Policy Overview

This will be an overview of the different policies that affect the Homeless population and the different programs that are funded by these policies. According to The National Alliance to End Homelessness website these are the different legislation areas that affect Homelessness: Federal Homelessness Appropriations, McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grants, SAMHSA Homeless Services, Section 8 voucher funding and reform, Runaway and Homeless Youth Act, Homeless Vets Legislation, and Housing Production Legislation. There is obviously a lot of different areas where the funding that is provided must go to help all the homeless. Right now the House and Senate are making the final drafts of the FY 2011 funding bill and are almost at the point of being finished. It is important for the programs dealing with Homelessness such as the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grants and the HUD program. This will be an important bill for the programs that prevent Homelessness because if there is no increase in funding for these programs then the progress already made towards ending homelessness will stop flat in its tracks. If funding remains the same as in the past then no new programs can be implemented and the ability to help the ever growing population of those that are homeless will lessen just when the need continues to grow. Over the next few weeks we will begin to explore the different types of programs and bills that are related to homelessness in more detail. Also if and when there are bills that are up for a vote in congress I will post these and tell you what you can do to help advocate.