United States Interagency Council on Homelessness
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| United States Interagency Council on Homelessness | |
|---|---|
| Name | United States Interagency Council on Homelessness |
| Formed | 1987 |
| Jurisdiction | United States |
| Headquarters | Washington, D.C. |
| Chief1 name | Vacant / Executive Director |
| Parent agency | Executive Office of the President |
United States Interagency Council on Homelessness is a federal entity established to coordinate the response of the United States federal government to homelessness in the United States, bringing together officials from multiple departments and agencies to develop policy, measure outcomes, and advance best practices. The Council operates at the intersection of federal policy and local implementation, engaging with municipal governments such as New York City, Los Angeles, and Seattle as well as non-governmental organizations like National Alliance to End Homelessness, Corporation for Supportive Housing, and the Federal Home Loan Banks. It has worked alongside landmark legislation and initiatives including the McKinney–Vento Homeless Assistance Act, the Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing Act of 2009, and federal agencies such as the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of Veterans Affairs, and Department of Health and Human Services.
History
The Council was created by the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act amendments passed in 1987 and began operating during the administration of Ronald Reagan, reflecting rising public attention to the visibility of homelessness in cities like San Francisco and Washington, D.C.. Early work drew on research from institutions such as the Urban Institute, Brookings Institution, and advocacy from groups like Coalition for the Homeless (New York City) and National Coalition for the Homeless. During the administrations of Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden, the Council’s priorities shifted in response to events including the Great Recession, the expansion of Housing First models informed by work in Salt Lake City and Utah, and the COVID‑19 pandemic response coordinated with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance. The evolution of the Council has been shaped by judicial decisions, Congressional appropriations debates, and federal strategic plans produced in collaboration with academic partners such as Columbia University and Harvard Kennedy School.
Organization and Leadership
Statutorily, the Council convenes Cabinet-level members from agencies including Department of Labor, Department of Justice, Department of Education, Department of Veterans Affairs, and Health Resources and Services Administration. The Executive Director reports to the President through the Executive Office of the President and works with a professional staff drawn from agency detailees, policy analysts, and practitioners from organizations such as National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty and American Public Health Association. Leadership has included political appointees and career public servants with backgrounds in social services, housing finance, and public health; notable collaborations have involved officials from HUD Exchange teams, Veterans Health Administration program offices, and municipal leaders from Chicago and Portland, Oregon. The Council also convenes advisory groups comprising representatives from State of California, State of New York, tribal governments like the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, and philanthropic partners including The Rockefeller Foundation and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
Mission and Strategic Plans
The Council’s mission emphasizes preventing and ending homelessness through cross-sector coordination, data-driven practices, and scaling evidence-based interventions such as Rapid Re-Housing, Permanent Supportive Housing, and Housing First. Strategic plans issued by the Council set measurable goals aligned with national priorities, referencing metrics from the Point-in-Time Count and the Consolidated Plan processes used by Public Housing Authorities. Plans have integrated clinical models promoted by Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and employment supports linked to Department of Labor workforce programs. Strategic frameworks typically cite partnerships with research centers like RAND Corporation and standards developed by organizations including National Alliance to End Homelessness.
Programs and Initiatives
The Council has supported initiatives targeting specific populations such as veterans, families, youth, and individuals experiencing chronic homelessness. Programs include coordination of the federal response to veteran homelessness with the Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) program, alignment with Head Start and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families for families, and collaboration with Runaway and Homeless Youth Program grantees. Initiatives have promoted best practices through technical assistance, pilot projects in jurisdictions like Houston and Phoenix, and campaigns to align Medicaid funding with supportive housing services in partnership with Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Funding and Budget
While the Council does not typically hold large direct funding streams, it influences allocation of resources across agencies including Department of Housing and Urban Development McKinney–Vento programs, Community Development Block Grant allocations managed by Department of Housing and Urban Development, Veterans Affairs subsidies, and competitive grant programs administered by Corporation for National and Community Service and Office of Community Services. The Council’s budget and staff resources are appropriated through executive and congressional processes and are often augmented by interagency detail agreements and philanthropic grants from organizations like Open Society Foundations.
Interagency Coordination and Partnerships
A core function is convening interagency working groups that include representatives from Internal Revenue Service (for housing tax credit coordination), Federal Emergency Management Agency (for disaster-related homelessness), and Indian Health Service (for tribal homelessness). The Council fosters partnerships with municipal governments, state agencies, philanthropic entities such as United Way Worldwide, and academic centers including Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health to translate federal policy into local practice. Coalitions of advocates such as National Low Income Housing Coalition and Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights have engaged the Council to address regulatory and systemic barriers.
Impact, Evaluation, and Criticism
Evaluations by independent researchers at Urban Institute, GAO (Government Accountability Office), and Congressional Research Service have documented reductions in veteran homelessness in several communities and highlighted effective practices like Housing First. Criticisms include concerns about data quality in the Point-in-Time Count, limits of federal reach in addressing affordable housing shortages driven by private market dynamics in cities like San Francisco and Boston, and debates over prioritization of resources among populations. Civil rights advocates such as ACLU and homelessness service providers have at times criticized policy shifts and funding decisions, arguing for greater emphasis on structural solutions and permanent affordable housing production.