NE Ohio Times

Cuyahoga County's Office of Reentry, in collaboration with key stakeholders from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), is creating an action plan aimed at tackling housing challenges for formerly incarcerated individuals and reducing homelessness. 

This initiative reflects a vital effort to address the housing needs of this demographic and will be announcing the plan on October 13th. According to a press release from the county, the Housing Justice Plan will consist of eight action items and long-term objectives geared toward reducing the cycle of incarceration, homelessness, and hospitals that members of the community might be struggling with.

The Office of Reentry in Cuyahoga County is preparing to unveil an action plan in collaboration with partners to address housing challenges faced by formerly incarcerated individuals, with a focus on reducing homelessness. This plan includes eight action items and long-term objectives. Key figures, including Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne and representatives from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), will speak at the release event, where recommendations from the Office of Reentry will be integrated into the county's broader housing plan managed by the Department of Housing and Community Development.

Cuyahoga County's Office of Reentry is set to introduce an action plan, in partnership with various stakeholders, to address housing issues for formerly incarcerated individuals with the goal of reducing homelessness, with key figures such as Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne and representatives from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) participating in the release event.

The Office of Homeless Services (OHS) serves as the lead agency for the Cleveland/Cuyahoga County Continuum of Care (CoC), aligning local efforts to address and eliminate homelessness, drawing guidance from the HEARTH Act and the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness’ strategic plan. OHS, in conjunction with the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and other federal partners, focuses on ensuring that homelessness becomes rare, brief, and non-reoccurring. To meet HEARTH Act requirements, CoCs must establish a systematic response to homelessness, involving the development of a Coordinated Entry System, offering immediate shelter if necessary, promoting low-barrier shelter and program requirements, and emphasizing a "housing first" approach with swift solutions for homelessness. Additionally, OHS oversees the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS), tracking demographic and outcome data for individuals assisted with federal homeless assistance grant funds, complying with HUD's defined data elements and reporting formats.

The "Home, Together" plan is a comprehensive approach to ending homelessness in the United States, recognizing that safe and stable housing is the ultimate solution. This initiative involves various partners at federal, state, and local levels, with a shared objective to not only eliminate homelessness but also to target specific populations. These include veterans, individuals with disabilities, families with children, unaccompanied youth, and all other individuals experiencing homelessness. The plan emphasizes that local communities will set their own ambitious goals based on their unique conditions and available resources.

The cornerstone for success relies on a vision where homelessness is rare, brief, and non-reoccurring. Every community is encouraged to establish a systemic response, which includes rapid identification of those at risk or experiencing homelessness and immediate access to shelter and crisis services without barriers. Furthermore, individuals experiencing homelessness should swiftly connect to housing assistance tailored to their unique needs and strengths, facilitating stable housing. The plan incorporates qualitative criteria and quantitative benchmarks to assess local systems, measuring their effectiveness in reaching these goals.

In addition, the plan outlines specific objectives to ensure homelessness becomes a rare, brief, and one-time experience. This includes building lasting systems to end homelessness, increasing capacity to prevent housing crises, identifying and engaging people experiencing homelessness quickly, providing immediate access to shelter, and connecting individuals to permanent housing with appropriate services. It also emphasizes the need to prevent returns to homelessness and sustain practices and systems for future needs. The plan addresses areas of increased focus, such as affordable housing opportunities, prevention and diversion practices, solutions for unsheltered homelessness, strategies tailored to rural communities, employment assistance for those exiting homelessness, and the importance of learning from individuals with lived experience. Progress will be measured using various performance indicators, including Point-in-Time counts and the achievement of population-specific goals.