12/20/2022

Statement on the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness’ Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH) supports the goals laid out in The Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness announced by the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH). The plan seeks to reduce homelessness by 25% nationwide within two years. It outlines a bold framework to address a pervasive national crisis affecting communities and inflicting trauma and harm to countless individuals and families.

We value the comprehensive approach that USICH undertook to develop the plan through collaboration with 19 federal agencies and with input from, above all, people who have experienced homelessness, along with community members, advocates, elected officials, housing and service providers, and community leaders.

We are encouraged by several aspects of the plan that align with CSH's core tenants of centering equity, investing in housing and supportive services, reducing the overutilization of institutional settings, and incorporating data and evidence-based approaches.

"Homelessness is a persistent, visible crisis for communities across the nation sustained by severe shortages of affordable housing, disconnected emergency response and health systems, decades of disinvestment in mental health services, and centuries of systemic and structural racism," said Deborah De Santis, President and CEO, CSH. "Whether Americans support robust government interventions or not, the fact of the matter is that we all have a role in creating the world we want to see. The USICH plan identifies the root causes of homelessness and invites states, local governments, and people closest to the crisis to be part of the solution."

For more than three decades, CSH has worked to reduce homelessness by prioritizing affordable, supportive housing development, cross-sector collaboration, equity, harm reduction, and data-informed policymaking.

This extraordinary crisis requires extraordinary coordination across communities, sectors, states, and the federal government. CSH applauds USICH for recognizing the importance of focusing upstream and working across systems to prevent homelessness.

CSH looks forward to offering its research, data tools, resources, and national network to help realize USICH's ambitious efforts to reduce homelessness by a quarter nationally by 2025.

Media Contact
Jesse Dean
jesse.dean@csh.org
347-931-0132

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