Annual Statewide Conference

This year will mark the twentieth anniversary of what is now known as the McKinney-Vento Act. At the time of its adoption in 1987, the act was viewed as only the first step in a national response to homelessness. This bi-partisan legislation was to be followed by measures to prevent and end homelessness by more systemic solutions to the problem.

Twenty years later, many Minnesota shelters are nearing their twentyfifth anniversaries. As large scale homelessness was beginning to appear in the 1980s, these shelters were set up as an emergency response to what was thought to be a temporary problem.

Such anniversaries remind us that at one point we more than hoped for an end to homelessness. We expected it. These anniversaries call for reflection on the persistence of mass homelessness, for consideration of what is needed to overcome homelessness, and for a new spirit of commitment and determination to eradicate this social evil.

For more details about the conference, and to register, download the attached pdfs.