Letter: Regional plan to help homeless is realistic approach

Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2005 | 9:22 a.m.

We appreciate that the Las Vegas Sun editorial board recognized our regional homeless plan as "encouraging news" because "it strives to reach all of the area's homeless people with a variety of services provided through regional cooperation, with no illusions about ending homelessness."

The Committee on Homelessness took a comprehensive approach to addressing the problem and involved diverse interests of the community in recently completing the "Regional Homeless Services Ten Point Plan." Our plan not only targets the chronically homelessness, but it also includes efforts geared toward prevention and intervention for those who are episodically and temporarily homeless.

On Aug. 3 we issued a "request for proposals" soliciting local nonprofits and organizations to apply for the recently awarded $4 million from the state for this very approach. The prevention and intervention crisis teams will be available 24 hours a day. The intensive case management provided by these teams is geared toward those who have been on the streets the longest. The intent is to get homeless individuals and families housing as soon as possible, and match them with case managers to ensure they do not return to the streets. Wrap-around funds will be made available to these teams to ensure they have the flexibility to respond quickly.

No jurisdiction has a lock on solving this problem. But we believe that our regional plan is realistic because it does not rely on the "feel good" slogan to end chronic homelessness in 10 years. Our approach includes some best practices of other jurisdictions as well as our very own programs that are tailored to our regional needs, such as our Inclement Weather Plan for emergency weather, in which no homeless individual seeking shelter is turned away during the extreme winter and summer weather.

We are always open to improving our plan and will continue to meet monthly as county and city managers working with the state, police, nonprofits, faith-based communities, private sector and others to explore ways to address this community issue.

The Southern Nevada Regional Planning coalition's Committee on Homelessness meets monthly on every third Thursday at 2 p.m. at the North Las Vegas City Council Chambers located at 2200 Civic Center Drive. We welcome the community's attendance at the monthly meetings and their support in our plan and efforts to address the needs of our homeless citizens. The overall emphasis of the regional plan is on housing the homeless and is available for viewing at www.accessclarkcounty.com.

THOM REILLY

Editor's note: Thom Reilly is the Clark County manager and is also the chairman of the regional Committee on Homelessness.