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ATTACHMENT C The Denver Post "ENDING HOMELESSNESS NOT EASY, BUT DENVER HAS A PLAN" June $, 2005 Solving homelessness is not cheap, easy or basic, but it can be done. Cities across the country, including Philadelphia, San Francisco, New York and Atlanta, have made significant progress in ending homelessness by providing housing and services to help homeless people return to full participation in their communities. Denver, thanks to the leadership of Mayor John Hickenlooper and the hard work of a broad- based commission, is helping to lead this growing national effort. Our efforts are rooted in the conviction that it simply is not acceptable that 4,693 of our neighbors in the city and county of Denver currently live on the streets, under bridges, in alleyways, in cars or in shelters, while still others double up with friends or family or live in transitional housing. There are some who say ending homelessness is an impossible goal. They should visit Philadelphia, which has reduced chronic homelessness by 75 percent, or San Francisco, where they've achieved a 25 percent reduction in two years. Denver's proposed Plan to End Homelessness, presented to Mayor Hickenlooper two weeks ago, builds on the success the city has had to date and incorporates approaches from throughout the country. The commission solicited input on the plan at more than 30 community meetings, and it is currently under review by the mayor and City Council. Assuming it is approved, financing and implementing the plan will be the next major challenges for the commission and the Denver community. In October 2003, Mayor Hickenlooper created the Denver Commission to End Homelessness and directed it to create a plan for ending homelessness in 10 years. Commission members include 41 representatives from various stakeholder groups - people who are homeless and others from government, nonprofit groups, foundations, the City Council, neighborhood associations and businesses. In addition, more than 350 community volunteers participated in the planning process. The foundation of Denver's 10- year plan is a combination of housing and supportive services that will help people stay off the streets and engage in education and employment. Undergirding the plan is an investment in preventing further homelessness among Denver's families and individuals. Specifics of the plan revolve around eight core goals: 1. Develop 3,193 permanent and transitional housing units for people who are homeless and make less than $15,000 annually. This will require a combination of rental assistance, new development and support from the Denver Housing Authority. 2. Maintain and expand the city's shelter system, particularly on cold nights, until adequate housing is developed. Current data indicates that 1,453 homeless people are in need of shelter in Denver each night. The plan calls for an additional 153 shelter beds in year one. Denver also needs shelters that are open during the daytime. Page 1 of 3