HUD and the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) have launched a new initiative, “Dedicating Opportunities to End Homelessness.”

The initiative focuses on 10 HUD-identified priority communities: Atlanta, Chicago, Fresno, Houston, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Seattle and Tampa. It intends to help them “align and supplement existing plans that address homelessness.” In addition, the target communities use a new “Strategic Planning Guide,” an analytic tool to help estimate housing needs associated with meeting the goals established in Opening Doors, the federal strategic plan to prevent and end homelessness (see Memo, 6/25/10).

At the federal level, the initiative is comprised of representatives from USICH and HUD’s offices of Field Policy and Management, Community Planning and Development, Public and Indian Housing, Multifamily Housing and Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. However, HUD and USICH emphasize that local plans will be community-driven and engage a broad array of community leaders involved in local efforts to prevent and end homelessness.

HUD and USICH anticipate implementing the initiative quickly, and expect that local stakeholder meetings will occur in the priority communities within the next month. HUD and USICH ask that stakeholders in relevant communities who would like to be connected to the effort contact their HUD field office or USICH regional coordinator.

Click here for the USICH regional coordinator contact information.

Click here for the HUD field office contact information.