A New Vision: What is in Community Plans to End Homelessness?

Recently, the National Alliance to End Homelessness released A New Vision: What is in Community Plans to End Homelessness?, report that examines the content of local plans to end homelessness and analyzes the strength plans. According to the analysis, over 200 communities have undertaken efforts to end homelessness and 90 communities have completed plans to end homelessness. Most of the plans to end homelessness target all homeless people (66 percent) while about 34 percent target chronically homeless people exclusively. The plans outline a range of strategies, including developing HMIS systems (91 percent of plans); homeless emergency prevention (79 percent) and systems prevention (91 percent); shortening the time people spend homeless; and linking homeless people with services. Housing is a key component outlined in community plans. In total, the plans call for creating approximately 196,000 units (or subsidies), of which 80,000 units are permanent supportive housing.

This analysis measured the strength of the plans by calculating a score for each strategy outlined in the plan based on the likelihood that it would be implemented. The strength score was calculated based on whether the plan identified performance measures, set a timeline, and identified specific funding sources and bodies responsible for the implementation of each strategy. Most of the strength scores were low to medium, with a majority falling between 0 and 2 (the highest being 4). These scores show that, although plans are outlining the right strategies, they are not always setting clear numeric indicators, establishing timelines, implementing bodies, and identifying funding sources to implement each key strategy.

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