In this month's edition of its Planning Advisory Service (PAS) spotlight, the APA looks at the ways in which different communities are addressing homelessness in their comprehensive plans, and through other types of documents.
While the housing element of a comprehensive plan is the logical, and common, place to find policies that seek to address homelessness, the APA notes that many communities are now adopting stand-alone action plans to end the persistent crisis. The APA describes the common approach found in many stand-alone plans, which are gaining in use due to increased federal support, and offer links to a number of relevant examples, from Baltimore to New Orleans and Seattle.
"The most common time horizon for
these stand-alone plans is 10 years," says the APA, "and many plans emphasize a 'housing first' approach, which provides permanent shelter as quickly
as possible. This approach is based on the belief that homeless people
are more likely to overcome their underlying problems if they are
relieved from the stress associated with lack of stable housing. Many of
the plans also focus on prevention with strategies targeted at
ensuring sufficient affordable housing and providing assistance to
people at risk of becoming homeless. With the recent economic downtown
many plans encourage collaboration to ensure efficient use of valuable
resources."
FULL STORY: You Asked. We Answered.
King County Supportive Housing Program Offers Hope for Unhoused Residents
The county is taking a ‘Housing First’ approach that prioritizes getting people into housing, then offering wraparound supportive services.
Texas Bills Could Push More People Into Homelessness
A proposal to speed up the eviction process and a bill that would accelerate enforcement of an existing camping ban could make the state’s homelessness crisis worse, advocates say.
A Decade of Progress on Homelessness in Milwaukee County
Unlike most U.S. communities, Milwaukee County has managed to make significant progress toward assisting unhoused residents through a Housing First approach.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.
Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.
Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.
MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.
Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie