STATE HOUSING AUTHORITY ANNOUNCES FIRST EVER HOMELESS SUMMIT TO LAUNCH CAMPAIGN TO END HOMELESSNESS IN MICHIGAN

Contact: Mary Lou Keenon 517-373-0011

Agency: State Housing Development Authority

STATE HOUSING AUTHORITY ANNOUNCES FIRST EVER HOMELESS SUMMIT TO LAUNCH CAMPAIGN TO END HOMELESSNESS IN MICHIGAN

LANSING – A campaign to end homelessness in Michigan was launched today before an audience of more than 600 attendees from around the state at the first ever Michigan Homeless Summit at the Lansing Center in Lansing. The range of the plans and the level of participation are greater than any other state has attempted. Michigan’s Campaign to End Homelessness in 10 years and the Michigan Homeless Summit are the product of over a year of planning and highlights not only local plans covering 100 percent of the state, but also a comprehensive set of collaborative statewide initiatives designed to revamp state government’s approach to helping the homeless. The collaborative effort includes the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA), Michigan Department of Human Services (DHS), Michigan Department of Community Health (DCH), the Michigan Department of Corrections (DOC), and the Michigan Coalition Against Homelessness (MCAH) and other advocacy organizations.

“Though the challenge is daunting, it IS possible to end homelessness in Michigan in 10 years,” said MSHDA Executive Director Michael R. DeVos. “Individuals, organizations, businesses and other advocates from everywhere in Michigan have committed to their local plans. Together we can build a caring community that simply no longer accepts homelessness, in any of its many forms, anywhere in the state of Michigan.”

The Authority (MSHDA) has approved $10.5 million in funding for homeless youth housing and homeless families with children in addition to $4 million in funds for the second round of the Domestic Violence and Chronic Homeless initiatives granted in 2005.

“We will begin to develop strategies that focus efforts on a “housing first” philosophy,” DeVos said. “People who are homeless, whether it be young people; families with children; domestic violence victims; or the chronically homeless; need immediate housing that provides supportive services. Though a challenge, experience shows that supportive housing is a cost effective alternative to long-term emergency shelters and provides better results for individuals and families.”

MSHDA is a quasi-state agency that provides financial and technical assistance through public and private partnerships to create and preserve safe and decent affordable housing, engage in community economic development activities, and address homeless issues. MSHDA's loans and operating expenses are financed through the sale of tax-exempt and taxable bonds and notes to private investors, not from state tax revenues. For more information on MSHDA programs and initiatives, visit the Web site at www.michigan.gov/mshda.

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