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After countless failed attempts by Congress and the Administration to reach a compromise on the so-called "fiscal cliff" throughout December, on Tuesday, January 1, Congress was able to pass a bipartisan bill that averted or postponed a majority of the provisions and events comprising the fiscal cliff. The bill, known as the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (HR 8), was signed into law by the President early this morning.

This Quarterly Report includes a preview of key upcoming activities for advocates, as well as a review of major developments from the last quarter. Specifically, this issue reviews: Webinar on chronic-focused state advocacy efforts; FY 2013 appropriations and fiscal cliff update; Upcoming media opportunity on a new homelessness report; 113th Congress new Member advocacy; and Release of 2012 PIT data.

Orginally aired on Wednesday, December 12, this webinar explains the application process for grants under the Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) Program. In addition to discussing rapid re-housing basics, and the application process, speakers provide helpful advice on program design and give pointers for creating an effective application.

On Monday, December 10, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) released a report showing a 7.2 percent decline in the number of veterans experiencing homelessness between 2011 and 2012 , and a 19.3 percent decline in the number of persons experiencing chronic homelessness since 2007.

Prepared by the Corporation for Supportive Housing and the National Alliance to End Homelessness, this paper provides information on national trends that are suggesting significant changes in the country’s approach to ending family homelessness and guidance for responding to these changes by creating well-designed local systems.

In this briefing, a panel of experts will educate policymakers on the unintended consequences of sequestration and other cuts on programs serving homeless veterans.

This is the final of five short modules the Center for Capacity Building has developed on rapid re-housing. Each of these modules succinctly shares best practices from successful rapid re-housing programs and breaks down the basic elements of each approach. This module reviews data and research on rapid re-housing, suggested outcomes, and examples from various communities that have implemented rapid re-housing.

On Thursday, December 6, from 2 to 3 p.m. ET, Alliance Program and Policy Analyst Ian Lisman will appear as a member of the Homeless Veteran Advocacy National Working Group in "Discretionary Budget Cuts: Impact on Veterans," a congressional briefing on veteran homelessness.

This solutions brief describes how one homeless service agency has partnered with the TANF agency in their community to reduce family homelessness. The Mercer County Board of Social Services (MCBOSS) and Mercer Alliance to End Homelessness (Mercer Alliance) are working together to expand rapid re-housing services and change how TANF resources are used. In a two year period, the number of families in shelter or transitional housing on any given day declined by 20 percent and the number of families residing in motels over the course of a month declined by 66 percent.

A new resource is now available from the Alliance that examines how one homeless service agency has partnered with the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) agency in their community to reduce family homelessness.

This week is "National Sequestration Call-In Week!" Join the Alliance and its partners across the country to call your Members of Congress to tell them the negative impacts sequestration would have on your communities' efforts to prevent and end homelessness.

This document is the final version of the Alliance’s comments to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), outlining recommendations on the interim rule for the Continuum of Care program as updated by the HEARTH Act of 2009.

The Alliance has published on its website a tentative agenda for the 2013 National Conference on Ending Family and Youth Homelessness.