Public and Private Leaders to Pledge Action on Housing First

BOSTON – On the heels of a Special Commission report that called for ending homelessness in the Commonwealth in the next five years, more than 100 board members from nonprofits across the region, government officials including Lieutenant Governor Tim Murray, and other community leaders will come together on todayfor Ending Homelessness in the Commonwealth: ALeadership Summit on Housing First.

The summit, which will run from 9:00 to 11:30 a.m., is a collaborative effort by United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley, One Family Inc. and Massachusetts Housing and Shelter Alliance that aims to raise public and political will for Housing First, a groundbreaking approach to fighting homelessness through permanent housing, which has been linked to a 12 percent reduction in the national chronic homeless adult population in 2006.1

Housing First focuses on stabilizing at-risk individuals and families in housing as a preliminary step and providing health and human services to tenants once they are housed. The approach is based on research that shows individuals and families are more responsive to interventions and support once they are stabilized in permanent housing.

"Housing First is an innovative, cost-effective solution to the problem of homelessness," said Jeff Hayward, senior vice president of Community Impact at United Way. "We must enlist the help and expertise of business and community leaders in Massachusetts to build momentum for the strategy. This summit is an opportunity for visionary leaders to align behind the Housing First approach to ending homelessness."

"The Homeless Commission report is a blueprint that when implemented will shift the state's policies and practices beyond managing the problem to implementing new solutions," said Sue Beaton, campaign director for One Family, Inc. The plan challenges us all to believe that homelessness is solvable and to help champion the change. This report promises to shift from a "one size fits all" approach to a new framework that will help us to get the "right resources to the right people at the right time."

"For too long the Commonwealth has relied on an emergency response to homelessness." We have seen that it is more effective – and less costly – to move chronically homeless individuals into permanent supportive housing rather than let them linger on the streets and in shelters," said Joe Finn, executive director of the Massachusetts Housing and Shelter Alliance. "I am excited that leaders from around the Commonwealth recognize the promise and value of a Housing First approach to ending homelessness."

The leadership summit will be held at The Egan Research Center at Northeastern University and will feature Lieutenant Governor Tim Murray as the keynote speaker. United Way Board Member Myra Kraft and Barry Bluestone, Director of the Center for Urban and Regional Policy at Northeastern University will open the event. Other speakers include Dr. Dennis Culhane, Professor of Social Policy and Practice at the University of Pennsylvania, State Representative Byron Rushing and Matt Fishman of Partners Healthcare. Undersecretary of Housing Tina Brooks and Commissioner of the Department of Transitional Assistance Julia Kehoe will also be in attendance

1United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. Press Conference, "12% Reduction In Chronic Homelessness Announced By Administration" press release. November 7, 2007