CivicCon live: Learn from the source how the U.S. plans to end homelessness
The federal government has unveiled a plan to reduce homelessness in America by 25% by 2025 and budgeted more than $3 billion toward programs to make it happen.
On May 9, a national expert on homelessness will be in Pensacola discussing how our community can be part of the solution.
More on Joe Savage: There's a plan to end homelessness and billions for communities that buy in. How it works.
Last time at CivicCon: What did walkability expert find in Pensacola? A marvelous canvas and a brutally ugly street.
Savage is the Interagency Council on Homelessness senior regional advisor for 14 states in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern portion of the U.S. Savage has over 15 years of experience in the fields of homelessness, social policy, economic development and human services administration.
During his visit to Pensacola he will be discussing All In: The Federal Strategic Plan to End Homelessness. The plan is built around six pillars: three "foundations" of equity, data and evidence, and collaboration; and three "solutions" of housing and supports, crisis response and prevention.
"The key overarching concept that I want communities to really remember and take away from the strategic plan, as well as what my presentation will talk about, is that it takes an all-of-community approach (to end homelessness)," Savage said.
The strategic plan was developed with the collective input from 19 federal agencies — with agencies ranging from the departments of Housing and Urban Development, Agriculture, Commerce, and Health and Human Services, to the U.S. Postal Service all participating.
Joe N. Savage Jr., will be presenting at CivicCon on Tuesday from 6-7:30 p.m. at the REX Theatre in downtown Pensacola, 18 N. Palafox St.
Savage stressed it takes a similar level of collaboration at the local level to permanently move the needle on homelessness.
"You need the local government at the table. You need the nonprofits, you need the faith-based entities at the table," Savage said. "You need the justice system, as well as the child welfare system, even the health care system. All of these entities need to be at the table. So the core concept that All In is about, is an all of community approach to preventing and ending homelessness."
In Fiscal Year 2023, the federal budget included $9.7 billion in targeted funding to address issues around homelessness, according to data from the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness. A Fiscal Year 2024 budget proposed by President Joe Biden includes $10.3 billion for initiatives targeted at ending and preventing homelessness.
As the federal government approves grants and other funding at local levels, it will prioritize communities following the All In plan roadmap.
At 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, Savage is scheduled to present at a joint workshop of the Pensacola City Council and the Escambia County Board of Commissioners at Bayview Community Center, 2000 E. Lloyd Street, as arranged by Mayor D.C. Reeves.
"So, the better Pensacola is aligned with our federal priorities that are shown in All In, the better position Pensacola will be to get maximum funding from the federal government," Savage said.
Pensacola's homelessness picture: Hundreds of homeless find refuge in Brent. Many of the 200 campsites came from I-110 camp.
Registration for the event is available by searching "CivicCon" at eventbrite.com. People can submit a question for Savage during registration, or by emailing it directly to the event moderator at LNelless@gannett.com.
Savage's presentation will also be livestreamed at the News Journal's Facebook page and at pnj.com.
CivicCon is a nonprofit partnership with the Pensacola News Journal to make Pensacola a better place to live, grow work and invest. To learn more visit pnj.com/civiccon.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Pensacola CivicCon event on homelessness features Joe Savage
