TAKE ACTION: Action Alert - Help Develop a Federal Plan to End Homelessness for All Americans AND Support Funding for McKinney-Vento Homelessness Assistance Grants
Participate. Action Alerts provide an opportunity for you to make a real difference in the lives of homeless men, women, and children.
Please help today.
First, the federal government needs your help to develop a plan to end homelessness.
The National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty joins its advocacy partners to urge people experiencing homelessness, homeless advocates, and homeless service providers to contribute to the development of the federal strategic plan to prevent and end homelessness by submitting public comments to the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH).
The Homeless Emergency and Rapid Transition to Housing Act of 2009 (HEARTH Act), which the Law Center was instrumental in passing, requires the USICH to submit this federal strategic plan to Congress by May 2010. As a part of the plan's development, USICH is inviting public comment on the plan via an electronic system and through regional stakeholder dialogues.
The remaining Regional Stakeholder Dialogues will be held today in Dallas, March 2 in San Francisco, and March 3 in Seattle. You must register in advance to participate, and space is limited. To register, go to www.usich.gov.
Electronic input will be welcomed soon, though USICH has not yet fully developed its system. Check the USICH website often to see when it opens up for public comment.
Need some guidance? Take a look at the Homeless Advocates Group's letter to USICH Director Barbara Poppe and/or Executive Director Maria Foscarinis's written submission to USICH. Our key recommendations include:
* Increasing access to affordable housing
* Expanding access to affordable health services
* Ensuring adequate incomes
* Ensuring access to childhood education
* Protecting against discrimination
To see a listing of members of the Homeless Advocates Group, click here.
Secondly, we need your help to get $2.4 billion for McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grants in FY 2011.
Please join us in writing letters to your senators and representatives to ask them to support a funding level of $2.4 billion for Homelessness Assistance Grants this year. Last year, Congress made significant improvements to the McKinney program through the HEARTH Act, but the program must have adequate funding. $2.4 billion is the amount needed to fully fund the HEARTH Act requirements and keep current programs intact.
To make the greatest impact, we want everyone to send letters at the same time. Send your letter by March 1! Congress just began making decisions about funding levels for federal programs, and they need to hear from their constituents early in this process so we can be sure they prioritize funding for McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Programs.
Contact the Law Center's Policy Director Jason Small with questions at jsmall@nlchp.org or by calling 202-638-2535.
The National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty is the only national legal advocacy organization solely dedicated to ending and preventing homelessness. Through impact litigation, policy advocacy, and public education the organization addresses the root causes of homelessness at the local, state, and national levels.
Please help today.
First, the federal government needs your help to develop a plan to end homelessness.
The National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty joins its advocacy partners to urge people experiencing homelessness, homeless advocates, and homeless service providers to contribute to the development of the federal strategic plan to prevent and end homelessness by submitting public comments to the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH).
The Homeless Emergency and Rapid Transition to Housing Act of 2009 (HEARTH Act), which the Law Center was instrumental in passing, requires the USICH to submit this federal strategic plan to Congress by May 2010. As a part of the plan's development, USICH is inviting public comment on the plan via an electronic system and through regional stakeholder dialogues.
The remaining Regional Stakeholder Dialogues will be held today in Dallas, March 2 in San Francisco, and March 3 in Seattle. You must register in advance to participate, and space is limited. To register, go to www.usich.gov.
Electronic input will be welcomed soon, though USICH has not yet fully developed its system. Check the USICH website often to see when it opens up for public comment.
Need some guidance? Take a look at the Homeless Advocates Group's letter to USICH Director Barbara Poppe and/or Executive Director Maria Foscarinis's written submission to USICH. Our key recommendations include:
* Increasing access to affordable housing
* Expanding access to affordable health services
* Ensuring adequate incomes
* Ensuring access to childhood education
* Protecting against discrimination
To see a listing of members of the Homeless Advocates Group, click here.
Secondly, we need your help to get $2.4 billion for McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grants in FY 2011.
Please join us in writing letters to your senators and representatives to ask them to support a funding level of $2.4 billion for Homelessness Assistance Grants this year. Last year, Congress made significant improvements to the McKinney program through the HEARTH Act, but the program must have adequate funding. $2.4 billion is the amount needed to fully fund the HEARTH Act requirements and keep current programs intact.
To make the greatest impact, we want everyone to send letters at the same time. Send your letter by March 1! Congress just began making decisions about funding levels for federal programs, and they need to hear from their constituents early in this process so we can be sure they prioritize funding for McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Programs.
Contact the Law Center's Policy Director Jason Small with questions at jsmall@nlchp.org or by calling 202-638-2535.
The National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty is the only national legal advocacy organization solely dedicated to ending and preventing homelessness. Through impact litigation, policy advocacy, and public education the organization addresses the root causes of homelessness at the local, state, and national levels.
