Homelessness Crisis
Rising numbers of individuals and families experiencing homelessness, with insufficient emergency shelter capacity, supportive services, and permanent housing solutions, particularly affecting veterans and mentally ill individuals.
Ways to address it
3 approaches- Comprehensive Prevention and Rapid RehousingDevelop prevention programs to help at-risk families avoid eviction, provide emergency rental assistance, and create rapid rehousing programs that quickly move homeless individuals into permanent housing with short-term support.
- Coordinated Regional Homelessness ResponseCreate coordinated entry systems across the region, standardize data collection and tracking, and pool resources among jurisdictions to provide seamless services and eliminate duplication of efforts.
- Housing First InitiativeImplement housing first approach providing immediate permanent housing without preconditions, combined with wraparound services including mental health treatment, substance abuse counseling, and job training programs.