State and Local Governments
"State and local stakeholders must be active partners with the Federal Government, and their work will inform and guide our efforts at the national level." - President Barack Obama
The U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness believes partnerships with local communities and states are more important than ever. Mayors, county supervisors, city councilmen, governors, legislators, Continuums of Care, and their respective staff are on the front lines every day in the battle to prevent homelessness. They understand and experience first-hand how critical a stable home is to driving other outcomes, from savings in health care to the short- and long-term effects homelessness has on all populations, especially children.
Their work in cities across the country of combining housing and supportive services allowed us to “move the needle” on chronic homelessness over the last decade, reducing the number of chronically ill, long-term homeless Americans by one-third. Over the last decade with the support of the federal government and national advocacy organizations, local communities have made substantial advancements by developing over 300 community plans to prevent and end homelessness.
Active Engagement
Since the release of Opening Doors in June 2010, there has been unprecedented collaboration from federal agencies with one another, and with state and local governments and nonprofits in our efforts to implement the Plan. We need to accelerate our progress to reach the goals in Opening Doors, which is why USICH is encouraging all states and local communities to join us in Opening Doors Across America, a USICH call to action for states and local communities. By taking the steps outlined, your community can join this national effort and achieve results, and will be recognized as a champion for leadership in ending homelessness. USICH has developed toolkits and guidance for communities to implement this intiative. Join us now.
In March 2011, Cabinet Secretaries along with representatives from 14 other federal agencies had an active dialogue with Mayor Ashley Swearengin of Fresno, CA and Mayor Michael Coleman of Columbus, OH, who shared their successes, stressing the value of public and private partnerships. They also discussed the issues their communities face in preventing and ending homelessness, while noting the important steps the Federal government can take in supporting their efforts on the ground.
The second half of the meeting focused on engaging a bi-partisan panel of governors and lieutenant governors on ways to improve federal programs and accessing mainstream benefits for people experiencing homelessness. Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper, Utah Lieutenant Governor Greg Bell, and California Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom highlighted the critical nature of leadership at all levels of government, including State Interagency Councils modeled on the active leadership at the federal Council. The panel also discussed taking local best practices to scale across their states, the overall cost effectiveness of supportive housing and Housing First strategies, and the importance of funding to make Opening Doors a reality.
There was agreement that states and cities should align their plans to the federal plan, and that mayors and governors are critical champions for achieving the goal of preventing and ending homelessness. The Council reiterated its commitment to an ongoing dialogue on what the Federal government can do to support states and cities in their work.
Innovative Work at the Local Level
USICH National Organization Partners
Last summer, the United States Conference of Mayors and the National Association of Counties endorsed Opening Doors. The following national organizations and their membership are key partners to ensuring the success of Opening Doors
International Downtown Association
National Association of Counties
National Governors Association
United States Conference of Mayors
For more information about our work with State and Local Government Partners and related resources,
State Resources
