CITY OF JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI ADOPTED ITS TEN YEAR PLAN TO END HOMELESSNESS

JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI 08/15/06 - Jackson, a city that opened its doors to last year's Gulf Coast hurricane evacuees, announced a 10-year plan to end chronic homelessness "to bring together all available resources to address the long-standing problem of homelessness, as well as respond to the new challenges of actual and
potential homelessness caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, past inadequate planning, and future disasters." Destination Home: Jackson's Ten Year Strategic Plan to End Chronic Homelessness was unveiled by Mayor Frank Melton at a City Council meeting on Tuesday, at a City Council meeting on August 15, 2006, where it was
unanimously approved by the Council.

Pictured here are Mayor Melton (far right); Director of Human and Cultural Services and Task Force Chair Mike Raff (2nd from right); Council Regional Coordinator German, holding the City's 10- Year Plan; and members of the Task Force.

The City's 10-Year Plan, the result of a broad based and collaborative community process, formalizes the City's lead role, includes ongoing consumer involvement, and establishes a business-like Implementation/Operating Plan identifying actions, implementers, expected outcomes, benchmarks, and schedules for each of four priorities. The priorities are: provide permanent supportive housing; connect those who are chronically homeless or at risk to services that will help them access and retain permanent housing; provide optimal prevention and discharge planning; and engage the community, develop the infrastructure, and implement the plan.

In attendance were Michael German, Regional Coordinator for the Interagency
Council on Homelessness, Michael Raff, the City of Jackson Human Services/Cultural Coordinator, and approximately fourteen members of the Jackson Task Force to End Homelessness, whose efforts over the past eighteen months led to the completion
of the Plan.

HUD is the nation's housing agency committed to increasing homeownership, particularly among minorities, creating affordable housing opportunities for low-income Americans, supporting the homeless, elderly, people with disabilities and people living with AIDS. The Department also promotes economic and community development as well as enforces the nation's fair housing laws. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet and espanol.hud.gov.

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