tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1957537260422450632.post773847576762093348..comments2024-03-23T09:42:36.833-05:00Comments on Uptown Update: How Aldermen Are Spending $100K In No-Strings-Attached MoneyUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1957537260422450632.post-19984273535907535332022-08-29T18:53:23.756-05:002022-08-29T18:53:23.756-05:00When I was first elected in 2011, the City of Chic...When I was first elected in 2011, the City of Chicago was not yet focused on evidence-based, best practices to get people housed within a timely manner. The notion of funding social services for outcomes was in the infancy stages. The City adopted a plan to address homelessness back in 2003 and it was revised in 2012 at my urging, but my issue was that we weren't implementing many of the interventions that were outlined in the 2 reports. Then along came COVID and that shaped the way we started tackling homelessness.... we were forced to focus on outcome measures because it became a public health issue, and public health is all about gathering data to promote outcomes. <br /><br />Last June 15, I met with Mayor Lightfoot and I discussed other steps that cities across the country are already doing to get people housed more quickly, especially for those living in encampments who have traditionally been resistant to services due to a truckload of obstacles. The #1 issue was we weren't thinking like someone who felt like their only choice was to live in an encampment. It's by understanding that mindset and focusing on outliers who are the most resistant to accepting services that we're starting to make some headway. <br /><br />This is my last time to vote on the City budget, and I've already made it very clear what must happen to set us on a course where homelessness really becomes a temporary situation if it is to occur at all. There are MANY PARTS to the puzzle, but I'm convinced a public health approach will help lead the way.James Capplemanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17708259145207945900noreply@blogger.com