently up to
A study of hospital costs about $15,000 for a single individual in FY 2010 in the continental United States (133 percent of
associated with homeless-
ness reported that 52% of
the federal poverty level). This will allow more adults without dependent children to enroll in
individuals who are homeless Medicaid in 2014 (or before, at state option). Although many in this group will become Medicaid
were admitted for mental eligible due to the passage of Health Reform, a key to their enrollment will be providing them
health or substance abuse
with transition assistance and permanent supportive housing solutions.
treatment, compared to
23% of non-homeless low-
income patients, and the The sub-group of single individuals that experiences long-term homelessness has high rates
length of hospital stay for of mental illness and/or substance abuse disorders. Chronic homelessness is associated with
homeless patients was 36%
longer per admission than
severe symptoms of alcohol abuse, schizophrenia, and personality disorder. Many have not
for non-homeless patients. been effectively engaged or retained in outpatient treatment and show increasingly high rates
(Salit, Kuhn, et al., 1998) of chronic, disabling, and/or life-threatening health conditions (hypertension, asthma, HIV/
AIDS, liver disease). For individuals experiencing chronic homelessness overall, there are high
rates of abuse, violence, and separation from families as children, but these rates are highest
among women.35
It is important to note that some individuals have minor children who are not with them.
Many of the causes of homelessness for individual adults are similar to causes of homelessness
among families. People experiencing homelessness have little or no income. They cannot
afford a place to live. There is insufficient subsidized housing. They may have limited access to
housing that does exist because of past criminal records, substance abuse or untreated mental
homelessness
in america 17
Hospital
$1,940 illness. Their social support networks are frail or
Inpaent
non-existent. Individuals experiencing homelessness
Emergency $905
Room have high rates of behavioral health conditions and
Psychiatric
$604 insufficient access to care. Their behaviors can lead
Hospital
to eviction or alienation from friends and family,
Ambulance $527
and periods of institutionalization or incarceration.
Detox $256 When individuals become homeless, their health
and behavioral health worsens. They are exposed to
Jail $87
more trauma and violence. Survival—seeking food
Affordable and $31 and shelter—becomes all consuming. It is difficult
Supporve Housing
to get a job without an address or a place to store
Shelter $28
Cost per day per person your belongings. Mental illness and substance
abuse sometimes result in people being screened or
Figure expelled from shelters, transitional housing, or public housing.
Costs of Serving Homeless
Individuals
Sources: Perlman, 2006; MHSA, 2008;
The literature on the cost of single adult homelessness is extensive and in agreement.
Hirsch, 2007; Mondello, 2007; Lewin Group,
2004; Justice Policy Institute, 2007; Down-
Homelessness results in increased use of emergency rooms, hospitals, police, and jails, in
town Emergency Service Center, 2008;
Moore, 2006; Flaming, 2009) addition to costs associated with shelter and other homeless services. Health care is the
largest component of costs from frequent and avoidable emergency room visits, inpatient
Costs represent averages of
costs derived from cost studies hospitalization for medical or psychiatric care, sobering centers, and nursing homes.36
of homelessness and homeless
interventions conducted between
2004 and 2009 in Atlanta, Chicago, Solutions include the basics: jobs that pay enough to afford a place to live, affordable
Columbus, Denver, Los Angeles, housing, better access to income and work supports, and expanded access to health and
Maine, Massachusetts, New York,
Phoenix, Portland (Oregon), Rhode behavioral health care, including trauma-informed care. Individuals become homeless
Island, San Francisco, and Seattle. because of a shortage of housing, support, and care, but also because the services that do
exist are often fragmented and difficult to access. Better coordination across programs and
services is needed. Mainstream programs need to pay attention to housing stability, focus on
homelessness prevention, and connect people to housing resources.
OR $42,075
$17,199 Rapid re-housing strategies are working for single adults, reducing their stay in shelters and
supporting them to stabilize in housing, connect to care, and employment.
$28,436
MA
$6,056
For people experiencing chronic homelessness, the research is clear that permanent
$28,045
ME supportive housing using a Housing First approach is the solution.37 There are two models of
$14,009
supportive housing. Single sites are housing developments or apartment buildings in which
RI
$31,671 units are designated as supportive housing. In scattered-site programs, participants use rent
$22,778
subsidies to obtain housing from private landlords and supportive services are provided
$17,381 through home visits. Services in supportive housing are flexible and primarily focused on the
CO
$9,635 outcome of housing stability, and include services to address mental health, substance abuse,
health, and employment needs.
Before entry into
supporve housing
Housing First models of supportive housing incorporate strategies that minimize barriers to
Aer entry into
supporve housing housing access or pre-conditions of housing readiness, sobriety, or engagement in treatment.
They assist participants to move into permanent housing quickly and provide the intensive
Figure supportive services needed to help residents achieve and maintain housing stability and
Reductions in Utilization of
Major Services Before and After improvements in their overall condition. These practices seek to “screen in” rather than
Entry into Supportive Housing “screen out” and end homelessness for people with the greatest barriers to housing success.
Sources: Perlman, 2006; MHSA, 2008;
Hirsch, 2007; Mondello, 2007; Moore, 2006
homelessness
in america 18
Evaluations of permanent supportive housing have demonstrated significant improvements

in housing stability, reductions in days of homelessness, and reductions in the utilization and
costs of public services such as emergency shelter, hospital emergency room and inpatient
care, sobering centers, and jails.38
 In Seattle, Medicaid costs were reduced 41 percent, sobering center admissions
reduced 87 percent and average total costs reduced more than 75 percent after one
year.39
 In the federal Collaborative Initiative to Help End Chronic Homelessness, participants
were placed rapidly into permanent housing and 95 percent were in independent
housing after one year. Average costs for health care and treatment were reduced by
about half. The largest decline was associated with costs for inpatient hospital care.40
In the Chicago Housing and Health Partnership, persons experiencing homelessness who were
receiving inpatient hospital care for chronic medical conditions were randomly assigned to
receive usual care or access to recuperative care (respite) and permanent supportive housing.
The intervention group had 29 percent fewer hospitalizations, 24 percent fewer emergency
room visits, and 45 percent fewer days in nursing homes.41
Jackie lives with her dog, Max, in a one-

bedroom supportive housing apartment.
Jackie is recovering from an addiction to
pain killers after suffering a debilitating
back injury and depression. Jackie was
desperate to find a place to live where
she did not have to give up her dog.
“He’s my love. He’s what I have left. I
could have gotten another place, but
not with the mental health support
that I need for depression. Living with
these people is just tremendous. It’s
healing. It’s community.”
Reprinted with permission of The Corporation of Supportive Housing Minnesota,
“Stories from Supportive Housing.” Photographer: Cathy ten Broeke
homelessness
in america 19
Veterans
“No one, especially Veterans According to the VA, the number of Veterans experiencing homelessness has been declining
who have faithfully rapidly over the past two years. This is a combination of increased effort and better method-
served our country, should
ology. In 2009, the VA estimated 107,000 homeless Veterans on any given night through its
Community Homeless Assessment Local Education and Networking Groups (CHALENG). This
become homeless. This
represented an 18 percent reduction from the 2008 estimate of 131,000 Veterans on any given
Council’s work is critical to night. This reduction represents a significant step toward achieving the VA’s goal of eliminating
providing for those at risk homelessness among Veterans.
and on the streets. This
interagency partnership HUD’s 2009 point-in-time count stated there were 59,390 Veterans experiencing homeless-
allows us to leverage our
ness.42 That count is believed to undercount Veterans who are unsheltered. The point-in-time
count objective is to obtain an accurate count and previously has not accurately established
resources, programs, talent,
military service history. Efforts are underway to improve this count and to enhance identifica-
and experience to create tion of Veterans who are homeless.
viable solutions that will
eliminate homelessness.” Using the best information available, 107,000 Veterans experiencing homelessness on a given
VA Secretary Eric K. Shinseki night is a reasonable figure and will be used as the baseline in this Plan.
Despite imperfect counting mechanisms, we know that Veterans account for a larger propor-
tion of those experiencing homelessness compared to the overall population. Approximately
44,000 to 66,000 Veterans are believed to be experiencing chronic homelessness.43
Pre-military service experiences have a significant effect on risk of homelessness including

physical or sexual abuse as a child, other traumatic experiences, or foster care.44
Nearly half a million Veterans have high rates of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury (TBI),
Veterans pay more than and sexual trauma, especially for women. Returning Veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan have
half of their income for
rent. More than half of even higher rates possibly associated with repeated deployments. These factors significantly
them have incomes below impact the ability to form trusting relationships. PTSD may also contribute to substance
the federal poverty level. abuse problems and relapse. Other mental health problems and/or TBI may result in cognitive
(Cunningham, M., 2007) impairments (difficulties with concentration or remembering tasks), difficulties in social
relationships, controlling temper or impulses, or other effects that may create barriers to
employment and stable relationships. Multiple and extended deployments may contribute
to unemployment and/or damage to family connections and family conflict upon return.45
A majority of homeless Veterans are single; social isolation is associated with higher risk of
homelessness.46
The average annual cost of There is an increasing number of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans who are women and who are
health care for homeless homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. Many are caring for young children, and many have
Veterans was $27,206,
13.3 percent higher than
experienced sexual abuse and trauma during and/or prior to military service.47 For all Veterans,
for Veterans who were greater attention is being paid to the needs of their families and children.
not homeless.
(Rosenheck & Seibyl, 1998) Homelessness exacerbates poor health and behavioral health and increases an individual’s
contact with the criminal justice system. Half of homeless Veterans had histories of involvement
with criminal justice after discharge from the military. Incarcerated homeless Veterans
have high levels of health, mental health, and/or substance abuse problems.48 About half of
homeless Veterans have serious mental illness; 70 percent have substance abuse problems;
over half have other health problems.49
homelessness
in america 20
An ongoing study of U.S. Causes of homelessness among Veterans are similar to causes of homelessness among non-
Veterans living with HIV Veterans (interrelated economic and personal factors and a shortage of affordable housing).
shows that 44 percent have
experienced homelessness, 11 Combat introduces additional factors from post-traumatic stress. Like other populations, the
percent are currently homeless; complexity of navigating systems makes it difficult for Veterans to get their needs met.
HIV-infected Veterans who have
experienced homelessness are
more likely than those who
There are unique and robust programs and supports available for Veterans although for some,
have not to be hospitalized. their lack of awareness about programs, or their ambivalence about seeking care may keep
(Ghose, T., 2009; Gordon, A.J., 2007) them from receiving these services. In some cases, their military discharge status or lack of
records may create complications in accessing services.
Veterans need the same basics—jobs, affordable housing, and access to health and behavioral
health care—that other single adults or families need. Veterans experiencing chronic home-
lessness benefit from comprehensive health care and a unique array of benefits, and increas-
ing access to permanent supportive housing.
The Department of Defense and the VA are working together to make the transition from ac-
tive duty to Veteran status more seamless. This collaboration includes the development of
processes to support electronic transmission of service and health care records. Service mem-
bers can address their housing plans—as well as employment, benefits, and other essential
needs—as part of their Individual Transition Plan.
The Department of Defense believes that education and training play a critical role towards
preventing homelessness for Veterans. The Department endorses and encourages service
members and Veterans to continue their education and training throughout their military
life cycle, as well as post military service. This is essential if service members want to remain
competitive in the 21st-century job market. Education and training serve as gateways that lead
to fulfilling employment. They provide Veterans with the type of employment that provides
the economic support needed to keep a Veteran from becoming homeless.
Mary, United States Navy

“As a female vet, I didn’t even know I was eligible for
service-connected disability. I promised myself early
on that my kids would never end up in a homeless
shelter.” Mary currently lives in an affordable home.
Reprinted with permission of Greater Minnesota Housing Fund,

“Portraits of Home II: Veterans in Search of Stable Housing.”
homelessness
in america 21
Steve said there was no help transitioning from war to home and he spent the next
decades of his life running from memories of the war. He did all he could to forget. He
started a successful tree-trimming business, but also drank excessively, used drugs, and
did frequent stints at VA Hospitals. He quit drinking and drugs, but continued to struggle
with sleeping and with the thoughts in his head. He eventually retreated from society for
what he calls his “1,000 days of being alone” at an old farmhouse during which he talked
to no one and only took in rescued animals. “I had given up completely.”
About a year and a half ago Steve moved to International Falls, Minnesota to get his
affairs in order because he felt it would be a good place to walk off into the wilderness
and commit suicide. He rented the only place he could afford, which was a run-down,
moldy house. When some people he’d gotten to know noticed they hadn’t seen him in
awhile, they went to the house and found him in terrible shape. He got in touch with
the Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans in Duluth and they helped connect him
to a counselor. He was diagnosed with PTSD which made him eligible for the benefits he
needed to afford a safe place to live. The support he gets means the world to him. He
says he feels like he’s been reborn, like he’s getting a second chance. He stresses how
important it’s been just to have someone tell him he’s not crazy. He currently lives with
his three cats — who he has always thought of as his lifesavers: “Even when I didn’t care
about my life, I needed to be there for the cats.”
“Portraits of Home II: Veterans in Search of Stable Housing”.
homelessness
in america 22
Systems
2006 Fair Market Rent
Emergency Shelter Transitional Housing for Two-Bedroom Unit
Table
Average Cost per Family per
Washington, D.C. $2,496 – $3,698 $2,146 – $2,188 $1,225
Month for Each Homeless
Program Type for Families Houston, Texas $1,391 $1,940 – $4,482 $743
and FY2006 Two-Bedroom
Fair Market Rents Kalamazoo, Michigan $1,614 $813 $612
Source: Spellman, B., 2010
Upstate South Carolina $2,269 $1,209 $599

Costs shown reflect weighted
averages by program type. Ranges
represent the averages for different Through these population-specific descriptions, common themes emerge at a systems level.
programs within a program type.
FMR Source: HUD, 2005  We need coordinated leadership at the federal, state, and local levels.
The FMR does not include the monthly
 There must be more program coordination and simplification. Mainstream programs,
fee paid to a public housing agency for
administering the voucher program, those not targeted to homeless populations, need to be a part of the solution rather
which ranged from $50 to $90 per unit
per month in these four communities. than a set of uncoordinated targeted programs as has been the approach historically.
(HUD, 2007)
 Programs must adapt to meet the unique needs of people who have experienced
homelessness. Systems must be organized to meet the needs of people with histories
of trauma and violence and must be responsive to the special needs of other
populations.
 Interventions—mainstream and targeted—must focus on prevention and achieving
the outcome of housing stability.
 People must have better access to affordable housing, health, and behavioral health
care, as well as income and work supports.
Additionally, attention needs to be given to the following:

 There is uneven and limited capacity to deliver the most effective strategies at a scale
that will help everyone experiencing or most at risk of homelessness. Even if there
is more coordinated leadership and programs available to all who need them, local
housing and service systems must be strengthened in order to move quickly and
effectively to provide housing and assistance to all who need it.
 Policies and programs must be adaptive based on information about what is work-
ing. Attention must be paid not only to whether or not programs are working for the
people they are serving, but also whether or not all people who need them are able
to get what they need to prevent or move out of homelessness.
 Barriers that get in the way of people getting the supports and services they need
must be addressed. This includes everything from access to identification to eligibility
processes and the complexity of navigating multiple programs that operate in isolation.
 Much is known about solutions to homelessness. For some subgroups and in some
places, there is still more to learn.
In sum, close to two million Americans experience homelessness each year. For most, this
is caused by the gap between income and the cost of housing. For many, health conditions,
mental health and substance abuse, trauma, and lack of supportive families make them at risk
of or push them into homelessness.
homelessness
in america 23
Homelessness is costly to society because people experiencing homelessness frequently

require the most expensive publicly-funded services and institutions.
Solutions exist. New collaborative leadership, more coordination, and wise investments in
proven strategies focused on prevention aimed at housing stability—that incorporate both
housing and services—will lead to major reductions in homelessness.
David, United States Army

David is a precariously-housed
Vietnam Veteran who rents a
deteriorating farmhouse outside
of town. He loves caring for
animals, and worries about losing
them if he has to move. Post-
Traumatic Stress Disorder makes
him unable to live in crowded,
noisy areas. Despite his PTSD,
David enjoys working part-time to
help students produce shows for
community radio.
“Portraits of Home II: Veterans in Search of Stable Housing”.
Photographer: Stormi Greener
homelessness
in america 24
The Plan
Heather’s baby at youth center

Heather is a teen mother who lives in supportive housing.
The caring people who work with her have helped her
learn how to be a good mom to her baby.
Reprinted with permission of The Corporation of Supportive Housing Minnesota,

“Stories from Supportive Housing.” Photographer: Cathy ten Broeke
vision
No one should experience homelessness—
no one should be without a safe, stable place to call home.
goals
 Finish the job of ending chronic homelessness in 5 years
 Prevent and end homelessness among Veterans in 5 years
 Prevent and end homelessness for families, youth, and children in 10 years
themes
INCREASE Leadership, COLLABORATION, and Civic Engagement

Objective 1: Provide and promote collaborative leadership at all levels of government
and across all sectors to inspire and energize Americans to commit to
preventing and ending homelessness
Objective 2: Strengthen the capacity of public and private organizations by increasing
knowledge about collaboration, homelessness, and successful
interventions to prevent and end homelessness
INCREASE ACCESS TO Stable and Affordable Housing

Objective 3: Provide affordable housing to people experiencing or most at risk of
homelessness
Objective 4: Provide permanent supportive housing to prevent and end chronic
homelessness
iNCREASE economic security

Objective 5: Increase meaningful and sustainable employment for people experiencing
or most at risk of homelessness
Objective 6: Improve access to mainstream programs and services to reduce people’s
financial vulnerability to homelessness
IMPROVE HEALTH AND stability

Objective 7: Integrate primary and behavioral health care services with homeless
assistance programs and housing to reduce people’s vulnerability to and
the impacts of homelessness
Objective 8: Advance health and housing stability for youth aging out of systems such as
foster care and juvenile justice
Objective 9: Advance health and housing stability for people experiencing homelessness
who have frequent contact with hospitals and criminal justice
RETOOL THE HOMELESS CRISIS RESPONSE SYSTEM

Objective 10: Transform homeless services to crisis response systems that prevent
homelessness and rapidly return people who experience homelessness to
stable housing
the
plan 26
This Plan creates the framework for accomplishing the ambitious goals of preventing and ending
homelessness. The objectives identify high level actions or system change needed to facilitate
increased access to housing, economic security, health, and stability for specific populations.
The strategies articulate steps that could be taken collaboratively by federal, state, and local
leaders to address the differentiated needs of the populations identified.
What follows is a discussion of each objective, including the logic for the objective, its strategies,
the lead federal agencies, and key partners. Following each objective are the strategies needed
to accomplish that particular objective.
There are Signature Initiatives presented throughout related to Veterans, families with
children, people experiencing chronic homelessness, and youth. These initiatives highlight
new collaborative activity currently being undertaken by federal agencies and other partners.
They focus on the target populations for the Plan. They will create opportunities for shared
learning about specific strategies and approaches. They may also inform future policy and
budget processes.
The table on the following page shows how different population groups are targeted within
each of the strategies.
USICH staff are working in partnership with the 19 Council member agencies and with other
key stakeholders to begin the planning that could operationalize each strategy. Through the
planning and implementation process, the feasibility of the strategies will be assessed with
some strategies taking longer to operationalize. Some strategies may prove not to be feasible
to implement at scale.
Beth and her four

children, ages 6, 7,
and 15, live in a dupl 12,
ex provided by th e
American Indian Com
munity Housing
Organization in Dul
uth, Minnesota. Bet
and her children be h
came homeless whe
sh e left an abusive n
marriage after mor
th an ten years and e
now sh e and her
children are starting
over.
Sh e works a recept
ion job, and staff ar
helping her build he e
r resume. Beth is al
an artist, making m so
oc casins, beadwork,
pencil drawings, and
Used with permission of The Corporation for Supportive acrylic on canvas.
Housing Minnesota, “Stories from Supportive Housing.”
“Since I’ve been in
Photographer: Cathy ten Broeke this housing I can do
some of th ese thin
gs again. In a year
have canvases all ov I’ll
er th e plac e.”
the
plan 27
Populations Supported by the Plan’s Strategies

OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES Veterans Families Youth Chronic All
1. Promote Collaborative Leadership

a. Educate the public • • • • •
b. Engage state/local/tribal leaders • • • • •
c. Update and implement state/local plans • • • • •
d. Involve citizens and private sector • • • • •
e. Test, model interagency collaboration • • • • •
f. Reward collaborating communities • • • • •
g. Recognize savings across partners • • • • •
h. Engage Congressional committees • • • • •
Signature Initiative: Veterans • • •
2. Strengthen Capacity and Knowledge
a. Compile research • • • • •
b. Coordinate federal technical assistance • • • • •
c. More readily available info on best practices • • • • •
d. More readily available info on special populations • • • • •
e. Needs of rural and tribal communities • • • • •
f. Inventory federal emergency response programs • • • • •
g. Increase use of HMIS • • • • •
h. Create a common data standard and uniform
performance measures if feasible • • • • •
3. Provide Affordable Housing
a. Support rental housing subsidies • • • • •
b. Expand supply of affordable rental homes • • • • •
c. Improve access to assistance • • • • •
d. Increase service-enriched housing • • • • •
Signature Initiative: Families with Children • • •
4. Provide Permanent Supportive Housing
a. Improve access to and use of supportive housing • • • • •
b. Protocols and incentives to free up units • • • • •
c. Expand supply of supportive housing • • • • •
d. Assess options for supportive housing service funding • • • • •
Signature Initiative: Chronic Homelessness • •
5. Increase Economic Security
a. Job development focus on homelessness • • • • •
b. Improve access to work supports • • • • •
c. Best practices to help people enter workforce • • • • •
d. Coordinate/integrate employment programs • • • • •
e. Increase work for Veterans • • •
the
plan 28
OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES (cont’d) Veterans Families Youth Chronic All

6. Reduce Financial Vulnerability
a. Best practices in access to income/work supports • • • • •
b. Improve access to income supports • • • • •
c. Enhance public info and call center for Veterans • • •
d. Create pathways to financial independence • • • • •
e. Prepare for Medicaid expansion • • • • •
7. Integrate Health Care with Housing
a. Co-locate housing and health care • • • • •
b. Build upon successful service delivery models • • • • •
c. Evaluate effectiveness of medical home model • • • • •
d. Establish medical respite programs • • • • •
e. Increase availability of behavioral health services • • • • •
f. Improve access to child and family services • • •
8. Advance Health and Housing Stability for Youth
a. Improve discharge planning •
b. Improve access for youth •
c. Promote targeted outreach strategies •
Signature Initiative: Youth •
9. Advance Health and Housing Stability for Adults
a. Improve discharge planning • • • •
b. Promote targeted outreach strategies • • • •
c. Increase number of jail diversion courts • • • •
d. Define approaches to reduce criminalization • • • • •
10. Transform Crisis Response Systems
a. Promote best practices in crisis response • • • • •
b. Use mainstream resources for housing stability • • • • •
c. Implementation strategies for HEARTH Act • • • • •
d. Ensure continuity through HPRP services • • • • •
e. Ensure prevention in place-based strategies • • • • •
the
plan 29
Increase Leadership, Collaboration, and Civic Engagement
Objective 1
Provide and promote collaborative leadership at all levels of government and across all sec-
tors to inspire and energize Americans to commit to preventing and ending homelessness
“The U.S. Department of

Logic
There was an extensive outpouring through our public comment process—online, in
Labor is proud to join our
stakeholder forums and constituent conference calls—that federal agencies needed
sister agencies in the federal to “break down the silos” and organize federal resources together with local and state
government, and a broad resources. Enhanced coordination among public and private entities will lead to a better
coalition of community understanding of the causes and consequences of homelessness and how multiple
organizations, in the effort federally-funded programs—and therefore agencies—can interact in strategies to
to end homelessness. That’s prevent and end homelessness.
the way to meet this Strong leadership is needed at federal, state, and local levels and across all sectors to
challenge head on and most establish and implement action plans that achieve results for people experiencing chronic
effectively—by working homelessness, and for families, youth and children, including Veterans and their families.
together. After all, our Such plans should be locally driven, reflecting local conditions, since a one-size-fits-all plan
nation is always at its best
does not exist. Interdisciplinary, interagency, and intergovernmental action is required to
effectively create comprehensive responses to the complex problem of homelessness.
when we work as a team.”
Labor Secretary Tremendous progress on reducing homelessness has only occurred in those commu-
Hilda Solis
nities that have organized themselves to prevent and end homelessness. This means
that they have set goals, identified needs and gaps, developed strategies to meet these
needs and gaps, created public-private investment in the strategies, monitored progress,
and adjusted the course when needed. Successful implementation occurs when there is
Chicago launched its plan to
broad support for the strategies—this is evidenced by the involvement of business and
end homelessness, Getting
civic leadership, local public officials, faith-based volunteers, and mainstream systems
Housed, Staying Housed, in
2003. A collaborative effort
that provide housing, human services, and health care.
of more than 200 public,
Federal Leadership
private, and nonprofit
USICH Member Agencies and USICH Staff
entities, the plan was made
an integral part of Mayor Partners
Richard M. Daley’s vision for
States, Counties, Cities, Businesses, and Nonprofits including
the city. The cornerstone
Philanthropy and Faith Communities
effort is a Housing First
approach that helps
individuals and families Strategies
return to housing more
rapidly by providing access Educate the public on the scope, causes, and costs of homelessness, the Federal Strategic Plan
to affordable housing with to Prevent and End Homelessness, and the reasons for taking action.
supports. From 2005-2007,
the city’s total homeless Engage state, local, and tribal leaders in a renewed commitment to prevent and end home-
count dropped by 12%, lessness in their communities.
and homelessness among
families decreased 23%. Get states and localities to update and implement plans to end homelessness to reflect local
(NAEH Snapshot - Chicago, 2008) conditions and the comprehensiveness of this Federal Plan, as well as to develop mechanisms
for effective implementation.
the
plan 30
Involve citizens—including people with firsthand experience with homelessness—and the

private sector—businesses, nonprofits, faith-based organizations, foundations, and volun-
teers—in efforts to prevent and end homelessness.
Test, model, and learn more about interagency collaboration. Collaboration is necessary to
implement many strategies in the Plan, including:
 Increasing federal interagency interventions
 Increasing collaborative planning among and within all levels of government
 Increasing joint endeavors between government and the nonprofit and private sectors
 Identifying and removing barriers to collaboration
 Seeking opportunities to conduct data matches and share data to better understand
the impact of homelessness on the costs and outcomes of mainstream programs and
to target initiatives to populations that need support across multiple systems
Seek opportunities to reward communities that are collaborating to make significant progress
preventing and ending homelessness.
Review budget processes to determine avenues for recognizing savings across partners
resulting from interventions to prevent and end homelessness.
Seek opportunities for engaging Congressional committees collaboratively on issues related

to preventing and ending homelessness.
Signature Initiative #1
Veterans
This initiative is designed to spur increased collaboration at a federal level and local level, for
both government and community providers. Focused on Veterans in targeted communities,
this initiative brings the federal government to the table alongside state and local government,
Veteran services organizations, other community providers, and civic leaders. At the national
level, USICH is facilitating collaborative efforts by the Departments of Veterans Affairs, Housing
and Urban Development, Labor, and Health and Human Services to target resources and
undertake joint efforts to prevent and eliminate Veterans homelessness.
By strategically aligning resources targeted to homeless Veterans, the housing with supportive
services initiative brings together programs to increase their effectiveness that would otherwise
operate separately. This initiative will not only help Veterans in initiative communities, it will
also test models of local collaboration on behalf of Veterans, involving federal partners. It also
presents an opportunity to look at cross-agency cost savings.
As part of the overall collaboration, Veterans Affairs, the American Bar Association, and Health
and Human Services through its Office of Child Support Enforcement, have joined together to
resolve child support issues for Veterans who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
The partners are building a new level of interagency collaboration in order to target the most
vulnerable Veterans experiencing chronic homelessness, rapidly connect them to housing
the
plan 31
options, including HUD-VASH, ensuring that they get into housing, and identifying and providing
needed supportive services.
This initiative could benefit from a strategic partnership with a business school to develop a
multidisciplinary approach that brings together leaders from government—including the VA’s
National Center on Homelessness Among Veterans, civil society, and business—to help solve
homelessness among Veterans and their families.
Edward served in the military from 1954-1964,

stationed part of the time in Bermuda. He refueled
B-52 bombers in the air. After the end of his second
enlistment, Edward decided not to re-enlist, fearing
an accident with his dangerous assignment. For over
20 years, Edward slept under a kitchen table in a
shack on a small piece of land. The structure had no
running water or heat and was not maintained. When
he needed supplies, Edward would walk for hours
to get to the closest town. In the winter of 2008,
Veterans’ services officers were alerted to his living
conditions. Fearing he would freeze to death, they
moved him into an apartment complex with supports
for elders and his shack was condemned and razed.
At age 77, Ed still walks miles and miles, but he has
a safe place to call home and Veterans’ services Edward on the land where the shack he lived in
for over 20 years was recently demolished.
officers are in touch with him regularly.
“Portraits of Home II: Veterans in Search of Stable Housing.”
Photographer: Cathy ten Broeke.
the
plan 32
Objective 2
Strengthen the capacity of public and private organizations by increasing knowledge about
collaboration, homelessness, and successful interventions to prevent and end homelessness
Logic
Preventing and ending homelessness will only be possible through coordinated efforts
of strong public and private organizations. Across the country, capacity varies from
community to community, especially as it relates to the ability to collaborate effectively,
to design and implement programs based on knowledge about successful models and
best practices, to evaluate program effectiveness and nimbly make changes where
needed, and to target interventions to people for whom they are best suited. The federal
government can lead by making best practices standard operating procedure as we
adopt an increasingly evidence-driven approach. Strengthening the country’s capacity
to prevent and end homelessness will itself require effective collaborations within the
federal government and between all levels of government, nonprofits, philanthropy, and
the private sector.
Federal agencies currently invest extensively in technical assistance but it is generally

not coordinated across programs. Furthermore, communities and providers may not be
aware of how to access these resources.
Collection, analysis, and reporting of quality, timely data on homelessness is essential

for targeting interventions, tracking results, strategic planning, and resource allocation.
Currently, each federal program generally has distinct requirements. A common data
standard and uniform performance measures across all federal programs that are
targeted at homelessness would facilitate greater understanding and simplify local data
management. Better tracking of a family’s housing status when accessing mainstream
programs would increase understanding about the role of these programs in preventing
“We have learned that uniform
and ending homelessness. This is a state and local imperative as well. Data collection
must be done safely to protect victims of sexual and domestic violence or others who
outcome measurement for
could be harmed by tracking.
like-funded initiatives allows
grantees, communities, and Much research and evaluation has been and is being conducted on homelessness and
their funders to measure service strategies to prevent and end it. There is tremendous opportunity to better understand
and apply what is being learned by coordinating and sharing research across federal agen-
interventions effectively and
cies and with states and local communities. Research must be conducted to understand
make necessary corrections
more about how to end homelessness for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault,
that are required to target unaccompanied youth, youth aging out of foster care, and other unique groups. Defining
resources most appropriately.” a federal research agenda focused on gaps in knowledge about preventing and ending
National Human Services homelessness could ensure that future investment and policies contribute to solutions.
Data Consortium
Federal Leadership
Agriculture, Commerce, Education, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security,
Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Justice, Labor, Veterans Affairs, Corporation
for National and Community Service, Office of Management and Budget, Social Security
Administration, and Office of Faith-based and Community Initiatives
Partners
State and Local Government, Researchers, Nonprofits, including Philanthropy,
Homeless Crisis Response, Housing, and Service Agencies
the
plan 33
Strategies
Collaborate on and compile research to better understand best practices, the cost-effectiveness
of various interventions, metrics to measure outcomes, and the gaps in research. Identify and
fill gaps in the body of knowledge. Topics that should be considered include:
 Best practices to meet the needs of homeless youth
 How to target services to homeless Veterans and their families
 Characteristics of families most likely to succeed in different levels of intervention
 How to target homeless prevention resources
 Effectiveness of transitional housing programs
 Reasons for geographic concentration of homelessness
 Integration of effective HIV/AIDS prevention strategies through housing interventions
 The role housing stability plays in improving safety and other outcomes for victims of
domestic violence
 The effectiveness of trauma-based services for individuals who have experienced
sexual violence as children or adults
Coordinate federal technical assistance resources related to preventing and ending home-
lessness and provide information to states, tribes, and local communities on how to access the
support they need.
Make information more readily available on best practices and strategies to finance them at
scale related to:
 Homelessness prevention
 Housing First, rapid re-housing, and permanent supportive housing
 Mental health, substance abuse, and treatment for co-occurring conditions
 Integrated treatment of physical and behavioral health conditions
 Trauma-sensitive and trauma-informed services
Make information more readily available on working effectively with special populations,
and the overlap between and among groups:
 Expectant families, infants, toddlers, children, and youth
 Cultural competency, including Native American, African American,

Hispanic, and immigrant populations
 Gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender populations
 Veterans and their families
 Victims of domestic or family violence, physical and/or sexual abuse,

trafficking, and violence
 People living with HIV/AIDS
 People who are or have been incarcerated
the
plan 34
A survey of tribes in northern Attend to the unique needs of rural and tribal communities to respond to homelessness and
Minnesota found that 1,200 develop effective strategies and programs that use best practices that contribute to housing
American Indians were
homeless or near-homeless stability and prevent and end homelessness on American Indian lands, in rural/frontier areas
within six reservations. and urban centers.
63% of survey respondents
were living in overcrowded Develop and maintain an inventory of federal emergency response programs to help com-
housing, with an average
of 1.5 residents per room.
munities identify what is being funded in their community with federal resources and which
resources are available to them.
(Wilder Research, 2007)
Continue to increase use of the Homeless Management Information System by local com-
munities and encourage its use by additional programs targeted at homelessness. Develop
standards that permit data inter-operability between data systems while protecting the confi-
dentiality of all individuals.
Create a common data standard and uniform performance measures if feasible, especially
related to housing stability, across all targeted and mainstream federal programs. This will
facilitate data exchanges and comparisons between both targeted programs and mainstream
systems in order to improve identification of people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
Encourage the dynamic use of state and local data warehouses.
Increase Access to Stable and Affordable Housing
Objective 3
Provide affordable housing to people experiencing or most at risk of homelessness
Logic
For most people, the threat of homelessness stems from the gap between their current
income and the cost of housing. People are extremely poor at the time they become
homeless. More affordable housing is needed for people with extremely low incomes who
are most at risk of homelessness. Housing needs to be affordable to those households
with the lowest incomes who are most at risk of homelessness. The households most
vulnerable to homelessness are those with no income or those earning significantly less
than 30 percent of Area Median Income. Housing is affordable if the cost is no more than
30 percent of the monthly household income.
The concentration of homelessness in some parts of the country means that the effort
and focus to increase access to affordable housing must be proportional to local need.
Assessment and targeting mechanisms need to be used to distinguish between those

who can resolve their homeless situation on their own or with mainstream supports,
those who need targeted short-term assistance, and those who require long-term
housing assistance. Factors include being extremely low income, paying more than 50
percent of income on rent, and precipitating events like domestic or sexual violence and
illness. Available resources should also be targeted to the most vulnerable populations,
including children and their families, unaccompanied youth, people with disabling
conditions, and frail elders.
the
plan 35
Figure A January 2010 review of characteristics of U.S. rental housing found that from 2001 to
Gap Between Monthly Income 2007 the nation’s affordable unassisted rental housing stock decreased by 6.3 percent,
and Housing Cost
while the high-rent rental housing stock increased 94.3 percent. This translates into
a loss of more than 1.2 million affordable unassisted rental units from 2001 to 2007.50
CA $272 Preserving existing affordable housing is of utmost importance.
$1,291
Transportation needs of residents must be considered when providing affordable
FL $222
housing. Housing and Urban Development, Transportation, and Labor are working
$1,019
together, understanding that transportation is critical for connecting people in their
NY $264 homes to jobs, schools, health care, and child care.
$1,207
Eliminating discrimination against individuals based on their status as victims of domestic
OH $233
violence is yet another crucial strategy in ending homelessness. The landmark housing
$683
provisions of the Violence Against Women Act of 2005 (VAWA) provide protections for
TX $219 victims of domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking from housing discrimination
$800 and access to the criminal justice system while maintaining their housing. VAWA allows
Rent affordable at 15% public housing authorities to give housing priority to victims of domestic violence when
of area median income
their safety dictates and prohibits them from denying housing or evicting a tenant
Fair Market Rent 2009
based solely on their status as a victim of domestic violence. Consistent and effective
implementation of these provisions may help save lives and prevent homelessness.
“Affordable” rents represent the generally
accepted standard of spending not more
than 30% of gross income on gross Federal Leadership
housing costs. Agriculture, Energy, Housing and Urban Development, Labor, Transportation,
Source: Wardrip, K., 2009
Veterans Affairs, General Services Administration, Office of Management
and Budget, and Treasury
Partners
State Housing Finance Agencies, Local Housing Authorities,
Private and Nonprofit Developers, and Nonprofit Service Providers
Strategies
Support additional rental housing subsidies through federal, state, local, and private re-
sources to individuals and families experiencing or most at risk of homelessness. The rent sub-
sidies should be structured so that households pay no more than 30 percent of their income
for housing.
Expand the supply of affordable rental homes where they are most needed through federal,
state, and local efforts. To provide affordable housing to people experiencing or most at risk of
homelessness, rental subsidies should better target households earning significantly less than
30 percent of the Area Median Income (about 50 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines) so
Low-cost capital is financing that residents pay no more than 30 percent of their income for housing. The supply will need
for housing development that to include units that are accessible to persons with mobility needs.
carries no debt, has forgivable
repayment terms, and/or has  Work with state and local governments to expand rental assistance and low-cost capital
interest rates significantly
for new construction and rehabilitation of housing for individuals and families experi-
below that of the private
market; it often comes with encing or most at risk of homelessness
greater flexibility in terms
than private-sector financing.  Fund the National Housing Trust Fund
the
plan 36
 Encourage preferences in the awarding of Low Income Housing Tax Credits to increase
investments for housing targeted to people experiencing or most at risk of homelessness
 Link developments to project-based vouchers and other subsidies
Improve access to federally-funded housing assistance by eliminating administrative barriers

and encouraging prioritization of people experiencing or most at risk of homelessness.
 Includes implementation of the Violence Against Women Act housing anti-discrimination
and eviction protection provisions
Increase service-enriched housing by co-locating or connecting services with affordable

housing. This could be accomplished in a wide range of ways and will vary by community,
neighborhood, and development. Examples include providing community space within new
affordable housing to host an after-school homework room, retrofitting vacant office space
in a public housing complex for use as an examination room for a community health nurse
practitioner, providing onsite legal clinics for victims of domestic violence, or co-locating a
community mental health service provider within an older adult affordable housing complex.
Signature Initiative #2:

Families and Children
In a new initiative included in the President’s FY2011 Budget, HUD and HHS would combine
housing vouchers with funding from mainstream programs to serve homeless or at-risk families
with children. HUD, HHS, and the Department of Education are working together to implement
a housing and services program for 6,000 families who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
HUD will provide Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers targeted to communities with high
concentrations of families experiencing homelessness. Applicants will need to demonstrate
how they are coordinating these vouchers with assistance and services administered by the
states and available through the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program and
other HHS-funded programs, including guidance on trauma-informed services and outreach
to families through a network of emergency domestic violence shelters. The Department of
Education will help identify families through its network of homeless liaisons. This initiative
will also test and evaluate replicable models for creating collaborations for aligning federally-
funded programs and funding at the local level to improve their effectiveness helping families
experiencing or at high risk of homelessness. An improved evidence base will help guide future
policy development.
the
plan 37
Objective 4
Provide permanent supportive housing to prevent and end chronic homelessness
Logic
The most successful intervention for ending chronic homelessness is permanent
supportive housing, which couples permanent housing with supportive services that
target the specific needs of an individual or family. There is a substantial body of literature
Supportive Housing combines that shows that supportive housing is successful for people with mental illness, chemical
affordable, community-based,
dependency, HIV/AIDS, and other often co-occurring conditions. Persons who have
permanent housing linked
to flexible, individualized experienced chronic homelessness frequently have histories of trauma and violence as
supports and services. It is well as additional barriers to stable housing (e.g., criminal histories, no income, poor
a proven, effective means credit). Permanent supportive housing is designed to address these needs. Permanent
of reintegrating individuals
and families with chronic supportive housing using Housing First is a proven solution that leads to improvements
health challenges into the in health and well-being. Supportive housing also has been shown to be a cost-effective
community by addressing solution in communities across the country. It has been proven to be most cost-effective
their basic needs for housing
and ongoing support. in places where it has been targeted to people with the most extensive needs.
Supportive housing can be provided through three primary strategies: 1) pairing a rent
subsidy with dedicated services; 2) building new or rehabilitated units at a single site
and providing a rental subsidy and on-site services; or 3) set-aside of units within an
affordable housing community and providing a rental subsidy and on-site services. The
biggest challenges to creating more permanent supportive housing are the need for
rental subsidies and dedicated services funding. Developers are further challenged by
the need to cobble together multiple funding sources to create a debt-free property
since the projects do not generate adequate cash flow to pay a mortgage. Federal,
state, and local sources for capital, operations, and services are not designed to work
in an integrated fashion.
There is a serious shortage of permanent supportive housing across the country. This
is due both to the shortage of financial resources, as well as local capacity to develop
and operate supportive housing. Additionally, many developers confront local barriers
related to zoning and community opposition. The concentration of chronic homeless-
ness means that the effort and focus to increase access to supportive housing must be
proportional to local need.
Federal Leadership
Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Justice, Labor, Veterans
Affairs, General Services Administration, and Office of Management and Budget
Partners
State Housing Finance and Health and Human Services Agencies, Local Housing Authori-
ties, Private and Nonprofit Developers, and Supportive Service Providers
the
plan 38
The passage of Health

Strategies
Reform means that many
Improve access to and use of supportive housing by encouraging prioritization and targeting
people who experience
for people who need this level of support to prevent or escape homelessness.
or are most at risk of
homelessness with no Create protocols and consider incentives to help people who have achieved stability in
health coverage today will
supportive housing—who no longer need and desire to live there—to move into affordable
be eligible for Medicaid
housing to free units for others who need it.
in 2014. Some supportive
housing providers offer Expand the supply of permanent supportive housing, in partnership with state and local
and are reimbursed
governments and the private sector.
for Medicaid-eligible
services.  The following populations need permanent supportive housing:
Connecting people to • Individuals and families—including Veterans and their families—

Medicaid, and linking experiencing chronic homelessness
supportive housing with
Medicaid providers, • Vulnerable individuals—including youth—experiencing homelessness
will help fill the gap in who have disabling conditions and multiple barriers to housing stability
critical services—even as
 The supply will need to include units that are accessible to persons with mobility
we increase the supply
needs.
of supportive housing.
Improved access to Assess options for more coordinated, sustainable, dependable sources of supportive hous-
health care services
ing service funding. This should include consideration of incentives for local communities to
means improved health
develop supportive housing and how best to coordinate service funding with housing funding.
for this very ill subset
of the overall homeless  Agencies within HHS will collaborate to review whether and how Medicaid,
population. Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and Substance Abuse and Mental
Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) programs can be coordinated with housing
resources to help people who have experienced homelessness, and will offer guidance
to states, tribes, and local government on evidence-based practices to prevent and
end homelessness.
• HHS will offer guidance to states on ways to offer supportive housing
services as part of state Medicaid and TANF programs.
Chronic Homelessness
In a second initiative included in the President’s FY2011 Budget, HUD and HHS would connect
vouchers with health and social services provided through Medicaid and wraparound
services funded through SAMHSA. This initiative will help 4,000 people experiencing chronic
homelessness move off the streets and out of shelter. It will test and evaluate replicable
models for using Medicaid to finance health care and related services for those in permanent
supportive housing, and aligning federal service funding with federal housing vouchers. This
will help inform future policy development at federal, state, and local levels.
the
plan 39
Increase Economic Security
Objective 5
Increase meaningful and sustainable employment for people experiencing or most at risk of
homelessness
Logic
Unemployment, under-employment, and low wage employment are frequent causes of
homelessness. The loss of a job leads to homelessness when tenants fall behind on their
rent and homeowners fall behind on their mortgages—ultimately leading to eviction and
foreclosure respectively. Millions of hard-working, responsible families are at risk of los-
ing their homes as a result of job losses, reductions in working hours, or lower wages.
President Obama’s first priority in confronting the economic crisis is to put Americans
Only 13 percent of people
back to work. By stimulating economic recovery, the Administration is helping America
entering HUD homeless
assistance programs have emerge as a stronger and more prosperous nation. The American Recovery and Rein-
income from employment vestment Act has spurred private sector job creation while making long-term invest-
at the time of admission. ments in health care, education, energy, and infrastructure.
(HUD 2009 APR)
As the economy improves and Americans return to work, a drop in unemployment rates
will reduce the number of people at risk of homelessness. An increase in job openings
will also provide opportunities for people experiencing homelessness to find work and
increase their income sufficiently to afford housing.
Programs designed to connect people to employment need to respond to the concur-

rent needs of people who have experienced homelessness instead of creating barriers
to support. In addition to eliminating programmatic barriers, best practices need to be
implemented across the country, and employment strategies need to be coordinated
with housing and other interventions.
Federal Leadership
The White House, Agriculture, Education, Health and Human Services, Housing and
Urban Development, Labor, Veterans Affairs, and Office of Management and Budget
Partners
Businesses, State and Local Government, Workforce Investment Boards, Community
Colleges and Schools, Nonprofits including Philanthropy, Crisis Response, Housing, and
Service Agencies
StrategIES
Collaborate with economic recovery and jobs programs to ensure that job development and train-
ing strategies focus attention on people who are experiencing or most at risk of homelessness.
Review federal program policies, procedures, and regulations to identify educational, ad-
ministrative, or regulatory mechanisms that could be used to improve access to work support.
 Identify ways Workforce Investment Act and Temporary Assistance for Needy Fami-
lies programs can help people who are experiencing or most at risk of homelessness,
including people with multiple barriers to employment.
the
plan 40
Develop and disseminate best practices on helping people with histories of homelessness
The Homeless Veterans
and barriers to employment enter the workforce, including strategies that take into consid-
Reintegration Program
eration transportation, child care, child support, domestic violence, criminal justice history,
(HVRP) is a grant program
administered by Labor to disabling conditions, and age appropriateness.
assist homeless Veterans
Improve coordination and integration of employment programs with homelessness assis-
in attaining skills training,
tance programs, victim assistance programs, and housing and permanent supportive housing
job search assistance,
placement, and other programs.
wrap-around services.
Increase opportunities for work and support recovery for Veterans with barriers to employ-
The program recently
ment, especially Veterans returning from active duty, Veterans with disabilities, and Veterans
launched an initiative
targeted at the unique in permanent supportive housing.
needs of homeless
women Veterans.
Objective 6
Improve access to mainstream programs and services to reduce people’s financial vulner-
ability to homelessness
Logic
People with limited financial resources are most at risk of homelessness. People with
poor health and disabling conditions are more likely to become homeless. Medical
events lead to personal bankruptcy and foreclosure, which can lead to homelessness.
Homelessness in turn exacerbates poor health. Access to health and behavioral health
Figure care are predicated on access to health insurance.
Source of Income at Entry to Homeless
Assistance Programs (Adults) Mainstream programs and services include both entitlements (with no cap on how many
Source: HUD 2009 APR
people can receive benefits if eligible) and other benefits (resources usually not sufficient
to serve all eligible people). They also fall in three broad categories: health care, income
SSI/SSDI 13% support, and work support. Health care includes health care and behavioral health
care provided through the HHS Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
TANF 6%
and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), as well as
Food health insurance programs such as Medicaid, Medicare, the Children’s Health Insurance
Stamps 23%
Program, and Veterans’ health benefits. Income supports include Earned Income Tax
Veteran
2% Credits, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Supplemental Nutrition
Benefit
Assistance Programs (SNAP—formerly known as the Food Stamp Program), Veterans’
Medicaid 13% disability benefits and pension, Supplemental Security Income and Social Security
Disability Insurance (SSI/SSDI), and General Assistance (available in some states). Work
Employment 14% supports are funded through a myriad of programs including Workforce Investment
Boards, TANF, Job Corps, employment services targeted to Veterans, etc.
No Financial
Resources 36%
Child support is another area that impacts the incomes of people experiencing or at risk
of homelessness. For single mothers, timely payment of child support can be the key
to maintaining housing stability and preventing homelessness for themselves and their
children. Low income fathers who are not able to make their child support payments
may accrue large arrears that contribute to their ongoing financial instability and risk of
homelessness.
Food assistance including SNAP; federally-funded school meals programs; Women,

Infants and Children Program; and other federal nutrition programs can play a vital role in
both sustaining people when they experience homelessness and by giving people added
the
plan 41
resources to buy food so that more of their discretionary spending can go to housing
Since 2006, Ohio has
been helping residents, or other needs. SNAP has a benefit structure that gives extra help to people with high
including people who housing costs relative to their income.
are experiencing
While many people experiencing or most at risk of homelessness are eligible for these
homelessness and most
at risk of homelessness, mainstream programs, surprisingly few people access the full range of programs and
access federal and state services available to them. Sometimes it requires obtaining lost identification materials,
dollars to which they are including birth certificates or state IDs. The processes to apply for mainstream services
entitled through a service can be complex, fragmented and at times designed more to screen people out who are
called The Ohio Benefit not eligible, instead of being focused on reaching out and expediting support for people
Bank. To date, more than who are. According to a recent report issued by HUD, the barriers fall into three broad
100,000 Ohioans have categories—structure, capacity, and eligibility. It concluded that some communities are
claimed in excess of $200 making significant progress in increasing access to mainstream programs by attacking
million in tax credits and these barriers in a systemic manner. Collaborative projects that combine applications,
work-supported benefits
reach out to people at the places they frequent, and use technology to streamline the
through the program.
process have demonstrated effectiveness in increasing the number of people who access
income and work supports.
The passage of Health Reform will increase access to insurance, which will in turn lead to
increased access to care. The expansion of Medicaid to nearly all people living below 133
percent of the Federal Poverty Guideline (about $15,000 for a single individual) will occur
in 2014 or sooner if states elect to expand coverage earlier.
Access to education is also a factor that can help decrease financial vulnerability and
the likelihood of homelessness later in life. Federal education programs help improve
access to education, such as the Education of Homeless Children and Youth program for
K-12 education, Federal Financial Aid opportunities for higher education, and coordina-
tion efforts with other federal education programs under the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act, the Office of Vocational and Adult Education, and Title I program of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act. State and local education liaisons, under the
Education of Homeless Children and Youth program, also promote coordination with
other federal programs that prevent homelessness and support homeless individuals or
families, such as through child welfare, housing, and health agencies.
Federal Leadership
Agriculture, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Devel-
opment, Labor, Veterans Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, and Social Security
Administration
Partners
State Governments, Counties, Local Workforce Centers, Homeless Crisis Response,
Housing and Service Agencies, and other Nonprofits
the
plan 42
Strategies
FY2010 Initiatives
SSA’s Compassionate Document, disseminate, and promote the use of best practices in expedited access to income
Allowance Initiative and work supports for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. This includes improved
quickly identifies outreach to homeless assistance providers and collaborations across government and with
individuals who are community nonprofits, online consolidated application processing, and electronic submission.
clearly disabled by the Consider lessons learned from the SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access and Recovery Initiative (SOAR),
nature of their condition. and the Homeless Outreach and Projects and Evaluation Initiative (HOPE).
This and other fast track
processes will benefit Review federal program policies, procedures, and regulations to identify administrative or
nearly a quarter million regulatory mechanisms that could be used to remove barriers and improve access to income
Americans each year. supports. Examples include:
SSA revised its policy  Work with key stakeholder groups to make progress toward recognizing the long-term
to allow youth aging
effects of addiction and alcoholism as a disabling condition, and removing impedi-
out of foster care to
ments for people with co-occurring disabling conditions to receive income support.
file for SSI 90 days prior
to attaining age 18.  Promote practices that make it easier for people to access proof of identification,
including birth certificates and other forms of ID.
Enhance public information, targeted communications, and a national toll-free homeless

call center to ensure that all Veterans and their families know they can obtain homelessness
prevention assistance from the VA or other places in their community.
Create clear pathways to greater financial independence. Collaborate to review program eli-
gibility and termination criteria across the range of programs which people experiencing or at
risk of homelessness may access. Identify changes that should be made to create incentives for
work, earning and retaining income while maintaining access to health coverage, housing assis-
tance, child care, etc. until a household is earning enough through employment to be financially
stable. Not long ago, a health concern could be devastating to individual and family financial
security. Health Reform that was recently enacted will help individuals and families keep quality,
affordable health insurance whether they lose their jobs, switch jobs, move, or get sick.
Prepare for Medicaid expansion to effectively enroll people who experience or are most
at risk of experiencing homelessness. Health Reform will increase Medicaid eligibility for
many more families and individuals experiencing homelessness by creating a more uniform
minimum eligibility threshold and allowing adults without dependent children to enroll. This
should include systems to reach out to, engage, and enroll newly eligible people in health care
insurance benefits.
the
plan 43
Improve Health and Stability
Objective 7
Integrate primary and behavioral health care services with homeless assistance programs
and housing to reduce people’s vulnerability to and the impacts of homelessness
Logic
There is strong evidence for housing integrated with health care as an effective and cost-
saving intervention for homeless and unstably housed persons with serious health prob-
There is a growing consensus
lems. These include people living with chronic disease and disabling conditions. The in-
among HIV/AIDS experts that
housing interventions are tegration of housing with services is increasingly identified as a way to address complex
among the most promising health care needs that overlap vulnerabilities associated with race and gender, extreme
structural HIV prevention poverty, HIV/AIDS, mental illness, chronic drug use, incarceration, and histories of expo-
interventions. Preventing sure to trauma and violence, as well as homelessness.
a new HIV infection in the
U.S. saves over $300,000 in For example, housing status has been identified as a key structural factor affecting access to
discounted lifetime medical
treatment and health behaviors among people living with HIV/AIDS. Research shows that
costs, and substantially
improves life expectancy. housing assistance is associated over time with reduced HIV risk behaviors and improved
health care outcomes, controlling for a wide range of individual characteristics (poverty,
(Purcell, D.W., 2009; Auerbach, 2009;
Gupta, 2008; Schackman, B., 2006) race/ethnicity, substance abuse, mental illness) and service use (primary care, case man-
agement, substance abuse, and mental health treatment) variables. Housing assistance
coupled with health care has been shown to decrease overall public expense and make
better use of limited public resources, such as use of emergency rooms and hospitals.
Health Reform will increase Medicaid eligibility for many more homeless individuals and
families by creating a more uniform minimum eligibility threshold and allowing adults
without dependent children to enroll.
Medical respite programs for persons without stable housing have been shown to be
a cost-effective alternative to longer term hospitalization or rehabilitation centers and
nursing homes. They result in improved health outcomes over directly discharging
patients to the streets or shelters.
Integration of behavioral health care with physical health care is another promising prac-
tice for people with complex needs. This is particularly true for persons with serious
mental illness, chronic alcoholism, and traumatic brain injuries.
The need for integrated services includes coordinating health care with social services
like case management, linkage to emergency financial resources, budgeting and financial
management, family services, as well as addressing legal needs. For example, homeless
youth may need crisis counseling, family reunification services, rent assistance, and land-
lord intervention.
Homelessness has a particularly traumatizing effect on children. Children experiencing

homelessness have poor health and often develop educational deficits as their schooling
is disrupted by frequent moves, setting them on a path to underachievement in school,
academic failure, and limited employment opportunities. Often prenatal, early childhood
development and other programs focused on children and youth are not readily
available to families experiencing homelessness, nor are they set up to handle these
the
plan 44
special needs. Increased access needs to be paired with expectations that federally-
funded programs will effectively meet the developmental needs of children who have
experienced homelessness. There is tremendous opportunity to integrate health care
with housing and educational services.
Federal Leadership
Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, and Veterans Affairs
Partners
State Health and Human Services Agencies, Counties, Homeless Crisis Response,
Housing and Service Agencies, and Health Care Providers
Strategies
Encourage partnerships between housing providers and health and behavioral health care
providers to co-locate or coordinate health, behavioral health, safety, and wellness services
with housing and create better resources for providers to connect patients to housing resources.
Build upon successful service delivery models to provide services in the homes of people who
have experienced homelessness, including Medicaid-funded Assertive Community Treatment
Teams for those with behavioral health needs.
Seek opportunities to establish and evaluate the effectiveness of a “medical home” model to
provide integrated care for medical and behavioral health, and to improve health and reduce
health care costs in communities with the largest number of people experiencing homelessness.
Seek opportunities to establish medical respite programs in communities with the largest
number of people experiencing homelessness to allow hospitals to discharge people experi-
encing homelessness with complex health needs to medical respite programs that will help
them transition to supportive housing.
Increase availability of behavioral health services, including community mental health

centers, to people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
Improve access to child and family services that improve early child development, educational
stability, youth development, and quality of life for families—including expectant families,
children, and youth experiencing or most at risk of homelessness.
Objective 8
Advance health and housing stability for youth aging out of systems such as foster care and
juvenile justice
Logic
Every year, 30,000 youth age out of foster care, and 20,000–25,000 age out of the juvenile
justice system.51 Most have limited options for housing, income, and family or other social
support. Many have witnessed domestic violence, been physically or sexually abused, and
have serious emotional and psychological problems. Consequently, they are at extremely
high risk for homelessness and are vulnerable to exploitation. Currently, there are limited
housing, service, and employment readiness resources assisting this population.
the
plan 45
Federal Leadership
Education, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development,
Justice, and Veterans Affairs
Partners
States Health and Human Services Agencies, Counties, Cities, and Homeless
Crisis Response, Housing and Service Agencies
Strategies
Improve discharge planning from foster care and juvenile justice to connect youth to
education (including plans to complete secondary education, if necessary, as well as to access
higher education), housing, health and behavioral health support, income supports, and health
coverage prior to discharge.
Review federal program policies, procedures, and regulations to identify administrative or

regulatory mechanisms that could be used to remove barriers and improve access to stable
health care, housing, and housing supports for youth.
Promote targeted outreach strategies to identify youth experiencing homelessness who are
most likely to end up in an emergency room, hospital, jail, or prison, and connect them to the
housing and support they need.
Sharayna Warmsley
“In all of my time suffering abuse and living on the
streets, I felt like there wasn’t a single adult who
cared about me.
“After being able to join advocacy groups and having
opportunities to share my experiences and ideas about
homelessness with government officials, I have felt
literally overwhelmed. I now see that a whole mass
of adults in my community and my government are
working to help youth like me, and that there are
adults who really care. I’m now motivated more than
ever to let other youth know, but I also want to stay
involved and see results come from this Plan.”
Used with permission of COHHIO
the
plan 46
Youth
To address the needs of youth who are at extreme risk of becoming homeless, USICH will
collaborate with the Interagency Working Group on Youth Programs (Working Group) to
provide technical assistance to youth-serving organizations and partnerships that work with
youth in transition, such as those aging out of foster care and the juvenile justice systems. The
Working Group is comprised of 12 federal departments and agencies that support programs
and services that focus on youth. The Working Group’s activities include promoting enhanced
collaboration, disseminating information about critical resources, producing a federal website,
and developing an overarching strategic plan for federal youth policy.
Specifically, USICH and the Working Group will jointly establish content for the federal inter-
agency website on youth, www.FindYouthInfo.gov, which will be utilized to provide technical
assistance and other information about youth homelessness, the needs of youth at risk of
homelessness, and federal resources available to support youth who are homeless or at risk of
becoming homeless. The Solutions Desk, www.solutionsdesk.ou.edu, another project of the
Working Group, will incorporate best practices for homelessness prevention, rapid re-housing,
and the provision of services for youth who are currently homeless.
Looking forward, USICH, with input from the Working Group, will draft a framework for a pilot
program to specifically address the housing and service needs of youth in transition to prevent
homelessness that could be proposed in coming fiscal years.
Objective 9
Advance health and housing stability for people experiencing homelessness who have fre-
quent contact with hospitals and criminal justice
Logic
People with serious mental illness who are homeless are often incarcerated when they
cannot get the care and treatment they need. People with mental illness experiencing
homelessness also frequently end up in the emergency room and hospitalized. These
are expensive interventions that do not improve long-term prospects for people with
mental illness who have no place to live. Effective targeted outreach, discharge plan-
ning, and specialized courts are proven to help keep people out of emergency rooms,
hospitals, and jails and to connect people to housing, support, or for those who need it,
supportive housing.
“Criminally punishing people Program initiatives at the Departments of Justice, VA, Health and Human Services,
and Labor are supporting and evaluating promising practices for facilitating successful
for living in public when they
community reintegration for people returning from jails, prisons, and juvenile justice
have no alternative violates
facilities. New programs authorized by the Second Chance Act are supporting state and
human rights norms, wastes local re-entry demonstration projects around the country. These programs and other
precious resources, and effective re-entry initiatives help to prevent and end homelessness.
ultimately does not work.”
People living on the streets, in cars, or staying in emergency shelters are often ticketed or
Maria Foscarinis
National Law Center on arrested for activities that may be necessary for survival on the streets. As a result, they
Homelessness and Poverty end up with a long list of violations that can become a barrier to employment or secur-
the
plan 47
ing an apartment. Local communities have adopted a range of ordinances in response to

citizen and business concerns about panhandling, loitering, and camping on public land.
Criminalizing acts of survival is not a solution to homelessness and results in unnecessary
public costs for police, courts, and jails. Development of alternative approaches should
meet both the public’s need for access to public streets, parks, and recreation areas and
the ability of people experiencing homelessness to meet basic needs.
Federal Leadership
Defense, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development,
Justice, Labor, Veterans Affairs, and Office of Management and Budget
Partners
States Health and Human Services Agencies, Counties, Cities,
Homeless Crisis Response, Housing and Service Agencies
Strategies
Improve discharge planning from hospitals, VA medical centers, psychiatric facilities, jails, and
prisons to connect people to housing, health and behavioral health support, income and work
supports, and health coverage prior to discharge.
Promote targeted outreach strategies to identify people experiencing homelessness who are
most likely to end up in an emergency room, hospital, jail, or prison, and connect them to the
housing and support they need.
Increase the number of jail diversion courts at the state and local levels that are linked to
housing and support including those specifically for Veterans, those experiencing homeless-
ness, or people with mental health issues or drug abuse problems.
Reduce criminalization of homelessness by defining constructive approaches to street home-

lessness and considering incentives to urge cities to adopt these practices.
the
plan 48
Retool the Homeless Crisis Response System
Objective 10
Transform homeless services to crisis response systems that prevent homelessness and
rapidly return people who experience homelessness to stable housing
Logic
HUD defines a Continuum of Care as “a community plan to organize and deliver housing
and services to meet the specific needs of people who are homeless as they move to
stable housing and maximize self-sufficiency. The four necessary parts of a continuum
are: 1) Outreach, intake, and assessment in order to identify service and housing needs
and provide a link to the appropriate level of both; 2) Emergency shelter to provide an
immediate and safe alternative to sleeping on the streets; 3) Transitional housing with
supportive services to allow for the development of skills that will be needed once per-
manently housed; and 4) Permanent housing and permanent supportive housing to pro-
vide individuals and families with an affordable place to live with services if needed.”52
In many communities across the country, this is a linear model where people experienc-
ing homelessness are expected to progress through the four levels of care. This linear
progression includes requirements to be admitted to the next level. For example, sobri-
ety is often required to be admitted to shelter and treatment compliance is expected for
admission to transitional housing.
In the last decade, many communities have adopted a Housing First approach that focus-
es on preventing homelessness and rapidly returning people who become homeless to
housing. In some communities, these practices are adopted at a program level but have
not changed the overall community system of care. In a growing number of communi-
ties, the framework is being adopted to create a system of care. Despite the documented
success of the new model over the traditional continuum of care model, implementation
varies markedly in each community. The creation of the temporary Homelessness Pre-
vention and Rapid Re-Housing Program (HPRP) at HUD through the American Recovery
and Reinvestment Act gave communities resources to begin retooling their homeless
crisis response systems. The HEARTH Act contains many provisions that local communi-
ties can use to support the evolution of their system of care to these successful models.
“The primary purpose of Temporary residential programs (shelters, transitional housing, VA grant and per diem
a prevention and rapid programs, VA domiciliary, adult rehab centers, etc.) are an integral part of the crisis
re-housing system is that
response system. They must be efficient and effective in helping people experienc-
ing homelessness successfully and quickly achieve the outcome of long-term housing.
it places the housing
Strong collaboration with mainstream programs and services as well as programming to
end-game squarely at the create a pathway to permanent housing is critical. These temporary residential programs
center of the purpose of our also need to be readily accessible to unaccompanied youth and families of all configura-
homelessness assistance tions and reduce barriers to admission. For example, in some communities families are
system….But success will separated when they have a teenage boy or are a two-parent family. Many institutions
also require a new multi- lack cultural competence to address the needs of non-English speaking clients as well as
unaccompanied gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender youth, with the latter reporting
agency commitment.”
that identity-based discrimination and violence often deters them from accessing pro-
Dennis Culhane
University of Pennsylvania grams. In some places, there are no accessible shelters or transitional housing programs.
the
plan 49
Some programs only work with people who have achieved sobriety, receive treatment
HPRP is allowing
for mental illness, and who comply with a set of service requirements.
communities to create or
expand Rapid Re-Housing Street outreach programs provide crisis response services to youth and adults who are
efforts, transforming how
staying on the streets, in abandoned buildings, and other places not intended for human
they respond to family
habitation. In some communities, outreach providers have developed collaborative ap-
homelessness. With
new HPRP and other
proaches that identify the most vulnerable people to engage and connect them to hous-
Recovery Act funds, The ing. These approaches have made significant reductions in street homelessness when
Road Home in Salt Lake tied to an increase in supportive housing capacity.
City, Utah, for example, is
offering Rapid Re-Housing
Transitional housing represents a significant part of the crisis response portfolio, includ-
to many of the families ing transitional housing targeted at Veterans, victims of domestic violence, and youth.
experiencing homelessness Some communities are retooling this resource to include models that allow people to
in their community. The transition in place, that is, to move into permanent housing and have transitional sup-
program, which saw a ports that end when someone has connected to mainstream community supports.
sharp increase in family
homelessness throughout Children experiencing homelessness are often identified through the schools. The Depart-
the recession, helped 200 ment of Education school liaisons are able to coordinate specialized services, including
families rapidly return transportation, to help children be more successful in the school setting. They also can be
to housing in the first six an important link to other community services that help the family achieve housing stabil-
months of operation. The ity. Stronger collaboration with other mainstream and homeless crisis response services
expansion of Rapid Re- would be beneficial to children and their families.
Housing has allowed
the program to meet Federal Leadership
the increased demand Agriculture, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban
for assistance without Development, Justice, Labor, Veterans Affairs, and Office of Faith-based and Community
expanding their shelter Initiatives
capacity or turning families
away. By connecting Partners
families quickly with States, Counties, Cities, Communities of Faith, Health and Human Services Agencies,
income and employment School Districts, and Homeless Crisis Response, Housing and Service Agencies
support provided by the
local TANF agency, the
program is also helping Strategies
to shore up the supports
the families will require
Develop and promote best practices for crisis response programs and increase their adoption
after they are housed.
by agencies receiving federal funds. This may include:
(NAEH, 2010)
 Promote collaborative street outreach efforts that help people living on the streets
directly access housing
 Promote collaborative outreach and prevention strategies that target areas with high
eviction rates
 Improve access to crisis programs by simplifying entry requirements that promote
low barriers to entry
 Encourage existing temporary residential programs to transform or set aside beds
that would support a safe haven model
 Encourage communities to transform transitional housing programs to permanent
supportive housing or transition-in-place models where appropriate
the
plan 50
 Address barriers to successful re-housing, such as fear of violence and criminal justice
history
 Promote collaboration between local school districts and crisis programs
 Ensure accessibility for people with disabilities
Determine opportunities to utilize mainstream resources to provide housing stabilization

assistance to clients who are homeless or at high risk of homelessness.
Develop implementation strategies for the HEARTH Act—especially the new Emergency So-
lutions Grant—that sustain best practices learned from the Homelessness Prevention and
Rapid Re-Housing Program and the Rapid Re-Housing Demonstration.
Ensure continuity in the provision of homeless prevention and rapid re-housing services to
families, youth, and individuals—including Veterans and their families—through HUD’s Home-
lessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program.
Ensure that homelessness prevention and rapid re-housing strategies are coordinated with
Education for Homeless Children and Youth, and incorporated within federal place-based
strategies to improve neighborhoods and schools, including Promise Neighborhoods and
Choice Neighborhoods.
the
plan 51
The Steps: Framework for Action

Accountability and transparency are two of the Administration’s priorities in developing good
government practices. This section describes the impact that this Plan aspires to achieve in
preventing and ending homelessness. The Council will use measurement tools and provide the
public with reports that monitor the progress toward the goals of the Plan and the contribu-
tions of the 19 USICH agencies. This section also summarizes federal initiatives under way that
align with the Plan.
The Council has set targets to which the country should aspire. By setting bold targets, the Plan
will catalyze efforts to prevent and end homelessness in America. The Plan calls for an align-
ment of federal, state, local, and private resources with four key goals:
 Finish the job of ending chronic homelessness in five years
 Prevent and end homelessness among Veterans in five years
 Prevent and end homelessness for families, youth, and children in ten years
The Council believes it is important to set goals, even if aspirational, for true progress to be
made. Working together, we can harness public and private resources—consistent with prin-
ciples of fiscal discipline—to finish the effort started by mayors, governors, legislatures, non-
profits, faith-based and community organizations, and business leaders across our country to
end homelessness. The Federal Strategic Plan provides a clear path to get there.
Impact
Reductions in the number of Americans experiencing homelessness are the ultimate measure
of this Plan’s success. “Ending homelessness” requires improved systems and programs at all
levels. This Plan calls for a fundamental shift in how the federal government and communi-
ties across the country respond to homelessness. To prevent and end homelessness, targeted
programs must be fully integrated with mainstream programs that provide housing, health,
education, and human services. This Plan urges agencies that operate relevant mainstream
programs to consider the role of housing stability for people experiencing or at risk of home-
lessness. If someone does experience homelessness, well-orchestrated systems should be in
place to rapidly return him or her to housing. People experiencing homelessness should have
access to affordable housing, access to treatment, and the vocational support they need to
remain in housing.
Achieving targeted reductions in homelessness requires a collective effort focused on solu-

tions. This Plan is a call for collective action. No level of government can or should do this
alone. Success will require the collaboration and organization of federal, state, tribal, and local
governments to execute these strategies effectively. Implementation requires leadership at all
levels and partnerships between the public and the private sector, building on effective part-
nerships where they exist, and forging new partnerships where they are needed.
the
steps: accountability and implementation 52
Context
The Plan addresses each facet of policy that is related to homelessness with an intergovern-
mental approach. The Plan adopts a comprehensive approach in its goals and strategies in
relation to the multiple variables involved in causing homelessness, which vary by population
and geography. However, the convergence of economic, political, and policy factors that are
out of the Council’s purview can significantly impact the roadmap presented in this Plan. The
decline and rise in homelessness will vary as the result of actions that are more within our col-
lective control, as well as factors well beyond our control. For example, homelessness among
families had been increasing due to foreclosures and the recession, but may now be on a slight
downward trend, possibly related to more positive economic indicators.
In 2010, we find ourselves at a critical economic moment. The recession has given rise to the
number of individuals and families who have fallen victim to homelessness. Global economic
uncertainties are intertwined with shrinking local and state budgets. Officials are faced with
the daily challenge of revenue shortfalls that affect the provision of services to prevent and
end homelessness. Everyone is affected in one way or another because of the economy.
We are at a critical policy moment. We have reasons to believe that the alignment of programs
across agencies can ‘move the needle’ toward reductions in homelessness. Policy makers at
the federal, state, tribal, and local levels make policy decisions that can alter the impact of
strategies set forth in this Plan. The Recovery Act’s Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-
Housing Program has, in short order, fundamentally changed the way communities provide
services to people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, thereby slowing the
increase of homelessness among families. The passage of Health Reform will dramatically
bolster our efforts to prevent and end homelessness in ways that are difficult to quantify.
Health Reform will provide new service portals and more sophisticated methods of targeting
uninsured individuals with chronic illness as well as children, youth, and adults experiencing
homelessness. The most significant impact of Health Reform for people experiencing
homelessness will come in 2014, when more adults—including those without dependent
children—will be able to enroll in Medicaid, boosting other efforts to push us closer to these
ambitious goals.
We are also at a critical political moment in our efforts to end homelessness. Momentum at
the local level is extraordinary and growing. During the development of the Plan, we heard a
clarion call from all stakeholders for further federal leadership and partnership. Bi-partisan
support in Congress for ending homelessness is stronger than ever. Republicans and Demo-
crats have collaborated for years to reduce homelessness. It is due to this bi-partisan work
that the HEARTH Act was passed in May 2009. In 2002, efforts were begun to end chronic
homelessness in 10 years and a great deal of progress has been made. Now is the time to end
homelessness across all populations including families, youth, children, and Veterans.
the
Measures
Three population-specific measures will mark progress toward the first three goals of the Plan:
 Annual changes in the number of individuals experiencing chronic homelessness
 Annual changes in the number of Veterans experiencing homelessness
 Annual changes in the number of families with children experiencing homelessness
As a top line measure for the Plan, USICH will use the HUD Annual Homeless Assessment Re-
port to Congress (AHAR) point-in-time measures. The HUD AHAR data is the most consistent
and reliable national measure of homelessness covering all three population groups, thereby
providing direct comparisons. The point-in-time count shows how many people experience
homelessness, including people who are unsheltered and those who are served in emergency
shelter and transitional housing. The HUD annualized counts of homelessness do not include
unsheltered persons. The HUD AHAR measures are not inclusive of all people experiencing
homelessness served by other federal targeted programs. A reduction in the sheltered and
unsheltered population will likely signify reductions in homelessness overall. A discussion of
these data sets and definitions can be found in the “Sources of Data” section on page 11.
USICH is committed to monitoring multiple measures of people experiencing homelessness

including Department of Education data on homeless school-age children and data from the
VA on homeless Veterans. Broader economic indicators around poverty and the gap between
housing costs, incomes, and available affordable housing will be tracked in order to under-
stand the larger societal and economic factors that will impact rates of homelessness.
Implementation will include consideration of measures of performance across many of the

Plan’s strategies. This will be critical for determining the Plan’s effectiveness. At this stage,
existing measurement tools are available for two critical strategies:
 Increase in the number of permanent supportive housing units
 Increase in employment and participation in mainstream assistance programs among
those exiting homeless assistance programs
HUD collects data on the number of permanent supportive housing units in the U.S. through
its Homeless Assistance Grants Continuum of Care process. This includes a report from each
community on permanent supportive housing projects and units. This information allows HUD
to track the number of new permanent supportive housing units that come online each year, as
well as to track new units that are “in the pipeline,” that is, currently under development. The
data collected is increasingly reliable, allowing for a measure of new units.
There is no national data set that records access to employment or to mainstream assistance
programs for all people experiencing homelessness. HUD operates the largest federal pro-
grams targeted at homelessness. Its grantees submit Annual Progress Reports. HUD has in-
formation on the percentage of people who are employed or with specific income supports
entering and exiting programs funded through its Homeless Assistance Grants. This cohort is
a subset of everyone experiencing homelessness who is being helped by targeted and main-
stream interventions. It is a good measure to monitor progress on employment and access to
assistance for people who have experienced homelessness.
the
In addition to employment rates, USICH will monitor participation in four major federal as-
sistance programs: Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Supplemental Se-
curity Income and Social Security Disability Insurance, and Temporary Assistance for Needy
Families. The measure will be the percentage of people exiting these HUD programs with each
type of assistance or with income from employment. This is a measure at the time a person
exits a program, not the level of employment or access to assistance while being served by
these programs. This is the best available national measure related to homelessness and ac-
cess to assistance.
With passage of landmark Health Reform, access to Medicaid increases significantly, and most
people experiencing homelessness will become eligible beginning in 2014.
Implementation
This Plan articulates the objectives and strategies needed to make significant progress in pre-
venting and ending homelessness during the period that began with the current federal fis-
cal year, FY2010, through FY2014. Activities undertaken by the Administration and activities
proposed in the Administration’s FY2011 Budget are included in the Plan. Some strategies will
be quickly executed while others may require more significant policy work, thus necessitating
more time before implementation begins and results are realized. The impact of some Plan
activities, including the implementation of Health Reform, will take several years to yield mea-
surable results.
USICH will provide federal leadership to realize the goals of the Plan. The table on the follow-
ing page summarizes the involvement of Council Agencies in the Plan’s ten objectives. State,
tribal, and local governments, as well as the private sector, have a major role to play if we are
to achieve all objectives.
The objectives and strategies all require improved collaboration—within and across the differ-
ent levels of government, and between the private and public sectors—to make both targeted
and mainstream programs across disciplines work more effectively and efficiently for people
experiencing or most at risk of homelessness (a table of FY2010 targeted federal programs can
be found on page 57).
The federal government is committed to helping states and local communities identify the
most promising practices, support replication of demonstration efforts to confirm their prom-
ise if needed, and promote knowledge and adoption of proven practices.
the
USICH MEMBER INVOLVEMENT IN PLAN

OBJECTIVES 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Advance Advance
Provide Health and Health and Transform
Promote Strengthen Provide Permanent Reduce Integrate Housing Housing Crisis
Collaborative Capacity and Affordable Supportive Increase Financial Health Care Stability for Stability for Response
USICH MEMBERS Leadership Knowledge Housing Housing Employment Vulnerability with Housing Youth Adults Systems
Department
of Agriculture • • • • • •
Department of
Commerce • •
Department of Defense • •
Department of
Education • • • •
Department of Energy • •
Department of Health
and Human Services • • • • • • • • •
Department
of Homeland Security • • • •
Dept. of Housing
and Urban Development • • • • • • • • • •
Department of Interior • •
Department of Justice • • • • • •
Department of Labor • • • • • • • •
Department of
Transportation • •
Department of
Veterans Affairs • • • • • • • • • •
Corp. for National and
Community Service • •
General Services
Administration • • •
Office of Management
and Budget • • • • • • •
Social Security
Administration • • • •
U.S. Postal Service •

White House Office
of Faith-based and • • •
Community Initiatives
the
TARGETED HOMELESS PROGRAMS IN FY2010

EDUCATION Education for Homeless Children and Youth Grants
for State and Local Activities
GSA with HHS and HUD Federal Surplus Real Property Program
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Grants for the Benefit of Homeless Individuals (Treatment for Homeless Program)
Health Care for the Homeless Program
Programs for Runaway and Homeless Youth
Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness
Services in Supportive Housing Grants
HOMELAND SECURITY Emergency Food and Shelter Program
HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT Emergency Shelter Grant

Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program
HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH)
Section 8 Single Room Occupancy for Individuals
Shelter Plus Care
Supportive Housing Program
JUSTICE Transitional Housing Assistance Grants for Victims of Sexual Assault,

Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, and Stalking Program
LABOR Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program
VETERANS AFFAIRS Domiciliary Care for Homeless Veterans Program

Grant and Per Diem Program
Health Care for Homeless Veterans Program
Homeless Veterans Dental Program
HUD-VASH
Supportive Services for Low-Income Veterans and Families
Veteran Justice Outreach Initiative
Cross-cutting Initiatives
The following list is illustrative, but not comprehensive, of activities under way or proposed for
FY2011 that will help prevent, reduce, and end homelessness.
The Affordable Care Act will further the Plan’s goals by helping numerous families and
individuals experiencing homelessness to get the health care they need. Medicaid will be
expanded to nearly all individuals under the age of 65 with incomes up to 133 percent of the
federal poverty level (currently about $15,000 for a single individual). This significant expansion
will allow more adults, including those without dependent children, to enroll in Medicaid in
2014 or before. In addition, Health Reform will support demonstrations to improve the ability
of psychiatric facilities to provide emergency services. It will also expand the availability of
medical homes for individuals with chronic conditions, including severe and persistent mental
illness. Expansion of Community Health Centers is another significant change that will serve
many vulnerable populations, including those who are homeless or at risk of being homeless.
the
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 provided funding for many programs
that are helping people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
 The new Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program provides financial
and other assistance to prevent individuals and families from becoming homeless and
help those who are experiencing homelessness to be quickly re-housed and stabilized.
 Investments are being made through the Department of Energy’s Weatherization
Program to improve the energy efficiency of single- and multi-family residences and
to reduce the utility costs of lower income families.
 Funds have been made available through the Emergency Food and Shelter Program to
respond to increases in emergency services and homeless assistance by maintaining
food, shelter, rent, mortgage, and utility assistance programs for people with non-
disaster-related emergencies.
 The McKinney-Vento Education for Homeless Children and Youth program received
additional resources to assist states and local educational agencies in addressing the
educational and related needs of homeless children and youth, alongside investments
in child care and Head Start.
 An increase to the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage has been an effective way
to help states maintain their Medicaid programs during a period of high enrollment
growth and reduced state revenue.
 The Recovery Act also provides immediate and ongoing state fiscal relief, as well as in-
vestments in health care for Veterans and people in the military, in Community Health
Centers, and on Indian Reservations.
 The Recovery Act increased funding for the Department of Justice Transitional Housing
Program for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.
 In addition, there have been extensions of unemployment benefits and increases in
food support, job training, and temporary TANF investments.
The Administration’s FY2011 Budget includes an 11.5 percent increase for targeted homeless
programs. This includes significant increases for Veterans and for HUD homeless assistance
programs, as well as for targeted programs in other agencies.
The Budget includes two initiatives that would promote further collaboration among federal
agencies to align resources to reduce homelessness. In one, HHS and HUD would combine
4,000 Housing Choice Vouchers administered by local public housing agencies with health,
behavioral health, and wrap-around services to move and maintain individuals experiencing
chronic homelessness with mental health and substance use disorders into permanent sup-
portive housing. Another collaboration among HHS, HUD, and Education would make 6,000
vouchers available for families experiencing homelessness along with other supports these
families will need to stabilize their housing situation, improve personal safety, foster healthy
child development and education, and prepare for, find, and retain employment.
This Administration is modeling collaboration in several initiatives related to preventing and

ending homelessness.
the
 HUD and the VA are working together to implement FY2008, FY2009, and FY2010
appropriations for 30,000 HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) vouchers
for Veterans who are homeless. HUD-VASH provides a critical resource that combines
housing, health care, and services to support Veterans and their families in housing,
recovery, and employment. By the end of FY2010, HUD, VA, and the Department of
Labor will also be implementing a $15 million, five-site demonstration project focused
on prevention services. The pilot will target at-risk Veterans and their families con-
necting them to mainstream supportive services and fiscal resources to assist them in
sustaining housing, treatment, and vocational rehabilitation services.
 In FY2010, the Secretaries of HHS and HUD initiated a collaboration to better integrate
the nation’s housing, health, and human services delivery systems. The goal of the
collaboration is to identify concrete opportunities in three related areas: homeless-
ness, community living, and livable homes and communities. In addition, the collabo-
ration is also working on increasing access to mainstream programs for those who
are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless and partnering with the Department of
Education to improve supports for youth and children experiencing homelessness.
The Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act created three new programs at the Corporation
for National and Community Service. The Volunteer Generation Fund, the Nonprofit Capacity
Building Program, and the Learn and Serve America Youth Engagement Zone are designed to
increase the number of people who serve in meaningful roles as volunteers and increase the
capacity of smaller nonprofits dedicated to addressing important needs in communities across
America. This may result in an increase in the number of people volunteering in organizations
that play a part in preventing and ending homelessness, and may help to build the capacity of
nonprofits in this field.
Other Key Initiatives
What follows is a review of the efforts under way or under consideration over and above the
cross-cutting initiatives described above. This summary is organized by the themes of the Plan
objectives.
In order to increase leadership, collaboration, and civic engagement, the Plan focuses on
providing and promoting collaborative leadership at all levels of government and across all
sectors and strengthening the capacity of public and private organizations by increasing
knowledge about collaboration, homelessness, and successful interventions to prevent and
end homelessness. The historic levels of federal collaboration involved in developing this Plan
along with commitments to work collaboratively in its implementation have set the stage
for federal leadership and partnership to realize these ambitious goals. Each state and each
community must determine its next steps to improve collaboration.
This Plan was also informed by best practices and serves as a roadmap not just for the
federal government, but for local communities to employ best practices in preventing and
ending homelessness. While there is much work to be done educating the public, improving
collaborative efforts, translating research into actionable best practices, and refining best
practices for special populations, there is much from which to build.
the
In order to increase access to stable and affordable housing, the Plan’s objectives focus on
providing affordable housing and permanent supportive housing. Several specific federal ef-
forts are under way through the Recovery Act or are proposed in the President’s FY2011 Budget:
 Housing Choice Voucher funding to help more than two million extremely low- to low-
income families with rental assistance.
 Funding for the Project-Based Rental Assistance program to preserve over one million
affordable rental units to help extremely low- to low-income households.
 Additional Neighborhood Stabilization Program funding.
 The 2005 Base Realignment and Closure process offers an opportunity for affected
communities to plan for the reuse of former Department of Defense military installa-
tions, and in doing so accommodate the needs of those experiencing homelessness.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development reviews community plans to
assure the planning process and ultimate decisions are done in accordance with the
requirements of the Base Community Redevelopment and Homeless Assistance Act
of 1994. Former military installations can be a source of real property to be used to
provide homeless assistance.
Significant work is needed to make affordable housing available to everyone who most needs
it, including changes to mainstream programs that would increase access for people experienc-
ing homelessness. HUD is assessing how its mainstream programs can better prevent and end
homelessness.
Over the last decade, work focused on chronic homelessness has led to a pipeline of support-
ive housing projects and funding to develop additional units. The HEARTH Act expands the
definition of chronic homelessness to include families with children. This will support the Plan’s
call for supportive housing for families as well as single adults who need it most.
In order to increase economic security, the Plan’s objectives focus on increasing meaningful
and sustainable employment and improving access to mainstream programs and services to
reduce people’s financial vulnerability to homelessness. This is an area where improvements in
the economy as a whole will help people experiencing homelessness find jobs, and help others
avoid homelessness. Specific federal initiatives that are underway include:
 Planning for a successful expansion of Medicaid under Health Reform.
 The Compassionate Allowances Initiative allows SSA to quickly identify individuals
who are clearly disabled by the nature of their disease or condition.
 The Departments of Health and Human Services and Veterans Affairs are working
with the American Bar Association to address child support issues of homeless Veter-
ans that impede housing, employment, credit restoration, and family reengagement.
 The Department of Labor is implementing a special Homeless Women Veterans Rein-
tegration Program Pilot to provide employment services to women Veterans experi-
encing homelessness.
 The Department of Education is implementing a simplified Free Application for Feder-
al Student Aid to assist students who are homeless or in foster care apply for financial
assistance for college.
the
In order to improve health and stability, the Plan’s objectives focus on integrating primary and
behavioral health care services with homeless assistance programs and housing, advancing
health and housing stability for youth aging out of systems such as foster care and juvenile
justice along with people who have frequent contact with hospitals and criminal justice. There
are several new initiatives and proposals on the federal front, over and above the significant
impact of Health Reform discussed above:
 The President’s FY2011 Budget expands substance abuse prevention and treatment
services, treatment capacity at drug courts, and invests in re-entry programs, all part
of funding for the Departments of Health and Human Services and Justice to reduce
the nation’s demand for drugs.
 The President’s FY2011 Budget provides critical support for young children and their
families by building on historic increases provided in the Recovery Act, including Head
Start, Early Head Start, and the Child Care and Development Fund.
 In January 2010, the Social Security Administration revised its policy to allow youth
aging out of foster care to file for Supplemental Security Income 90 days before turn-
ing 18. Prior to this policy change, youth aging out of foster care could only file 30 days
prior to their 18th birthday.
 The Department of Veterans Affairs has expanded its substance abuse and mental
health staff to provide more community-based services to Veterans experiencing or
at risk of homelessness.
 Additionally, the VA has added staffing to coordinate with Veterans who have been
incarcerated to transition back into society and have added staff to work with court
diversion programs to see that Veterans get their health care needs addressed to
prevent future incarceration.
 The Department of Labor in conjunction with the VA is implementing a program to
assist incarcerated or formerly incarcerated Veterans who are at risk of homelessness
to re-train in order to re-enter the workforce.
 To address the problem of criminalization of homelessness, USICH will convene a task
force in 2010.
In order to retool the homeless crisis response system, the Plan’s objectives focus on trans-
forming homeless services.
 Implementation of the HEARTH Act will provide leadership toward this objective.
Enacted in May 2009 to transform the federal response to homelessness, the HEARTH
Act streamlined three current HUD homeless programs (Supportive Housing, Shelter
Plus Care, and Moderate Rehabilitation/Single Room Occupancy Program) into
one, placed greater emphasis on homelessness prevention, and provided increased
funding authority for grant renewals and new project funding, with an emphasis on
permanent housing.
 In March 2010, the VA rolled out a 24/7 hotline for homeless Veterans seeking hous-
ing and services across the United States.
the
The President’s FY2011 Budget supports the key priorities reflected in the HEARTH Act, includ-
ing the Emergency Solutions Grant, about 10,000 new units of permanent supportive housing,
and a newly authorized competitive rural program.
Local communities across the country must work together to assess needed transformations
in both collaboration and practice in order to realize this objective.
This is a multi-year effort due to the breadth of the objectives and strategies. As such, it is
important to continually assess what is working and what is not, as well as to collect data about
impacts and where actions fall short of intended outcomes. Strategies and implementation
plans must adapt to what is learned in future years. This is a long-term commitment and must
be dynamic and timely, with a relentless focus on results.
Next Steps
USICH is immediately turning from the development of this Plan to action. We are gathering
baseline data around the key measures. We are working with member agencies to prioritize
which strategies demand action first, and together we will translate this strategic plan into
implementation plans.
USICH will publish an annual report card on progress towards Plan goals and targets, and prog-
ress in implementing strategies at the federal level and across the country.
There will also be an annual update to the Plan that will consider what has changed in the
environment, successes, unexpected opportunities and barriers, and new research and infor-
mation. Public input will be garnered. This will allow USICH and others at all levels to make
adjustments as needed.
USICH’s annual report to Congress enumerates people served by federal programs assisting
those experiencing homelessness. The report also notes impediments to people accessing
these programs and efforts made to increase access. The report covers activities and accom-
plishments across all USICH agencies, as well as accomplishments by the Council.
There will be evaluations of the Signature Initiatives targeting Veterans, families with children,
youth, and chronic homelessness. These evaluations will look at both improvements for peo-
ple served by these initiatives and how agencies collaborate to facilitate those improvements.
USICH is committed to accountability and transparency and will share information as it is avail-
able on its website: www.usich.gov.
the
Conclusion
Over the last 30 years, the number of people experiencing homelessness in America has steadily
increased. More children and youth than ever do not have a safe and stable place to call home.
As Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric K. Shinseki has said, “Those who have served this nation as
Veterans should never find themselves on the streets, living without care and without hope.”
Nearly two million service men and women have served in Afghanistan and Iraq; they deserve
the top quality care they were promised and the benefits that they have earned.
Simultaneously, while homelessness has grown, our knowledge about what can be done to
prevent and end homelessness has also increased. As the first ever comprehensive Federal
Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness, Opening Doors is a roadmap for what we
must all do to change the landscape of homelessness in America.
Each of the 19 USICH member agencies is making a strong commitment to the goal of preventing
and ending homelessness by agreeing to these goals and strategies and establishing targets
and performance measures. We understand action involving unprecedented collaboration
must be taken. No one should experience homelessness—no one should be without a safe,
stable place to call home.
the
References for Margin Notes and Charts

Page
44 Auerbach, J. (2009). Transforming social structures and environments to help in HIV prevention, Health Affairs, 28(6): 1655-
1665.
15 (top) Barber, C.C., Fonagy, P., Fultz, J., Simulinas, M., & Yates, M. (2005). Homeless near a thousand homes: Outcomes of homeless
youth in a crisis shelter. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 75, 347-355.
14 (top) Carlson, D., Reder, S., Jones, N., & Lee, A. (2006). Homeless Student Transportation Project Evaluation. Washington State
Department of Transportation. Retrieved April 19, 2010 at http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/research/reports/fullreports/665.1.pdf
20 (middle) Cunningham, M., Henry, M., & Lyons, W. (2007, November). Vital Mission: Ending Homelessness Among Veterans.
Washington, DC: National Alliance to End Homelessness, Homelessness Research Institute.
18 (top) Downtown Emergency Service Center. (2008, January 10). 1811 Eastlake: First-Year Preliminary Findings. Retrieved April 19,
2010 at http://www.desc.org/documents/1811_First_Year_Preliminary_Findings.pdf
15 (bottom) Eastwood, E.A. & Birnbaum, J.M. (2007). Physical and sexual abuse and unstable housing among adolescents with HIV. AIDS
and Behavior, Vol. 11, Supplement 2: S116-S127.
18 Flaming, D., Burns, P., & Matsunaga, M. (2009). Where We Sleep: Costs When Homeless and Housed in Los Angeles. Los
Angeles: Economic Roundtable.
21 Ghose, T. (2009). Recent findings from the Veterans Aging Cohort Study (VACS). Presentation by Toorjo Ghose, University of
Pennsylvania School of Social Policy & Practice, at the North American Housing and HIV/AIDS Research Summit, Washington,
DC.
21 Gordon, A.J., McGinnis, K.A., Conigliaro, J., Rodriguez-Barradas, M.C., Rabenack, L., & Justice, A.C., VACS-3 Project Team.
(2007). Associations between alcohol use and homelessness with healthcare utilization among human immunodeficiency
virus-infected Veterans. Medical Care, 44(8)/ Supp 2: S37-43.
44 Gupta, G.R., Parkhurst, J.O., Ogden, J.A., Aggleton, P., & Mahal, A. (2008). Structural approaches to HIV prevention. Lancet,
372(9640): 764-775.
18 (top)
18 (bottom) Hirsch, E. & Glasser, I. (2007, August 1). Rhode Island’s Housing First Program First Year Evaluation. Retrieved April 19, 2010
at http://www.uwri.org/work/documents/Housing_First_RI_Report_Full.pdf
18 Justice Policy Institute. (2007, November 1). Housing and Public Safety fact sheet. Retrieved April 19, 2010 at http://www.
justicepolicy.org/images/upload/07-11_REP_HousingPublicSafety_AC-PS.pdf
18 The Lewin Group. (2004, November 19). Costs of Serving Homeless Individuals in Nine Cities. Chart Book. Prepared for the
Corporation for Supportive Housing. Retrieved April 19, 2010 at http://www.rwjf.org/files/newsroom/cshLewinPdf.pdf
17 (top) Mares, A. & Rosenheck, R. (2010, April). Twelve Month Client Outcomes and Service Use in a Multisite Project for Chronically
Homeless Adults. Journal of Behavioral Health Services & Research, Vol. 37, No. 2.
18 (top)
18 (bottom) Massachusetts Housing and Shelter Alliance. (2008, December). Home & Healthy for Good: A Statewide Pilot Housing First
Program Progress Report. Retrieved April 19, 2010 at http://www.mhsa.net/matriarch/documents/December_2008_HHG_
Final_Report.pdf
5, 18 (top) Mondello, M., Gass, A., McLaughlin, T., & Shore, N. (2007, September). Cost of Homelessness: Cost Analysis of Permanent
Supportive Housing, State of Maine—Greater Portland. Corporation for Supportive Housing, MaineHousing, and Maine
Department of Health and Human Services.
5, 18 (top)
18 (bottom) Moore, T. (2006, June). Estimated Cost Savings Following Enrollment in the Community Engagement Program: Findings
from a Pilot Study of Homeless Dually Diagnosed Adults. Portland, OR: Central City Concern.
30 (bottom) National Alliance to End Homelessness. (2008, January 29). Community Snapshot: Chicago. Retrieved April 19, 2010 at
http://www.endhomelessness.org/content/article/detail/1876/
50 National Alliance to End Homelessness. (2010, May). Ending Family Homelessness: Lessons from Communities, forthcoming.
13 (top) National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty. (no date). Program: Domestic Violence. Retrieved April 19, 2010 at
http://www.nlchp.org/program.cfm?prog=3
10 Pelletiere, D. (2009, November 30). Preliminary Assessment of American Community Survey Data Shows Housing Affordability
Gap Worsened for Lowest Income Households from 2007 to 2008. Research Note #09-01. Washington, DC: National Low
Income Housing Coalition. The numbers shown in this figure reflect the absolute shortage or surplus of units for households
in each income group. These figures do not take into account the fact that all units with low rents are not available to those
who need them. This is primarily because many lower cost units are occupied by households in a higher income category.
Subtracting the households who currently live in a home that is affordable at or below their income category threshold and
the available vacant rental stock affordable at or below this threshold from the total demand gives a more realistic picture
of the availability of affordable housing. For ELI households the absolute shortage of units is 5,288,462 (greater than the
number shown in the figure) and for VLI households the absolute surplus is 313,692 (smaller than the number shown in the
figure). For low income households the absolute surplus is 2,948,505 (smaller than the number shown in the figure).
reference
and supplementary material 64
Page
18 (top)
18 (bottom) Perlman, J., & Parvensky, J. (2006, December 11). Denver Housing First Collaborative Cost Benefit Analysis and Program
Outcomes Report. Denver: Colorado Coalition for the Homeless.
44 Purcell, D.W. & McCree, D.H. (2009). Recommendations from a research consultation to address intervention strategies for
HIV/AIDS prevention focused on African Americans. American Journal of Public Health, 99(11): 1937-1940.
20 (bottom) Rosenheck, R. & Seibyl, C.L. (1998). Homelessness: Health Service Use and Related Costs. Medical Care, Vol. 36, No. 8.
17 (bottom) Salit, S.A., Kuhn, E.M., Hartz, A.J., Vu, J.M., & Mosso, A.L. (1998). Hospitalization costs associated with homelessness in New
York City. The New England Journal of Medicine, 338 (24):1734–1740.
44 Schackman, B., et al. (2006). The lifetime cost of current human immunodeficiency virus care in the United States. Medical
Care, 44(11): 990-7.
23 Spellman, B., Khadduri, J., Leopold, J., & Abt Associates, Inc. (2010, March). Costs Associated with First-Time Homelessness
for Families and Individuals. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
14 (bottom) U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Children’s Bureau. (1997). National Study of Protective, Preventive and
Reunification Services to Children and their Families Final Report. Washington, DC.
40, 41 U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Community Planning and Development. (2010). Annual
Performance Report data for 2009.
12 (top),
12 (bottom) U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Community Planning and Development. (2010). 2009
Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR), forthcoming.
17 (middle) U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Program Development and Research. (2007, July). The Applicability
of Housing First Models to Homeless Persons with Serious Mental Illness. Washington, DC.
16 Wagner, L.S., Carlin, L., Cauce, A.M., & Tenner, A. (2001, June). A snapshot of homeless youth in Seattle: Their characteristics,
behaviors, and beliefs about HIV protective strategies. Journal of Community Health, 26(3), 219-232.
36 Wardrip, K., Pelletiere, D., & Crowley, S. (2009, April). Out of Reach 2009. Washington, DC: National Low Income Housing
Coalition.
35 Wilder Research. (2007, November). Homeless and Near-Homeless People on Northern Minnesota Indian Reservations:
2006 Study. Retrieved April 19, 2010 at http://www.wilder.org/download.0.html?report=2018
reference
Endnotes
1. Data from the 2008 Annual Assessment Report to Congress (AHAR) and data provided by HUD for forthcoming 2009 AHAR report in-
dicate a significant increase in family homelessness from 2008 to 2009—an increase of 18,723 persons in families or 4%. The increase
from 2007 to 2009 is even greater—62,000 persons in families or a 13% increase over the 2-year period. U.S. Department of Housing
and Urban Development, Office of Community Planning and Development. (2009, July). The 2008 Annual Homeless Assessment Report
to Congress (AHAR). Washington, DC; U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Community Planning and Develop-
ment. (2010). 2009 Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR), forthcoming.
2. Prior to 2007, there was no national standardized method of counting the number of persons experiencing homelessness. However, we
do know from local data that persons using homeless shelters increased significantly over the past two decades. For example, over the
past decade, homelessness in New York City reached its highest level since the Great Depression of the 1930s. Source: Coalition for the
Homeless. (2010, April). New York City Homelessness: The Basic Facts. Retrieved May 5, 2010, at http://www.coalitionforthehomeless.
org/pages/basic-facts#FACTS
3. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (2010), 2009 Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR), forthcoming.
5. U.S. Census Bureau. (2009). Annual Estimate of the Resident Population for the United States, Regions, States, and Puerto Rico: April 1,
2000 to July 1, 2009 (NST-EST 2009-01). Washington, DC.
6. Council for Affordable and Rural Housing. (2007, January/February). Homelessness in Rural America. CARH News.
7. Council for Affordable and Rural Housing (2007, January/February).
8. National Alliance to End Homelessness. (2009, September 29). Geography of Homelessness, Part 3: Subpopulations by Geographic Type.
Retrieved April 19, 2010 at http://www.endhomelessness.org/content/article/detail/2529/
10. National Center for Homeless Education. (2010). Education for Homeless Children and Youth Program: Analysis of Data From the
SY2008-09 Federally Required State Data Collection for the McKinney-Vento Education Assistance Improvements Act of 2001 and Com-
parison of the SY2006-07, SY2007-08, and 2008-09 Data Collections, forthcoming.
11. Rog, D., Holupka, S., & Patton, L. (2007, Fall). Characteristics and Dynamics of Homeless Families with Children. Washington, DC: U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services, Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation.
12. Shinn, M. (2009). Ending Homelessness for Families: The Evidence for Affordable Housing. Washington, DC: National Alliance to End
Homelessness Homeless Research Institute and Enterprise Community Partners.
13. Wardrip, K. & Pelletiere, D. (2008, May 8). Properties, Units, and Tenure in the Foreclosure Crisis: An Initial Analysis of Properties at the
End of the Foreclosure Process in New England. Research Note #08-01. Washington, DC.
14. Aratani, Y. (2009). Homeless Children and Youth, Causes and Consequences. National Center for Children in Poverty. Retrieved April 19,
2010, from http://www.nccp.org/publications/pdf/text_888.pdf
15. National Network to End Domestic Violence. (2010). Domestic Violence Counts 2009: A 24-Hour Census of Domestic Violence Shelters
and Services. Census conducted September 15, 2009. Retrieved April 19, 2010 at http://nnedv.org/docs/Census/DVCounts2009/DV-
Counts09_Report_BW.pdf
16. Rog, D., Holupka, S., & Patton, L. (2007, Fall).
17. Rog, D., Holupka, S., & Patton, L. (2007, Fall).
18. Ingersoll, G.M., Scamman, J.P., & Eckerling, W.D. (1989). Geographic mobility and student achievement in an urban setting. Educational
Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 11, 143–149; Buckner, J.C., and Bassuk, E.L. (2001). Predictors of Academic Achievement among Homeless
and Low-Income Housed Children. Journal of School Psychology, 39(1); Wood, D., Halfon, N., Scarlata, D., Newacheck, P., & Nessim, S.
(1993). Impact of family relocation on children’s growth, development, school function, and behavior. Journal of the American Medical
Association, 270, 1334–1338.
19. Shinn, M.B., Rog, D., & Culhane, D. (2005, May). Family Homelessness: Background Research Findings and Policy Options. Washington,
DC: U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness.
20. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families. (2007). Promising Strategies to End Youth
Homelessness: Report to Congress. Washington, DC.
22. National Alliance to End Homelessness, et al. (2009, February 10). Advocates sign-on letter to President Barack Obama urging him “to
support federal policies to confront the social crisis of youth homelessness in America”. Retrieved April 19, 2010 at http://www.end-
homelessness.org/content/article/detail/2202
23. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2007), Promising Strategies.
26. Whitbeck, L.B. & Hoyt, D.R. (1999). Nowhere to Grow: Homeless and Runaway Adolescents and Their Families. New York: Aldine De
Gruyter.
reference
27. Wilder Research. (2005, February). Homeless youth in Minnesota 2003: Statewide survey of people without permanent shelter. Re-
trieved April 19, 2010, from http://www.wilder.org/download.0.html?report=410
28. Whitbeck, L.B., Hoyt, D.R., Yoder, K.A., Cauce, A.M., & Paradise, M. (2001). Deviant behavior and victimization among homeless and
runaway adolescents. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 16(11), 1175-1204.
30. Cook, R. (1991). A National Evaluation of Title IV-E Foster Care Independent Living Programs for Youth, Phase 2. Rockville, MD: Westat,
Inc.
31. Shinn, M.B., Rog, D., & Culhane, D. (2005, May). Family Homelessness: Background Research Findings and Policy Options. Washington,
DC: U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness. Among females who age out of foster care, studies have found anywhere from 20 to
40 percent either pregnant or already parents. These young families with young children are at special risk for becoming homeless.
33. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (2010), 2009 Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR), forthcoming; U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Community Planning and Development. (2009, July). The 2008 Annual
Homeless Assessment Report to Congress. Washington, DC.
34. Caton, C.L.M., Wilkins, C., & Anderson, J. (2007, September). People Who Experience Long-Term Homelessness: Characteristics and
Interventions. Toward Understanding Homelessness: The 2007 National Symposium on Homelessness Research. Washington, DC: U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
35. Caton, C.L.M., Wilkins, C., & Anderson, J. (2007, September).
36. Summaries of outcomes from cost studies, along with links to published research, can be found at: Corporation for Supportive Housing.
(2009, September). Summary of Studies: Medicaid/Health Services Utilization and Costs. Retrieved April 19, 2010 at http://documents.
csh.org/documents/policy/UpdatedCostMatrixSept09.pdf
37. Evaluations of permanent supportive housing, implemented in a range of communities for chronically homeless people and homeless
people with disabilities, have demonstrated significant improvements in housing stability, reductions in days of homelessness, and
reductions in the utilization and costs of public services such as emergency shelter, hospital emergency room and inpatient care, detox
or sobering centers, and jails. Summaries of outcomes from these and other cost studies with citations and links to published research
are available at: Corporation for Supportive Housing. (2009, September). Summary of Studies: Medicaid/Health Services Utilization and
Costs. Retrieved April 19, 2010 at http://documents.csh.org/documents/policy/UpdatedCostMatrixSept09.pdf
38. Corporation for Supportive Housing. (2009, September). Summary of Studies.
39. Larimer, M. et al. (2009, April). Health Care and Public Service Use and Costs Before and After Provision of Housing for Chronically
Homeless Persons with Severe Alcohol Problem. JAMA, 301(13):1349-1357.
40. Mares, A. & Rosenheck, R. (2010, April). Twelve Month Client Outcomes and Service Use in a Multisite Project for Chronically Homeless
Adults. Journal of Behavioral Health Services & Research, Vol. 37, No. 2.
41. Sadowski, L., Kee, R., VanderWeele, T., Buchanan, D. (2009, May 6). Effect of a Housing and Case Management Program on Emergency
Department Visits and Hospitalizations among Chronically Homeless Adults. JAMA, 301, (17): 1771-1778.
43. National Alliance to End Homelessness. (2008). Vital Mission: Ending Homelessness Among Veterans -- 2007 Data Update. Retrieved
April 19, 2010 at http://www.endhomelessness.org/content/article/detail/1837
44. Rosenheck, R. & Fontana, A.F. (1994). A Model of Homelessness Among Male Veterans of the Vietnam War Generation. American
Journal of Psychiatry 151:421-427. Cited in Congressional Research Service (CRS) Report for Congress “Veterans and Homelessness”
September 2009.
45. Tanielian, T. & Jaycox, L., editors. (2008). Invisible wounds of war: psychological and cognitive injuries, their consequences, and services
to assist recovery. Washington, DC: RAND Center for Military Health and Policy Research.
46. Auerbach, J. (2009). Transforming social structures and environments to help in HIV prevention, Health Affairs, 28(6): 1655-1665.
47. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. (2010, January 6). Women Veterans Health Care: The Changing Face of Women Veterans. Retrieved
April 19, 2010 at www.publichealth.va.gov/womenshealth/facts.asp
48. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. (2009, November). VA services for Veterans involved in the justice system: The Veterans Justice
Outreach (VJO) Initiative. Retrieved April 19, 2010 at http://www1.va.gov/HOMELESS/docs/VJO/vjofactsheet.doc
49. Congressional Research Service Report for Congress. (2009, September). Veterans and Homelessness. Washington, DC.
50. Collinson, R. & Winter, B. (2010, January). U.S. Rental Housing Characteristics: Supply, Vacancy, and Affordability. HUD PD&R Working
Paper 10-01. Washington, DC: U .S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
51. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families. (2009, October). The Adoptions and Foster
Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) Report: Preliminary FY2008 Estimates. Retrieved April 19, 2010 at http://www.acf.hhs.
gov/programs/cb/stats_research/afcars/tar/report16.htm
52. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. (1999, January). Continuum of Care Planning and Implementation (Guide to).
Washington, DC.
reference
Michelle Abbenante Brent Burmaster Lyndia Downie James Goveia Sue Keely Karla Maraccini Ann Oliva Molly Rysman Alma Thomas
Cynthia Abbott William Burnett John Downing Claire Goyer Martha Kegel Nina Marinkovich Zachary Olmstead Anthony Sabia Gaylord Thomas
Magdey Abdallah Michael P. Burns Sherri Downing Michael Goze Larry Keillor Patricia Marnette Zack Olmstead Michael Sabo Joyce Thomas
Deanna Adams Martha Burt Elizabeth Doyle Denise Grant Tedd Kellerher Paula Maroney Barb Olson Phyllis Sakahara Rudene Thomas
Sherilyn Adams Jacqui Buschor Mary Doyle Amy Grassette David Kellogg Vicky Marquez Mary O’Malley Acacia Salatti Stephen Thomas
Jesse Aguilera Susanne Byrne Mike Doyle William Graves Janet Kelly Roberta Marsh Maureen O’Malley-Moore John Samaan Bill Thompson
Vidhya Alakeson Irene Cabello Ron Drach Kristin Green Kate Kelly Lavonna Martin Jo Ann Oram Fred Sambataro Scott Tibbitts
Beth Albert Tomasa Cadiz John Driscoll Risa J. Greendlinger William C. Kelly, Jr. Tim Martin Ismael Ortiz Joseph Sanchez Sunmoila Tijani
Steve Albertson Allison Calabro Chyrell Ducksell Jim Greene Robert Kelty Timothy Marx Junior Ortiz Leslie Sanchez Charlie Tobin
Kerry Aleshire Martha Calhoun Tammy Duckworth Katharine Gregg Gavin Kennedy Tony Mastracci Maya Ortiz Lydia Sanders Marc Tognotti
Christine Alford Brenda Campbell Barbara Duffield Tom Gregoire Cheryl Kennedy-Perez Latrisce Mathews Ellie Ottey Gary Sanford Deborah Torres
Angela Alioto Ray Candola Lauren Dunton Thomas Gregory Kelly Kent Katrina Mathis Lynn Overmann Milena Sangut Michael Trailor
Sherri Allen-Reeves Paul Carlson Suanne Durham Jenine Grey Chuck Kieffer Felix Matluck Alan Painter Hari Sastry Catherine Trapani
Shedita Alston Dennis Carman Julie Dworkin Edward Griffin Pam Kies-Lowe Karen Matson Lisa Pape Jason Satterfield Clayton Travis
Mark Alston-Follansbee Gerry Carmichael Amy Dworsky Johnnie Griffin Tom Kilmurray Karen Matsuda Sandra Park Denise Saturna Tammye H. Trevino
Daniel Altilio Mary Ellen Caron Melinda Dyer Janine Griggs Helen Kim Natalie Matthews Christy Parque Wayne Sauceda Marc Trotz
Manny Alvarado Robert (Mike) Carr Donna Dziak Ann Marie Grimberg Davey King Hazel Mays Sharon Parrott Hilberto Sauceda II Casey Trupin
Mike Alvidrez Mary Carroll Nancy Fritsche Eagan Tory Gunsolley Linda King Mary McBride Lisa Parsons Jay Savage Sam Tsemberis
Nicole Amling Jan Carter Gail Easley Laura Guzman Adam Kirkman Geraldine McCafferty John Parvensky Gina Schaak Janice Tufte
Jackie Anderson Ronald Carter Julie Eberbach Rosanne Haggerty Dan Kivlahan Maura McCauley Lisa Patt-McDaniel Christine Schanes Vicki Turetsky
Kasey Anderson Dorval R. Carter, Jr. Beverley Ebersold Carol Hall Barry Klitsberg Tiffinay McClinton Alexandra Pavlakis Jessica Scheiner John Turner
Danielle Anderson-Thomas Edmond Castro Vicki Ebner Paul Hamann Martha B. Knisley Randy McCoy Suzi Pearson Ali Schlageter Katie Tuten
Nereida Andino Angelina Caudillo Yvonne Eden Reginald Hamilton Bill Koll Susan McCutcheon Lloyd S. Pendleton Greg Schmidt Kara Ullestad
Don Andre Cindy Cavanaugh Virginia Edwards Rob Hard Bessy Kong Kay Moshier McDivitt Vicky Penn Melissa Schoonmaker Kristin Unruh
Barbara Andrews Donald Chamberlain John Cheney Egan Kelly Harder Mike Kowalsky Nancy McDonald Richard F. Pennington II Debora Schreiber Dan Utech
JoAnna Aniello Phyllis Chamberlain Piper Ehlen Abbilyn Harmon Rudolph Kraintz Sharon McDonald Judy Perry Terry Schroeder Adolph Valfre Jr.
Lynnette Araki Athena Chapman Claas Ehlers Carl Harris Jason Kravitz Kathy McEntee Annette Peters Martin Schubert Jamie Van Leeuwen, III
Philip Arca Lisa Chapman Alison Eisinger John Harrison Beth Kreuger Frank McGally Jack Peters Lynda Schueler Katrina Van Valkey
G. Michael Arnold Richard Cho Epi Elizondo Sally Harrison Suzanne Krohn Tammy McGhee Dana Peterson Karol Schulkin Jeanne Van Vlandren
Michael Arnold Bill Chong Janice Elliott Lamont Hartman Al Krummenacher Maria McGinty Kirsten Peterson Meliah Schultzman Felipe Vargas
Cathy Ashenfeltzer Kim Chouinard Lynda Thistle Elliott Jonathan Harwitz Amanda Krusemark Marissa McKeever John Pfeiffer Linda Schwartz Jennifer Velez
Steven Auerbach Troy Christensen Lisa Engel Janice Haugen Keith Kuenning John McLaughlin Canta Pian Erin Schwarzbauer Perry Vietti
Sue Augustus Jan Cicco Michelle Enger Erin Healy John Kuhn Loren McMahon Stephen Piasecki Jannah Scott Susana Vilardell
Carolyn Austin-Diggs Peter D. Cirioni Sally Erickson Jay Healy Lisa Kuklinski Nakia McMorris Aaron Pierce Earlene Sealey Mario Villanueva
Kathleen Austria Jamie Citron Bob Erlenbusch Cheryl Heesen Rebecca Kuper Lori McNeil Kate Pieri Karen Seay Mary Brell Vujovic
Donald Babers Donald Clark Linda Esah Joe Hegedus Margot Kushel John M. McWilliam Benny A. Pinaula Jeffrey Senter Suzanne Wagner
Jennifer Baha Frank Clark Annette Evans Sue Heilman Marcie Laden Chris Megison Russell Pinsley Bill Sermons Victoria Wagner
Peggy Bailey Jerrod Clark Melanie P. Faby Luz Hein Eduardo Laguerre Anna Melbin Sophina Placencia Ann Shahan Kathy Wahto
Brianna Baker Laura Clark Doreen Fadus Deborah Heinz Robert Landolfi Michael Melendez Louella Pointer Marcia Shannon Mary Walachy
Dan Baker Susan Cockrell Lillian Faga Rubben Henderson Richard Lane Linda Mellgren Becky Poitras Kevin Sharps Carlton Walker
Toni Baker Wendy Coco Nancy Fairbanks Arvernetta Henry Stanley Langfeld Lauren Mendenhall Linda Polley Noreen Shawcross Sue Wallinger
Richard Balkus Nick Codd Bill Faith Daryl Hernandez Angela Lariviere Mary Mendez LaKesha Pope Kathi Sheffel Patrick Walsh
Barbara Banaszynski Joyce Coffee Aaron Farnon Robert V. Hess Matthew Lattimer Carmen Mendoza Barbara Poppe Susan Shelton Carol Walter
Ron Banks Norm Cole Sara Farnsworth Mary Ann Higgins E. Terri LaVelle Debbie Michael John D. Porcari Curtis Shepard Cindy Ward
Jo-Ann Barbour Marcus Coleman Daniel Farrell Cynthia High Amanda Law Lori Mignon Curtis Porter Jody Sherman Sharayna Warmsly
Margaret Barbour Max Collier Lester Farthing Jennifer Hill LoAn Le Norweeta Milburn Greg Porter Jonathan Sherwood Matthew Warshaw
Gregory Barfield Henry Comas Rachel Fee Marilee Hill-Anderson Anna Lee Maggie Milcarek Erin Porterfield Susan Shimon Darby R. Washeck
Kristin Barlup Steven Como Ken Fenner Mark Hinderlie Dawn Lee Anastasia Miller Sarah Potter Greg Shinn Tara Wasiak
Tim Barry Barbara Conanan George Ferguson Gregory Hinrichsen Jessica Lee Angelique Miller Suzanne D. Pouliot Marybeth Shinn Mike Wasserberg
John Bartlett Abner Concepcion Jane Ferrell Liane Hirabayashi Niki Lee Cynthia Miller Neil Powers Alice Shobe Donald Watson
George Bates Christina Connelly David Figgat David Hirschman Rebecca Lee Jim Miller Staci Pratt Stephen Shum Valerie Watson
Anthony Baugh Marykate Connor Antonio Figueroa Helmi Hisserich Sarah Lee Katharine Miller Rick Presbrey Steven Shum Bobby Watts
Kathleen Baushke Tara Connor Kevin Finn Jennifer Leimaile Ho Stella Lee Sam J. Miller Lou Ann Pressler Bob Shumeyko Richard Hooks Wayman
Melva Bazan Jeff Conroy Nichole Fiore Bill Hobson Lindsey Legaspi Tina Minor Sharon Price Adam Shuster Mark A. Weatherly
Ed Beane Bob W. Cook Laurence Fitzmaurice William Hobson Gretchen Lehman Jennifer Mirabile Robin Prichard Martin Siesta Joe Weisbord
Susanne Beaton Darlene Cook Charlene M. Flaherty LaShanda Hodges Larry Lehman Mark Misczak Pat Prieb Robert Signoracci Jenny Weiser
Flo Beaumon Mary Jo Cook Rebecca Flanagan Mark Holleran Suzanne Lemenstrel Selarstean Mitchell Nicole Pritchard Mary Silveira Hazel Weiss
Maureen Beauregard Aimee Coolidge Marty Fleetwood Stephen L. Holliday Cathy Leonis Kim Moeller Natalie Profant Komuro Carol Simler Joanna Weissman
Jody Becker-Green Elias Corey Martha Fleming Kay Holmes Agnes Leshner Jane W. Molloy Grace Protos Nadine Simons Dean Weitenhagen
Kiersten Beigel Michele Corey Paige Flink Valentina Holston Vania Leveille Melany Mondello Bob Puett Susie Sinclair-Smith Jason Weller
Paloma Belmarez Timothy Corey Patrick Flood Janice M. Holt Herb Levine Dennis Mondoro Jo Kathryn Quinn Tiffany Sledge Mia Wells
Howard Belodoff Christie Corrigan Clifton Fluker Gary A. Holtberg Leslie Levy Bryant Monroe Laura Radel Theresa Slusher Kathy Weremiuk
Cynthia Belon Anne Cory Olanrewaju Folarin Teri Holtkamp Carleton Lewis Maureen Ollalley Moone Nancy Radner Jason Small Christine Westerlund
Betsy Benito Linda Couch Jyoti Folch Tim Holtkamp Janice Lewis Ellen Bruder Moore Nicolas Ramon Marilyn Small Annie Whatley
Sarah Benjamin Ron Cowart Delois Ford Vincent Hom NJ L’Heureux Jr Carmen M. Moreno Barry Ramsey Adam Smith Leanne M. Wheeler
Joe Benson Robert Cox Erica Foreman Brad Hopkins Betsy Lieberman Karen Morgan Diane Randall Brian Smith Sheldon Wheeler
Ralph Benzenberg Rick Crager Maria Foscarinis Ronald Horne Sharon E. Liggins Fred Morrison Fran Randolph Chrischanne Smith Marge Wherley
Lisa Abby Berg Cindy Crain Abby Foster John Hosteny Jeff Lilley David Morrissette Virginia Raney Juanita Smith James K. (Kim) White
Michael Berg Lina Cramer Kristine Foye Janice Hougen Jeri Lynch Linas Kay Moshier McDivitt Sharon Rapport Ophelia Smith Matt White
Steve Berg Maria Cremer Bruce Frankel Ted Houghton Mark Linton Donald Moulds Jerry Ray Shay Smith Ruth Anne White
Doug Berman Peggy Crist Darren G. Franklin Felicia Houston Lanesha Linzy Bobbie Mowery David Raymond Angelina Smith-Wilson Donald Hugh Whitehead, Jr.
Fred Berman Giuseppe Crottogini Elaine Frawley Renee Houston Joel Lipski Karl Muehter Robyn Raysor Tim Soderlund Grace Whitney
Nancy Bernstine Cathy Crouch Nina Frazier Larke Huang Debra Little Michael Mulcahy Alison Recca-Ryan Julia Sopalski Kelly Wierzbinski
Roy Betts Sheila Crowley J Friedenbach Elise Hui Traswell Livingston Michele Mulleady Will Reed Sharon Spane Louis K. Wilcox
Cheryl Beversdorf Joyce Crum Daniel Friedman Dennis Hunsinger Betty Lock Tim Mullin Dottress Reeves Jill Spangler David Wilde
Michelle Billups Diane Cruz Nancy Fritz Gerald Hunter Randle Loeb Musheifa Mulsits Nola Renz Brooke Spellman Dina Wilderson
Kelvy Bird Dennis P. Culhane Estella Fritzinger Kevin Hurley Alexis Lometz Liam Mulvaney Tammy Repine Andrea M. Staron Danielle Wildkress
Lindsey Bishop Deborah Culpepper Sharon M. Fujii Jennifer Hurn David Long Pete Munroe Susan Reyna Kerry Steadman Carol Wilkins
Lisa Black Alison Cunningham Todd Fuller Barbara Hyshaw Mattie McVey Lord Stacey Murphy Amy Reynolds Arianne Steed Aisha Williams
Rebecca Blank Theresa Curran-Freeh Michele Fuller-Hallauer Laura Ibanez Tom Lorello Sandi Murray Bonnie Rhea Michalyn Steel Joel Williams
Michael Blecker Elizabeth Curtis Charles Gagnon Joe Ingram Gai Lorenzen David Myers Jean Rice Lauren Steinberg Julie Williams
Bill Block Meta Cushing Thomas Galassini Juanita Irizarry Diane Louard-Michel Cindy Namer Tracie Rice-Bailey Karen Stephens Susan Williams
Lisa Blouin Kurt Czarnowski Carmel Galasso Julie Irwin Anthony Love Susan Nayowith David Rich Daniel Sterling Taryn Williams
Erin Bock Jamie Dake Sarah Gallagher Liz Isaacs Janet Lovell-Smith Mark Neal Loretta Richardson Amanda Sternberg Ray Willis
Paul Boden Deborah Darzinskis Diane Gallegos Robert Ivory Everett Low Coleman Nee Thomas Riley Zollie Stevenson, Jr. Susan Wilschke
Susan Bodington Amy Davidson Jim Galloway Slum Jack Julie Lowell Mary Nee Jeannie Ritter Christy Stewart Barbara Wilson
Kathleen Boggs Bill Davis Jill Garcia Joyce Jackson Kit Lowrance Phoebe Nelson Anabelle Rivera Dennis Stewart Courtney Wilson
Sylvia Bolivar Dave Davis Mai-Ling Garcia Robert Jackson Mike Lowry Denise Neunaber Bryan Rivera India Stewart Tatum Wilson
Louise Bourassa Paul Davis Anthony Gardner Kathryn Jacob John N. Lozier Judy Nevis Patricia Rivera S. Duke Storen Ali Wimer
Bernie Bowles Elaine De Coligny Douglas Gardner Karen Jacobs Rebecca Lucero Angelina Nguyen Yesenia Rivera Vera Stoulil Randy Windham
Tenicka Boyd Horace De La Vega Wizipan Garriott Wendy Jacobs Paul Luikart Doug Nguyen Jasper Robinson Dan Straughan Patsy Wingard
Leah Bradley Bob Deaner Marc Garufi Paul Jacobsen Kelly Lupro Charles Nickerson Ronda G. Robinson Paul Stridick Leon Winston
Nicole Branca Elaine deColigny Luetricia Gaston Barbara James Tryna M. Luton Mike Nielson Sturgis Robinson Floretta Strong-Pulley Leslie Wise
Bonnie Brathwaite Ronald DeMartino Mike Gates Kathy Jaworski James Lyall Connie Nieswiadomy Yvette Robinson Melanie H. Stuart Lisa Wolf
James H. Bray Eileen Denham Beth Geagan Raymond Jefferson Eileen Lynch Jacqueline Nieves-De La Paz Alisa Rodriguez Todd Stull Sally Wolf
Adrienne Breidenstine Etta Denk Vicky Gee Judy Jenkins Craig Lyons Patricia Nix-Hodes Sam Rofman Norm Suchar Nancy Wong
Alexis Breiteneicher Gary Dennis Suzanne Gelderman Jerry Jensen Heather Lyons Tiffany Nobles Debra J. Rog Courtney Suchor Rebecca Woods
Nonie Brennan Drew Dernavich Katherine Gerard Kirsten Jewell Kate Lyons Mark Nolan LaQuita Rogers John Sullivan Katie S. Worsham
Lydia Brewster DeBoRah Dickerson Kathy Germain Elsa Johnson Christine Ma Nancy Norman Ralph Rogers Patrick Sullivan Mary Ann Wren
Brad Bridwell Julie Diffenderffer Michael German Jean Johnson Joyce Probst MacAlpine Kim Norris G.W. Rolle Tim Sullivan Cindy Wright
Xavier De Sousa Briggs Stephen Dillard Marla Gese Mark Johnston Maria Machado Zed Null Nan Roman Mark Swann Timothy Yaecker
Gerald Britt Martha Dilts Ronni Gilboa Marc Jolin Jen Macias Ralph de Costa Nunez Mark Romick Kathleen Swantek John Yazwinski
Barbara Broman Benjamin Dineen Gail Gilman Berl Jones Bob Mack Shirley Nunn Mary Rooney Mary Kay Sweeney Kathryn Young
Michael. W. Brose Barbara DiPietro Melinda Giovengo Erika Jones Jackie MacLean James O’Connell Sandy Rose Taylor D. Sykes Marlene Zakai
Mary Brosnahan Mary Dodson Adam Glantz Christina Jordan Laura MacNeil Ann O’Hara Larry Roselle Karen Talarico Laura Zeilinger
Alan Brown Steve Dombrowski Linda Glassman Stanley F. Kaczmarczyk Nicole Macri Jane Oates Betsy Rosenfeld Louis Tallarita Aurora Zepeda
Ann Brown Steve Donaldson Heidi Gold Laura Kadwell Lauren Maddock John O’Brien Roberta Rosenthal Samantha Tan Joann Zimmer
Kathy Brown Russell Dondero Wendy Goldberg Sarah Kahn Emily Madison Patrick O’Carroll Mike Rosnhour Joyce Tavon Sara Zuiderveen
Richard Brown Neil Donovan Rita Gonzales-Garza Piper Kamins Amit Magdieli Jessie Ochoa Kristin Ross-Sitcawich Beth Taylor Kira Zylstra
Tamara Brown Denorah Doss Dennis Gonzalez Minouche Kandel Patricia Magnuson Benjamin O’Dell Zachary Running Wolf Tom Taylor
Emily Buckham Buday Bob Dougherty Juanita Gonzalez-Charlot Vince Kane Ed Mahan Grant O’Donnell Gary Rutkin Taiisa Telesford
Howard Burchman Pete Dougherty Wayne Gordon Fred Karnas Barbara Mahoney Timothy O’Hanlon Cullen Ryan Connie Tempel
Cindy Burdine Derek Douglas Larry Gottlieb Selene Kaye Ulysses Malot Tim O’Keefe Maureen Ryan Cathy ten Broeke
Gordon J. Burke, Jr. Dorit Dowler-Guerrero Mimielle Goulatte Dariush Kayhan Marianne Maner Kenoli Oleari Tuesday Ryan-Hart Debbie Thiele
USICH is grateful to the many who contributed to the development of this Plan, not only those listed who participated in meetings
Acknowledgments but also the thousands of individuals who contributed online and in Agency analysis. To all, your wisdom and experience helped
determine priorities based on data, research, and results. Your counsel and partnership will be needed as we turn to implementation.
For more information, contact:
United States Interagency Council on Homelessness
Federal Center SW | 409 3rd Street SW, Suite 310
Washington, DC 20024
Email: [email protected]
Or visit: www.usich.gov

Opening Doors: Federal Strategic Plan To Prevent and End Homelessness

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Opening Doors: Federal Strategic Plan To Prevent and End Homelessness

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Opening Doors: Federal Strategic Plan To Prevent and End Homelessness

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Opening Doors

federal strategic plan to

department of agriculture department of labor

department of commerce department of transportation

department of defense department of veterans affairs

department of education corporation for national and

department of homeland security social security administration

department of housing and u.s. postal service

department of justice united states interagency council

USICH would like to thank the photographers

Preface from the Chair

Vision and Development of the Plan 7

The Steps: Framework for Action 52

References and Endnotes 64

HUD Secretary and USICH Chair Shaun Donovan

INCREASE Leadership, COLLABORATION, and Civic Engagement

INCREASE ACCESS TO Stable and Affordable Housing

iNCREASE economic security

IMPROVE HEALTH AND stability

RETOOL THE HOMELESS CRISIS RESPONSE SYSTEM

Development of the Plan

The Council affirmed six core values to be reflected in the Plan:

 Homelessness is solvable; we have learned a lot about what works.

 Homelessness can be prevented.

 There is strength in collaboration and USICH can make a difference.

 Solutions-driven and evidence-based

 Implementable and user-friendly

 Lasting and scalable; and

 Measurable, with clear outcomes and accountability

We stressed the importance of transparency. We encouraged multiple opportunities for input,

Four workgroups were convened to analyze specific populations:

 Individuals experiencing chronic homelessness

Input from the New York stakeholders meeting is captured in

AMI: Area Median Income

How Many People Experience Homelessness?

Estimated The 2009 Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR)3

African Americans accounted for a disproportionate share of people experiencing homeless-

Families With Children

Jaslyn lives with her son, 6, and daughter, 9, in an apartment

A significant number of unaccompanied young women are pregnant or parenting.31

 On-going support services connected to mainstream resources

 Independent living skills training

 Connections to supportive and trustworthy adults and support networks

 Employment and education

Evaluations of permanent supportive housing have demonstrated significant improvements

Jackie lives with her dog, Max, in a one-

Pre-military service experiences have a significant effect on risk of homelessness including

Mary, United States Navy

Reprinted with permission of Greater Minnesota Housing Fund,

Upstate South Carolina $2,269 $1,209 $599

Additionally, attention needs to be given to the following:

Homelessness is costly to society because people experiencing homelessness frequently

David, United States Army

Heather’s baby at youth center

Reprinted with permission of The Corporation of Supportive Housing Minnesota,

INCREASE Leadership, COLLABORATION, and Civic Engagement

INCREASE ACCESS TO Stable and Affordable Housing

iNCREASE economic security

IMPROVE HEALTH AND stability

Homelessness has a particularly traumatizing effect on children. Children experiencing