In Fall of 2010, CSH worked with Baltimore County to help create their 10 Year Plan to End Homelessness. Unknown at the time, eventually, this request would inspire a transformation in public policy planning that CSH now employs in communities across the country.
At the request of local planner, Sue Bull, CSH agreed to staff and support a week-long charrette to quickly move the process along and help government and non-profit agencies, faith-based institutions, advocacy groups and the larger community, understand the purpose and level of systems change needed for an effective plan and implementation.
Simulating the process that the National Charrette Institute supports for urban planning, CSH staff worked closely with many individuals in Baltimore County to craft a charrette that would accommodate complex policy issues often associated with 10 Year Planning.
Following the week-long charrette, CSH produced a framework that provided concrete strategies to end and prevent homelessness for a variety of populations that included recommendations for improving their shelter access and providing a unit goal for creating permanent supportive housing to meet the specific needs of Baltimore County.