Steering toward home

Last night the steering committee for the Orange County Partnership to End Homelessness finalized the draft of the Orange County Ten Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness. With a few minor changes, which the staff work group will make today, it will be ready to publish and present to Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Hillsborough, and the county for adoption. This is a tremendous accomplishment. I'm proud of everyone who has taken part of it and proud to have been a part of it. Here's the vision statement:

Through the combined effort of elected officials, service providers, business leaders, government agencies, and the citizens of Orange County, chronic homelessness in Orange County will end within 10 years. Current and future efforts to serve the needs of all homeless individuals and homeless families will continue to be supported toward the goal of permanent housing.

That's a tall order, and it's going to take sustained commitment. So the work is not over. It's more like it's just beginning.