Keynote Presentation. Promise or a Myth: Can We End Homelessness?

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On any night in the US, there are 650,000 homeless of which 40% are unsheltered. In any one year, 1% of the total population in the US, and 10% of poor population of the US experience homelessness each year. While 80 % don’t stay homeless very long, 20% are chronically homeless. 

The Keynote Address on the first day of the Conference was delivered by Nan Roman, President and CEO of the US National Alliance to End Homelessness. The address focused on the 10 year plan of the Alliance, now in its 9th year, with Nan reflecting on the genesis of the plan, describing some examples of the operation of the plan in US cities, and identifying key features of successful plans.

The Alliance Plan set about to shift the focus of efforts of the homelessness sector and advocates from aiming for enough services to support the homeless, to not having anyone homeless in the first place.

Over 400 cities across the US now have comprehensive integrated plans aimed at ending homelessness. The plans that are working are characterised by four features:

  1. Supportive housing targeted to the most vulnerable for priority placement with a housing first approach taken;

  2. Moving people out of the shelter system faster;

  3. Looking for efficiencies in the homeless system itself, estimated at potentially achieving reductions in homelessness by as much as 40 - 50%; and

  4. Better data systems and tracking.

Hear the Keynote Address from Nan Roman (Be aware this is a large file)

Download the audio file (Right click link and 'Save As')