HUD Secretary Mel Martinez is reactivating a federal council that will coordinate the activities of 15 agencies as part of a comprehensive effort to improve the delivery of federal services to homeless individuals and families.
In his speech to the annual conference of the National Alliance to End Homelessness, Martinez announced that the Interagency Council on the Homeless will meet for the first time in five years. As the HUD Secretary, Martinez will chair the Council. "It's time we reawaken this invaluable tool and put it back to work," Martinez said. "Our goal is to make federal programs that help the homeless more responsive to the people they are designed to serve." Congress established the Council in 1987 to help streamline the government's approach to homelessness by coordinating the multiple efforts of federal agencies and other designated groups. In addition, Martinez said that HUD will launch four steps to further refine and improve the Department's approach to serving the homeless.
Thanks to Abhijeet Chavan
FULL STORY: HUD 01-070

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