SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) – The Heartland Continuum of Care is launching a community-wide strategic planning process to address homelessness across the Greater Springfield Area.
In partnership with Homebase and LathanHarris, Inc., HCoC will put together an 18-month planning process to develop durable community consensus around developing a strategic plan, a community education plan, and implementation support.
The strategic planning process, totaling $160,000, is being funded by the City of Springfield, Community Foundation for the Land of Lincoln, Memorial Hospital, HSHS St. John's Hospital, Sangamon County, Springfield Housing Authority, SIU School of Medicine, and United Way of Central Illinois.
"Homelessness is a complex challenge, but it is solvable," said HCoC Coordinator Josh Sabo. "Together, we can create a community where the experience of homelessness is rare, brief, and nonrecurring. This process is about much more than the development of a plan; it is about helping our community unify around best practices and equitable action to ensure those experiencing homelessness have access to the housing and supportive sources needed to end homelessness."
Homebase is a nationally recognized expert on homelessness and a skilled technical assistance provider with extensive experience facilitating multi-sector strategic planning processes.
For over 30 years, the California-based firm has helped communities across the United States end homelessness and reduce poverty.
The organization works hand-in-hand with providers and diverse stakeholders to identify barriers and resources, refine ideas and design scalable, meaningful, long-term solutions.
LathanHarris, Inc. is located in Ward 3 of the City of Springfield and has extensive experience developing and sustaining culturally appropriate initiatives and programs designed to improve the health and welfare of marginalized and vulnerable communities.
LHI's public health, equity, and local expertise will help ensure this process engages the entire community. The announcement of the strategic planning process comes on the heels of the Community Foundation's rollout of The Next 10 priority projects that local citizens have identified as vital to the wellbeing of everyone in the community.
A draft of the strategic planning process will be released by the end of 2021.
