USA sets goal of ending homelessness

The new federal plan to end homelessness borrows many things from Minnesota (including photography from Cathy ten Broeke!) like our prevention programs, efforts to address homelessness on reservations, and discharge planning from foster care. Better yet, the plan gets right many things Minnesota has gotten wrong in the past few years.  Minnesota has gone backwards on health care; the bi-partisan federal plan has health care as a major cornerstone.  Minnesota has put heavier emphasis on permanent supportive housing for chronic users of the homeless system, the national plan highlights the need for a continuum of services from prevention and outreach to temporary and permanent housing to address homelessness for everyone experiencing it.  Minnesota has stumbled on addressing youth homelessness, first putting $1 million into the Runaway & Homeless Youth Act, then cutting that by 80%; the new federal plan ends youth homelessness in 10 years.  Minnesota has seen a 27% increase in family homelessness over the past few years and tried to put bigger burdens on low-income families on public assistance; the federal plan aims to reduce barriers to economic stability and to end family homelessness in ten years.  Minnesota has been cutting programs that help veterans; the federal plan commits to ending homelessness for veterans in five years.

We applaud the efforts of the US Interagency Council on Homelessness for their work and the commitment of all the federal agencies to work together with states, local units of government, service providers, and people experiencing or at-risk of homelessness.

To be successful, we will need the political will of the American people.  While ending homelessness will save money in the long-run, we need resources at the front end.  We need communities to accept housing for their low-wage workers. We need to work together in unprecedented ways.  Most of all, we need to believe in the people we sometimes prefer to feel sorry for.   People experiencing homelessness don’t need or want our pity; they want opportunity to achieve their full potential.  The federal government has released its plan; the state is aligning its blue-print to end homelessness; local units of government are participating in new and and exciting ways. 

Putting a man on the moon took more than President Kennedy’s words.  Putting people in housing will take more than a plan; but a plan is a first small step. Let’s work together to make sure its a giant leap for people too long left out of the American Dream.  Contact us at info@mnhomelesscoalition.org if you need ideas on how to get involved!

Summary of federal plan to end homelessness