House America is a federal effort, led by HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge, in which HUD and USICH are inviting mayors, county leaders, Tribal national leaders, and governors into a national partnership to use the investments provided through the American Rescue Plan to address homelessness through a Housing First approach. The initiative’s goals are to re-house at least 100,000 people experiencing homelessness and add at least 20,000 new units of affordable housing into the development pipeline by December 31, 2022. To participate, each local leader must publicly commit to their community’s individual goals for the effort.
The National Alliance to End Homelessness encourages those working in the homeless services sector to please urge their mayors, county leaders, Tribal national leaders, and governors to join the House America effort by visiting HUD’s House America web page: https://www.hud.gov/house_america/get_involved
“If your local leaders are not yet signed up to the House America effort, please get them on board,” said Nan Roman, President & CEO of the National Alliance to End Homelessness. “This will make it easier for you to take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to end homelessness for the greatest number of people in your community.”
Roman noted that despite the opportunities at hand, each community will still need to be strategic and disciplined in this effort.
“The funds available through COVID-19 relief legislation can make a major difference, but only if we focus our efforts on those who are literally homeless,” she said. “That includes prioritizing people who are unsheltered; those who have been in shelter the longest; those who are chronically homeless; and people experiencing homelessness who are pregnant or in families with small children, or those who are over the age of fifty-five. This truly is an opportunity to help those with the highest needs.”