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The PA Supportive Housing Coalition applauds the Shapiro Administration for issuing an executive order in September of 2025 to create a statewide housing action plan and establish an Interagency Council to Prevent and End Homelessness (PA ICH). In response, the Coalition convened an interagency workgroup that met over several months to compile recommendations and seek guidance from peer interagency councils in other states that have demonstrated sustained and significant impact in preventing and ending homelessness.
This document presents operational recommendations for the PA ICH informed by those conversations, as well as interviews with representatives from other established state interagency councils across the country. The PA Supportive Housing Coalition strongly urges the PA ICH to implement the recommendations outlined below.
Overview of Recommendations
Many states have attempted to establish interagency councils to coordinate work to prevent and end homelessness. However, not all councils have been structured to achieve optimal coordination or maximize the impact of public resources.
To inform these recommendations, the PA Supportive Housing Coalition reviewed the structure and operations of effective state interagency councils and consulted peers from Texas, Maryland, Minnesota, and Florida and other states.
The recommendations fall into the following categories:
- Representation on the council and its workgroups
- Leadership and administration
- Data governance
- Meeting structure and frequency
- Accountability mechanisms
