CITIES SAMPLE PROJECT HOMELESS CONNECT FOR LOCAL APPLICATION

This article is from the Interagency Council on Homelessness, a federal agency that works with federal departments to end homelessness:

WASHINGTON, DC. City representatives from New York City to Portland, Oregon last week gathered in San Francisco for a site visit organized by the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness to Project Homeless Connect, the City’s innovative one- day engagement event. Those taking part in the engagement event helped produce the day’s outcome of 94 homeless people moving from the streets to shelters, stabilization units, or transitional programs. Part of the City's 10-Year Plan now being implemented, Project Connect hosted the site visit as a means to provide basic orientation and logistics to cities considering a role in the Council’s December 8th National Project Homeless Connect Day.

Representatives from Atlanta, Knoxville, Indianapolis, St. Louis, Portland, OR, San Diego, Los Angeles County, Santa Monica, Pasadena, Miami, San Jose, and New York were welcomed by San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom and Deputy Chief of Staff Alex Tourk, who organizes Project Connect. City officials spent time with the group answering questions and conducting a site tour. California State Senator Jackie Speier and her staff also participated. Participants spent the day much the same way as any volunteer: they walked the streets, interviewed consumers, served meals, and helped people find their way to various service stations. Over 1,000 volunteers welcomed 1,133 consumers to the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium where services were available ranging from medical, dental and vision care, to housing information and benefits enrollment, to massage, wheel chair repair, library books, free phone calls and cafe service.

USICH Executive Director, Philip Mangano, who visited Project Connect in June, is looking forward to December 8th when cities across the country will join together to conduct the first National Project Homeless Connect Day. “Project Connect is one of those innovative ideas that made an immediate difference on our streets. Every city should ‘steal’ this idea and implement the fusion of political and social will.” San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, who has taken an active role in each engagement day, is shown here addressing the city representatives’ orientation.

Cities and counties are being encouraged to adapt Project Connect according to local needs, which vary in terms of scope and service delivery. Widespread community involvement, especially from business sponsors, is a vital expression of civic will. Another is positioning Project Connect as a portal to housing and services, both critical to ending chronic homelessness. USICH, through Special Advisor Janna Jahn, is providing technical support to cities interested in participating in the National Day.