By Eugene T. Lowe
February 3, 2003

Boston Mayor and Conference of Mayors President Thomas M. Menino opened up the National Housing Agenda Plenary on January 23 at the 71st Winter Meeting with a brief report on the progress of the top issue of his presidency. He reminded the mayors of the National Housing Forum held last May when more than 140 housing experts and mayors came together in Washington (DC) to focus on five central challenges to affordable housing: rental housing, homeownership, public housing, special needs, and preservation. In June, the housing recommendations developed at the May meeting were finalized. Mayor Menino said further: "Since that time, I have had the opportunity to share our policy platform with groups in Connecticut, North Carolina and California, as well as in interviews with numerous media outlets."

San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown, Jr., Chair of the Conference of Mayors Steering Committee on Community Development and Housing, was the first housing plenary speaker. He told the mayors that housing was one way to address the economic shortfalls that are now facing many cities. He said: "During the development of our National Housing Agenda, we called for a new housing production program that would not only provide decent and safe housing, but also provide a needed stimulus for our economy." Mayor Brown added: This issue — increased federal investment in housing as part of economic security and job creation — is one of several that the Community Development and Housing Committee will push over the next several months."

Nashville Mayor Bill Purcell, Chair of the Conference of Mayors Task Force on Hunger and Homelessness then presented some of the findings of the "2002 Survey on Hunger and Homelessness in America's Cities." Mayor Purcell said that "in 2002, as in every year that we have conducted the survey, overall demand for both emergency food and shelter increased."

Some of the points he highlighted were:

• The demand for food increased in all of the survey cities. This is the first time that this has happened in the 18th year history of the survey. We have been close to having every city with increased demand for food, but never has every city reported an increase until this year.
• Cities are also facing a challenge with the demand for shelter. More cities reported an increase demand for shelter than has been reported over the last 10 years.
• Most importantly, the survey found that requests for emergency food increased this year by an average of 19 percent, which is less than last year's increase, but still very significant. In fact, 19 percent is the second highest increase since 1991. As I have stated, this average increase in based on a reported increase in all of the survey cities.
• This year, 16 percent of the requests for food are estimated to have gone unmet with 32 percent of the cities saying that they may have to turn people away in need because of a lack of resources.
• Driving the increased food problems are high housing costs, low-paying jobs, unemployment and other employment-related problems, economic downturn or weakening of the economy, medical or health costs, homelessness, poverty or lack of income, substance abuse, reduced public benefits, child care costs, mental health problems, and limited life skills.
• Requests for emergency shelter increased by an average of 19 percent in 2002, the largest increase in 12 years. Eighty-eight percent of the cities — again, the largest in 10 years reported that the demand increased.
• An average of 30 percent of the demand for emergency shelter went unmet, the second highest reported in the history of the survey. In 56 percent of the survey cities shelters may have to turn people away.
• Causes of homelessness are diverse and complex. This year, lack of affordable housing was identified as the primary cause of homelessness. Other causes include: mental illness and the lack of needed services, substance abuse and the lack of needed services, and low-paying jobs.
• All of the survey cities expect demand for emergency food and shelter to increase in the year ahead. Nearly all of the cities also expect the requests for food and shelter to increase for families with children.

"City officials are generally pessimistic about the nation's weak economy, and all agree that it will continue to have a negative impact on the problems of hunger and homelessness, Mayor Purcell said.

Philip F. Mangano, Director of the Interagency Council on Homelessness told the mayors that cities must have a plan to end homelessness. He cited Boston, Indianapolis, Memphis, and most recently Chicago, as cities with 10 year plans to end homelessness. Mr. Mangano said: "Homelessness will not go away on its own. With new technology, it is naive to not have a plan."

The reason cities are developing plans, according to Mr. Mangano, is new research which finds that most homeless people move out of the condition on their own. Ten percent of the homeless, however, are chronic and account for one-half of the expenditures on homelessness. Mr. Mangano said that "we have new technologies to keep people off the streets." One of these is a housing first policy. Ninety percent of those who are housed "stay in that housing." Another is the appointment of 10 regionally based homeless specialists across the country that will help cities. "We are not managing the problem, we want to abolish it, Mr. Mangano said.

The Interagency Homelessness Director concluded his remarks with an announcement that the 100 largest cities are being asked to designate a person to be a point of contact on homelessness. Mr. Mangano said that mayors whose cities are not one of the 100 largest can still participate by calling and making such a request at 202-708-3601.