* WARNING: THIS IS AN UNOFFICIAL, INTRODUCTORY COPY OF THE BILL.
THE OFFICIAL COPY CONSIDERED BY THE CITY COUNCIL IS THE FIRST READER COPY.
INTRODUCTORY*
CITY OF BALTIMORE
COUNCIL BILL R
(Resolution)
Introduced by: Councilmember Holton
A RESOLUTION ENTITLED
A COUNCIL RESOLUTION concerning
title
Informational Hearing - Baltimore City's Efforts to Make Homelessness a Rare and Brief Experience
FOR the purpose of calling on representatives from the City agencies engaged in the struggle against homelessness to appear before the City Council to update it on the City's efforts to make homelessness a rare and brief experience in Baltimore, and to discuss where improvements can be made in best utilizing the City's partnerships and resources to meet this goal.
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Recitals
Homelessness, and the complicated conditions that create and maintain it � poverty, a dearth of housing available to low income households, and a lack of health and supportive services � remain serious problems throughout our nation and here in Baltimore. The work to make homelessness a rare and brief experience requires constant effort and adaptation to changing conditions.
Baltimore�s efforts to aid our homeless population, estimated at more than 2600 on any given night, are multifaceted and spread among a number of City agencies and programs. The City must also work in partnership with many other government agencies on the local, State, and Federal levels, as well as with private service providers, in order to effectively address the many issues that must be considered by any attempt to combat homelessness.
Since homelessness is a persistent problem that is too often ignored, it is important that the Council make every effort to keep it at the forefront of decision makers minds. With too few resources allocated to this complicated issue, it is vitally important to ensure that all of those resources are being employed in the most effective way possible.
Homelessness is a problem that requires constant engagement, cooperative efforts amongst many stakeholders, and a focused approach to making use of scant resources where they can do the most good. Periodic discussions about how well the City�s approach meets these principles, and where improvements can be made, are essential if Baltimore is ever to achieve its goal of making homelessness a rare and brief experience.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF BALTIMORE, That the Council calls on representatives from the City agencies engaged in the struggle against homelessness to appear before it to update the Council on the City�s efforts to make homelessness a rare and brief experience in Baltimore, and to discuss where improvements can be made in best utilizing the City�s partnerships and resources to meet this goal.
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be sent to the Mayor, the Director of the Mayor�s Office of Human Services, the Executive Director of the Journey Home, the Health Commissioner, the President and CEO of Health Care for the Homeless, Associated Catholic Charities, and the Mayor�s Legislative Liaison to the City Council.
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