FALL 2010
Homecoming 2010: Honoring Achievements in Ending Chronic Homelessness
On Monday, September 20, the Massachusetts Housing and Shelter Alliance (MHSA) hosted Homecoming 2010: Honoring Achievements in Ending Chronic Homelessness at The Beechwood Hotel in Worcester.
Click here to view event photos.
More than 140 public officials, executive directors, funders and concerned citizens joined MHSA in honoring Lieutenant Governor Timothy P. Murray, Lowell City Manager Bernard F. Lynch of the Merrimack Valley Regional Network, Department of Mental Health Area Housing Coordinator David Modzelewski of the Western Massachusetts Network and Worcester City Manager Michael V. O’Brien of the Worcester County Regional Network. Click here to read awardee biographies.
MHSA Board Member Jim Cuddy and Advocate Joe Timilty emceed the event.
Click here to watch Lt. Gov. Murray (above) receive the William Lloyd Garrison Partner in Abolitionism Award. Lynch, Modzelewski and O’Brien received MHSA Public Innovator Awards. Visit MHSA’s YouTube Channel to view all the awardee remarks!
The event recognized and celebrated Lieutenant Governor Murray’s leadership of the Massachusetts Interagency Council on Housing and Homelessness and the successful efforts of the Regional Networks to End Homelessness to provide permanent housing with supportive services to chronically homeless individuals. Since September 2009, these networks have placed 215 formerly chronically homeless people into permanent housing with a residential stability rate of 96 percent.
Pictured, left to right: Worcester Mayor Joe O'Brien, Department of Mental Health Area Housing Coordinator David Modzelewski of the Western Massachusetts Network, Lieutenant Governor Timothy P. Murray, Worcester City Manager Michael V. O’Brien of the Worcester County Regional Network and Lowell City Manager Bernard F. Lynch of the Merrimack Valley Regional Network.
Of the networks that were represented at Homecoming 2010, the Western Massachusetts Network has placed 22 individuals in housing, the Worcester County Regional Network has placed 24, and the Merrimack Valley Network, including the cities of Haverhill, Lawrence and Lowell, has placed a combined 107 formerly chronically homeless individuals in housing.
Initial evaluation by MHSA shows a sharp decrease in emergency service usage and expenses among participants after entering housing. The cost of services including emergency room visits, ambulance use, inpatient hospital stays and days spent in respite care, detoxification units, shelters and incarceration among participants decreased from approximately $33,000 per person annually before housing to approximately $13,000 per person annually after housing – a 66 percent decrease.
Click here to view event photos.
Congratulations to the honorees and thank you for your dedication to ending homelessness in the Commonwealth!
Thank You to Our Event Sponsors:
Lead Sponsors
Corporation for Supportive Housing
NAIOP Massachusetts
Western Massachusetts Network to End Homelessness Leadership Council
Coffee and Breakfast Sponsors
Bridgewell
Community Healthlink
Community Teamwork, Inc.
Father Bills & MainSpring
Friends of the Homeless
HAPHousing
Lynn Shelter Association
South Middlesex Opportunity Council
The Paul & Phyllis Fireman Charitable Foundation
