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Charlottesville to present the 1,000 Homes for 1,000 Virginians statewide effort and opportunity to the Monticello Continuum of Care board meeting.

 

Richmond for the release of the Housing Trust Fund Economic Impact Report detailing the economic impact that a Housing Trust Fund would have on Virginia.

 

 

Richmond for a meeting with Senator Donald McEachin to discuss long-term solutions to ending

 homelessness, the local efforts of the 1,000 Homes initiative, and the success of rapid re-housing for families experiencing homelessness. 

 

Richmond for a meeting with Delegate Chris Peace to discuss to patron a frequent users pilot project proposal that would target individuals experiencing homelessness that are disproportionately using hospitals and jails due to the lack of permanent housing. 

 

Arlington for 

the Statewide Permanent Supportive Housing

Tour in which a number of state legislatures and local government leaders attended to learn about the success of permanent supportive housing in Northern Virginia. Guests of distinction included Senator Janet Howell, Senator Mary Margaret Whipple, Senator David Marsden, Delegate Patrick Hope, Arlington County Board Members Barbara Favola, Mary Hughes Hyner, Walter Tejada, and Christopher Zimmerman.

 

Richmond for a meeting with Senator Henry Marsh to discuss a partnership with VCEH to advance a study on the impact of the recession on homeless families and children and the resulting impact on education. 

VCEH is lucky to welcome several new board members who are passionate and skilled and will help us achieve our mission of ending homelessness in the Commonwealth.  We asked our new board members several serious and not-so-serious questions and we share their answers with you so you can begin to get to know them too.

 

John Dearie is a resident of McLean, Virginia, and works in Washington, DC. He is a financial and economic policy professional.  He spent ten years at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York -- the nation's central bank-- and the last 11 years at a group called the Financial Services Forum, which is a financial and economic policy group comprised of the chief executives of the 20 largest financial institutions in the United States.

Question:What's the most important value you want to pass on to your two children?

Answer: The odds against you being born into the circumstances you enjoy -- or being born at all -- are astronomical.  The fact that you exist at all is nothing short of a stupendously unlikely miracle.  Your response to that miracle is to be grateful, humble, and generous.  And the best way to be those things is to make time in your life to help others in need and to make the world a better place.  

 

Question: Why do you care about the issue of homelessness?

Answer: My first real encounter with homelessness was in New York City, where I lived and worked for 17 years after college.  I arrived in Manhattan in 1988 and homelessness was everywhere.  For me, homelessness is one of the most disgraceful, tragic, and frustrating public policy problems we confront as a nation and society.  Homelessness happens for many reasons, and likely can't be eradicated.  But civilized societies have to have a sophisticated, coherent, and effective response in order to minimize the occurrence of homelessness and its duration when it occurs.

 

 

 

Al Smuzynski is a resident of Fairfax Station, Virginia. A retired bank regulator, he has been involved in permanent affordable h

ousing as an advocate and developer (now retired) for over thirty years. His experience includes affordable housing development, financing, and programs. He is a member of the board of Virginia Community Capital and the Northern Virginia Affordable Housing Alliance and is a member of the Legislative Committee of the Virginia Housing Coalition.

 

Question: What is the best advice you have ever been given?

Answer:  "Make sure your static line is hooked up before you exit the aircraft."  (Jumpmaster at Fort Benning, GA, June 1970)  

 

Question: How do you respond when people say: "We don't have the resources (money, time, or expertise)  to address homelessness (or health care, poverty, education, the environment etc..)"  

Answer:  We have the resources to address any or all of these.  We really just don't have the will, and we have not, as a society, made it a priority. 

 

The Washington Post highlights Arlington's 10-year plan to end homelessness and recognizes their efforts to house 100 of the Arlington areas most vulnerable individuals.

If so, please renew! If you are unsure whether or not your membership is due, email vceh@vceh.org