Federal agencies steer money to homeless

By Timothy Pratt (contact)

Monday, Feb. 3, 2003 | 9:36 a.m.

The federal government is shifting its focus in combatting homelessness, according to a funding announcement.

The announcement made last week includes news of three federal agencies working together to direct a total of $35 million at helping the so-called chronically homeless.

Directing funds to those who are most visible on the streets of any city or town across the nation comes from the Bush administration's goal of ending chronic homelessness within a decade, said Brian Sullivan, spokesman for the Housing and Development Department, one of the three agencies involved.

This represents a new approach, said the man in charge of the office coordinating the three agencies.

"What we do today will make a difference on the streets of our nation and create a new standard of expectation for homelessness," said Philip Mangano, executive director for the Interagency Council on Homelessness, the federal office overseeing the effort.

But local and national advocates and shelter officials were lukewarm in their responses to the announcement.

"Having these agencies coming together to address homelessness is positive," said Donald Whitehead, executive director for the National Coalition for the Homeless, the nation's oldest homeless advocacy group.

"We think it's not a lot of resources, however ... and the money should be used for more comprehensive services."

The funds include $20 million from HUD, $10 million from the Health and Human Services Department and $5 million from the Veterans Administration. They are intended to provide services ranging from permanent housing to health care.

Organizations across the nation can download applications to apply for the funds until April 4 from the Interagency Council's website.

Linda Lera-Randle El, director of a Las Vegas nonprofit called Straight from the Streets, said that such announcements often lead to shifts in care based more on trying to get funds than on analysis of what is needed.

"Now you'll see that everybody will be working to deal with the chronically homeless, instead of families or women or something else -- whatever's popular in Washington," Lera-Randle El said.

William Raihl, the top official at the Salvation Army since July 2002, said his agency doesn't chase money for its own sake.

"What we would do is expand existing programs to help this population," Raihl said. The official said adding caseworkers to help the chronically homeless would be a good use of any federal funds.

"But to make up a program to go after funds is foolish. The funds aren't going to last forever and you end up maintaining infrastructure instead of addressing a problem."

The announcement said research shows the chronically homeless make up about 10 percent of the homeless population and accounts for almost half of the funds used to combat homelessness.

"In one aspect, I'm disappointed to see that they receive the bulk of the resources because they're the hardest to help," Raihl said.

"But on the other hand, you have to deal with the chronically homeless, otherwise they become health hazards to the community or responsible for increased crime or drug abuse."

Whitehead, of the National Coalition for the Homeless, said that focusing only on those who are homeless for the longest time may be a mistake.

"The (announcement) fails to mention that the largest-growing section of the homeless population are women and children," he said.

"The thing is not just to address the population that's visible to America, but helping the families that are living doubled up and under bridges to get out of homelessness."