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In the beginning of February, USICH and HUD co-hosted a convening of West Coast Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) and Continuums of Care (CoCs) in Los Angeles. The convening brought together federal and local leaders to discuss the critical role that PHAs play in ending homelessness across America. The purpose of the event was to gather insights on barriers, share information on best practices, and encourage partnership development within communities.
USICH Executive Director Barbara Poppe, HUD Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing Sandra Henriquez, and HUD Acting Deputy Secretary Estelle Richman began the convening by stressing the importance of coordinating mainstream housing assistance programs with local efforts to prevent and end homelessness. Over the last decade, communities across the country have made progress by increasing the use of evidence-based, cost-effective strategies. PHAs have specialized expertise and resources that are needed in order to effectively coordinate a comprehensive local response to homelessness.
At the convening, representatives from PHAs and CoCs in Salt Lake County and Fresno presented some of the unique ways they are collaborating to improve outcomes for individuals and families experiencing or at risk of homelessness. These presentations were followed by disussions on a range of topics that allowed attendees to focus on the details of accomplishing this important work.
This spring, USICH and HUD will host a second convening in Washington, DC for East Coast PHAs. These events are planned as the first step in a larger collaborative process to support the involvement of PHAs in local efforts to end homelessness, so stay tuned for more information
The Western U.S. Field Organizer for the 100,000 Homes Campaign, Mike Shore, wrote a detailed account of the Los Angeles convening for the National Alliance.
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