Commission to End Homelessness
The State Commission to End Homelessness is comprised of state, city and county officials, including Lt. Governor Timothy Murray, along with private-sector advocates and service providers. The 30-member Commission is co-chaired by Representative Byron Rushing and Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development Undersecretary Tina Brooks.
“The humanitarian and monetary costs of dealing with homelessness are very high, but the costs of not finding long-term solutions are even higher,” stated Governor Deval Patrick. “The Commission will help us to resolve this troubling issue by creating a coordinated system to deliver support services that will lead to permanent housing for homeless individuals and families.”
By December 30, 2007, the Commission will recommend a broad based housing plan that recognizes service needs to end homelessness in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The recommendation will include a five year budget proposal and will guide the Executive, Administrative and Legislative branches in their effort to implement a housing and support services strategy.
The recommended plan will assist the state in maximizing its ability to leverage outside resources from federal, municipal and private sources in the creation of coordinated initiatives to house and serve homeless people.
The plan will also indicate basic requirements anticipated for the future monitoring and oversight of a multi-year strategy which will initially reduce the number of people who are homeless and will ultimately end homelessness in the Commonwealth.
At the Commission’s inaugural meeting held on July 26, 2007, Representative Rushing stated, “This Commission is not going to study the problem of shelters and report on what we already know. This Commission is charged with actually developing a workable plan - which will be goal-oriented with benchmarks and timelines to end homelessness in the Commonwealth. We need to stop talking about the problem, and dealing with it piecemeal. We can actually do something about it. Massachusetts needs to end homelessness.”
For further information on the Commission to End Homelessness, including Commission updates, a Commission member listing, links to homelessness services, and a public feedback section, go to Commission to End Homelessness.
Discussion Forum (for Commission Members Only)
This information is provided by the Executive Office of Health and Human Services .