Local Mayors prepare for Homelessness Summit

The municipalities of the City of Charleston, North Charleston, Mount Pleasant and Summerville are hosting a homelessness summit entitled “House Charleston.” The event will be held in the auditorium of the Charleston County Public Library located at 68 Calhoun Street on Thursday, October 13, 2016 at 9:30 a.m.

The purpose of the Summit is to enhance the public’s understanding of homelessness and how our community can successfully implement the Housing First Model in the Lowcountry. Housing First is a proven method of ending homelessness with the goal of offering individuals and families immediate access to permanent affordable or supportive housing.

Will Connelly, Director of the Metropolitan Homeless Commission, will be the keynote speaker. His commission successfully implemented the Housing First Model in Nashville, TN with the assistance of collaborative partners. Regina Cannon, Senior Consultant for the Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH Solutions), and Anthony Haro, Executive Director of the Lowcountry Homeless Coalition (LHC), will present an in-depth analysis of the current state of homelessness in the Lowcountry.

Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg, North Charleston Mayor Keith Summey, Mount Pleasant Mayor Linda Page and Summerville Mayor Wiley Johnson will be in attendance to announce the nominees for the new Mayors’ Commission on Homelessness and Affordable Housing. The Commission will serve as an advocacy group with the mission of ensuring the availability of safe, affordable housing and services for homeless citizens.

Panel discussions will allow for open dialogue and the sharing of ideas, experiences related to housing the unhoused, the economic effects of homelessness, and the efforts to enlist current property owners in the fight toward eradicating homelessness.

Participants will include public and private sector representatives, elected officials, homelessness industry professionals, healthcare professionals and community advocates. The public is invited to attend and must register in advance.

For more information on the House Charleston Summit, please contact Ty Bailey at (843) 720-3836 or visit http://www.eventbrite.com/e/house-charleston-tickets-27584366583 to register.

House Charleston is a subcommittee of the Mayors’ Commission on Homelessness and Affordable Housing.  The Commission is an advocacy group whose mission is “to ensure safe, decent, affordable housing and services for homeless, at-risk of becoming homeless and low-income citizens of Charleston and to ensure the services they need are available so that they can achieve their potential.” 

HUD’s mission is to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all. HUD is working to strengthen the housing market to bolster the economy and protect consumers; meet the need for quality affordable rental homes: utilize housing as a platform for improving quality of life; build inclusive and sustainable communities free from discrimination; and transform the way HUD does business. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet at www.hud.gov and espanol.hud.gov.