ENDING HOMELESSNESS

The Massachusetts Commission to End Homelessness, a 30-member body appointed by Governor Patrick, recently issued its final report and recommendations. Governor Patrick had charged the Commission with developing a broad-based housing plan that specifies the services necessary to end homelessness in the Commonwealth. Pine Street Inn President Lyndia Downie, a member of the Commission, was one of two non-profit agency participants representing individual homeless men and women.

The report advocates creating a new system for responding to homeless individuals and families that focuses on housing and supportive housing (housing with on-site personnel to assist tenants). It also recommends a conversion, over a period of years, from shelter beds to housing units.

Some of the approaches and mechanisms to be used in launching the new system include:

• Creating regional service-coordinating entities to link people with prevention services, housing and/or jobs

• Developing a “tiered” approach to interventions based on shelter length of stay

• Targeting the right resources to the right person at the right time

• Establishing a $10 million pool of flexible resources to support the implementation of specific facets of the new system.

Implementation of the recommendations will now fall to the Interagency Council on Homelessness, chaired by Lt. Governor Tim Murray.

Download the Final Homelessness Commission Report

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