HUD Collaboratively Working to End Homelessness in Georgia

Katheryn Preston, Executive Director, Georgia Alliance to End Homelessness and Ed Jennings, Jr. HUD Southeast Regional Administrator

Eliminating the ravages of homelessness by collaboratively and innovatively providing care and supported services for homeless individuals, families, and children as well as veterans is more than an ideal. Rather, it is a growing reality as the HUD Southeast Regional Administrator Ed Jennings, Jr. addressed a packed crowd of Georgia Alliance to End Chronic Homelessness members in Atlanta regarding how HUD is working hand to hand with those on the frontlines of the war to end homelessness.

In 2009, Georgia ranked 49 out of 50 states on child homelessness according to America's Youngest Outcasts: State Report Card on Child Homelessness; a report by the National Center on Family Homelessness. The face of child homelessness in Georgia was reported to have increased 72% from School Year 2006-2007 to 2008-2009 now totaling 41,500.

"Reaching out to collaboratively work with those on the front lines of defeating homelessness to help the chronically homeless including the growing number of homeless families, especially children and veterans requires our concerted commitment, effort and laser like focus," said Ed Jennings Jr. "The Georgia Alliance to End Chronic Homelessness should be commended for their long history of working to end homelessness."

"Family homelessness is on the rise in Georgia and disproportionally affects single women with children. It is an all too common factor for identifying children and youth at risk in Georgia. The solution is prevention measures and rapid re-housing for this vulnerable group," said Michael German, Southeast Regional Coordinator, U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness.

Georgia Alliance to End Homelessness Conference attendees intently listening to presentation

"We must continue to collectively work together to prevent and end homelessness for children and their families in Georgia. I am committed to this plan, and look forward to continuing to partner with our HUD Southeast Regional Office, the US and State Interagency Councils on Homelessness and all the other local partners to make sure all of our children have a safe, stable place to call home. Responding to the needs of Georgia's disadvantaged and homeless citizens through a comprehensive coordinated network is a priority for the Georgia Alliance to End Homelessness and the network," said Katheryn A. Preston, Executive Director, Georgia Alliance to End Homelessness.

The Georgia Alliance to End Chronic Homelessness Conference provided attendees the opportunity to learn more concerning homelessness in the state and to dialogue with leading experts concerning youth homelessness, transitional housing, creating a homeless prevention system and understanding and creating trauma informed services to name only a few topics. The three day conference was attended by individuals from throughout the homelessness prevention community in Georgia as well as Mississippi, Florida and Alabama.

Additionally, the Alliance unveiled the Georgia Plan to End Child Homelessness which was prepared by the Georgia Campaign to End Child Homelessness based on feedback from hundreds of key stakeholders and community leaders in regions throughout the state and from parents who are homeless. The plan seeks to galvanize public and political will to end this crisis.

On January 19th HUD announced $1.4 billion to help nearly 7,000 local programs serving our nation's homeless men, women and children. In Georgia alone over $25 million in funding to keep 137 local homeless assistance programs were announced.

The grants form a critical foundation for the Obama Administration's Opening Doors strategy, the nation's first comprehensive plan to prevent and end homelessness.

To learn more about Homeless Resource go to Homeless Information: Georgia on HUD's website.

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