Prospects were bleak for Mike Fox. He was living on the streets of Columbus with little hope for a better life when he discovered the Community Shelter Board's Rebuilding Lives program.

Mike Fox talks about his living on the streets and his life since becoming involved in the Rebuilding Lives program in Columbus. Also participating in the event were Field Office Director Thomas Leach; Franklin County Commissioner Mary Jo Kilroy; Community Shelter Board Executive Director Barbara Poppe; CMHA Executive Director Dennis Guest; and Central Ohio YMCA CEO John Bickley

Now he lives in an apartment at the Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority's Sunshine Terrace, a supportive housing project that offers a safe home and social services to its residents. Fox credits the Rebuilding Lives program for turning his life around. The program, which provides permanent supportive housing rather than temporary shelter, is one of several cited in a HUD report -- Strategies for Reducing Chronic Street Homelessness -- released last week.

The report provides practical and tested strategies that other communities can use to serve people who are chronically homeless.

Mike recently spoke about his life on the streets and how much his life has changed since entering the program at a Columbus Field Office event commemorating the city's success at reducing the number of homeless.