Homeless database may be in jeopardy

By Timothy Pratt (contact)

Tuesday, June 11, 2002 | 9:47 a.m.

A database that could better direct services to the homeless has been put on a short list of grants for federal funds, but with a greatly reduced price tag.

The result, say the project's authors and local shelters, is that the database may not live to see the light of day at all.

The idea for the project -- named Homeless Management Information System -- came out of the Southern Nevada Homeless Coalition, an umbrella group of more than 70 private and public agencies that work with the homeless.

Designed for eliminating duplication of services, gathering data on mental illness, addictions and other issues important to homeless policy-making and generally improving services, the proposal originally sought $405,482 for a three-year project.

But the committee that puts together the grant package from different homeless shelters and other agencies recommended it at $189,706 for one year, citing the need to support other projects that offered services directly to the homeless, said Shawna Parker, an analyst with Clark County Community Resources Management who advises the committee.

"What are we going to do now?" said Pamela Gallion, survey manager for the Cannon Center for Surveys and Research at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, the center chosen as the site for the database.

"All we can do is hope that the project is funded for a year, and then see where more funds could be found."

But Parker said that if another source of funding for the project isn't found before the June 19 deadline for sending the grants to the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the proposal may have to be cut from the list. A little over $3 million is being sought for seven projects all told.

A possible source of support are the shelters that would use the database -- nine in its first year, according to the proposal. The largest among them are the Salvation Army, Catholic Charities and Shade Tree. All nine will be at a Homeless Coalition meeting today at which the issue will be discussed.

"While the idea is a good one, we don't think we could help seek funding for it," Gary Zielinski, finance director for the Salvation Army, said.

"We're already scurrying to find funding to continue whatever projects we're doing right now."

Catholic Charities could not be reached and Shade Tree would not comment on the proposal.

Parker said that the federal government mandated last year that agencies receiving HUD funds have to develop some kind of database by 2004, and the project proposed would be a way to get all area agencies on board at once.

Linda Lera Randle-El, director of a homeless outreach program called Straight from the Streets, said a database has been discussed among Southern Nevada's homeless agencies for at least three years.

"It's a way to eliminate the sort of situation where you have a guy being sent from one agency to another because no one has all the information about how to help in a given case," she said.

"This could only help the homeless. It would be a shame if it doesn't get off the ground due to a lack of funding."