Partnership for Strong Communities Releases Legislative Agenda
The Partnership for Strong Communities, which staffs the Reaching Home Campaign, has released its 2010 state legislative priorities. The Partnership will be requesting that the legislature create new cost effective supportive housing for frequent users of expensive state services. This approach will house households immediately and result in savings in the current budget cycle. Read a fact sheet on this priority here.

The Partnership is also urging the legislature to preserve the state Rental Assistance Program, which is vital for preventing and ending homelessness and/or institutionalization for people with disabilities.

- For full details read the Partnership's 2010 state legislative agenda sheet.

Do You Know Potential Supportive Housing Award Winners?
Do you know anyone like Cheryl or Kim, 2009 Supportive Housing Award Winners? We're looking for 2010 Supportive Housing Award winners - nominate someone today!

Cheryl Dingwell is described by those who know her at the Brick Row Apartments as a "positive guiding light." Just a few years ago, Cheryl was homeless. She had difficulty accessing medical care and her health was spiraling downwards. Supportive housing changed that, and gave Cheryl the opportunity to shine. Read more about Cheryl here.

Kim Streater, a resident at Ferry Mutual Housing in New Haven, has become a leader in her community since moving into supportive housing with her six children four years ago. She has taken on new leadership roles, including starting a Women's Support Group and a Block Watch. Read more about Kim here.

The 2010 Supportive Housing Awards will be given in three categories: the Janice Elliott Supportive Housing Tenant Award, the Supportive Housing Partner Award, and the Rev. Richard Schuster Supportive Housing Advocacy Award.

- Nominate someone for this year's awards today at www.ctreachinghome.org/awards

State Updates

Supportive Housing Needed in Plan for Possible Hospital Closure
Kate Kelly, Reaching Home Campaign Manager, testified at the Legislative Office Building at a hearing held by the Office of Healthcare Access on the potential closure of Cedar Ridge. In her testimony, she urged that Cedar Ridge Hospital not be closed without ensuring available appropriate community care including permanent supportive housing.

- Read Kate Kelly's testimony here.

New Fact Sheet: Supportive Housing Ending Homelessness for Veterans in CT
Reaching Home's new fact sheet highlights how supportive housing works to end homelessness for veterans in Connecticut. Almost 300 supportive housing units in the state, both developed and in the pipeline, are dedicated to veterans. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that in 2008, 800 veterans experienced homelessness in CT.

- Read the fact sheet here.

Federal Updates

Lieberman and Dodd Sign On To Letters Requesting $1 Billion for Housing Trust Fund
Last week, Senator Lieberman signed onto Senator Merkley's (D-OR) letter to President Obama requesting that the FY 2011 budget include $1 Billion for the National Housing Trust Fund (NHTF), the expansion of funding for new Section 8 Housing Vouchers and the preservation of existing low income housing. Read Senator Merkley's letter here.

Also last week, Senator Dodd joined 25 senators in signing onto a letter urging Senate leaders to include $1 billion for the NHTF in any jobs legislation that the Senate considers. The letter also requested that an additional $65 million be made available for project-based vouchers to be coupled with NHTF grants. The draft proposal by Senate leaders for the jobs legislation is expected to be made public shortly. Learn more and read the letter here.

Funding the NHTF at $1 billion would help prevent homelessness and preserve affordable housing for many low-income households in desperate need of housing they can afford.

Dodd Recommends Robust Budget for Housing in Letter to Obama
Last week, Senator Chris Dodd and other Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs committee members wrote a letter to President Obama requesting a robust budget for housing and community development programs in the FY 2011 budget. Among its recommendations, the letter requests that the President's budget include fully funding existing rental housing assistance programs and all HUD programs for housing for people with special needs.

- Read the letter here.

National Alliance Kicks Off McKinney Appropriations Campaign February 2
Next week, the National Alliance to End Homelessness will kick off a McKinney Appropriations campaign to urge Congress to include $2.4 billion for McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grants in FY 2011. Funding at the $2.4 billion level by Congress is critical to funding new supportive housing, and rapid rehousing. On Tuesday, February 2, advocates are encouraged to join a national letter writing contest to fax and email letters to our Congressional delegation about an increase McKinney funding.

- For more details about the letter writing contest, click here.

- For full details about the McKinney Appropriations Campaign, click here.

CSH Evaluates Health Reform Provisions
The Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH) recently prepared a summary of key health reform provisions for homeless populations. The House and Senate are working on merging their health reform proposals. Providing and improving health services to those who are homeless is necessary to help them stabilize their lives through housing.

- Click here to read the summary of key provisions.

National Conference Call on President's FY 2011 Budget February 2
On Tuesday, February 2, 2010 from 3:00 to 3:00 p.m., the National Alliance to End Homelessness will host a webinar on the President's fiscal year 2011 budget. The call will provide an overview of the budget process and the Administration's proposed funding levels for federal low-income housing and homelessness programs.

- To register for the webinar, click here.

Other Announcements

2010 Housing Policy Series Kicked Off January 27
College presidents, mayors, bio- and high-tech CEOs, economists, hospital executives, young workers and professionals, regionalism experts, developers and many others converged on The Lyceum Resource and Conference Center January 27 for "Housing and The Workforce." It was the first of five events in the 2010 Lyceum Forum Series, "Housing: The Hub of Public Policy."

Following on the success of the 2009 series, the five forums will look at the ability of housing policy solutions to help solve problems related to transportation, the environment, housing plus services, education, healthcare and other important policy areas.

- For more information visit www.housingpolicy2010.org.

Middlesex Coalition on Housing and Homelessness to Host Legislative Breakfast February 2
The Middlesex Coalition on Housing and Homelessness will host a legislative breakfast on Tuesday, February 2 from 8:15 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. at DeKoven House, 27 Washington Street, Middletown. The event will focus on progress towards ending homelessness in Middlesex County and supportive and affordable housing.

- See a flyer with more information here.

Middletown Housing Authority Opens Section 8 Waiting List February 17
The Middletown Housing Authority will open its waiting lists for the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program, which provides rent assistance for very low-income households. Interested applicants must apply by mail through a pre-application postmarked by Wednesday, February 17, 2010 and received by Wednesday, February 24, 2010. 350 Pre-applications will be drawn at random on Thursday, February 25.

- Click here for full details and the pre-application.

United Way of CT Launches New Housing Choice Voucher Website
The United Way of Connecticut launched its new website to provide information on open housing choice voucher waiting lists throughout Connecticut. The site is located at: http://www.cthousingchoice.org. If you are interested in receiving notifications about housing choice voucher waiting lists, register on the new site. Dial 2-1-1 with any questions.

SHNNY Releases Videos on Supportive Housing and Neighborhoods
The Supportive Housing Network of New York features two videos on its website that show neighbors of supportive housing developments and community leaders speaking positively about the development's impacts on the community. The videos can be helpful for advocates here in Connecticut who are in the process of finding sites to develop supportive housing.

- To see the videos, visit www.shnny.org.