[Hpn] Triple FEDERAL HOMELESS AID, Mayors ask Bush (fwd)

[Tom Boland]

http://newsfinder.arinet.com/fpweb/fp.dll/$stargeneral/htm/x_dv.htm/_ibyx/cg0302
6/_itox/starnet/_svc/news/_Id/698893443/_k/Fjp1ucMxw3WTPWVu
FWD  Associated Press - AP Wire Service - Jan 22, 2001

     MAYORS ASK BUSH TO TRIPLE FEDERAL AID TO THE HOMELESS

SEATTLE (AP) _ Mayor Paul Schell and more than 40 other mayors have asked
President George W. Bush to immediately triple federal funding for programs
to help the homeless.

In a letter to the new administration last week, Schell said cities need
more help building shelters and starting projects under the 14-year-old
McKinney Act, under which cities now receive $896 million.

``This is an enormous opportunity for the Bush administration to
demonstrate that compassionate conservatism is more than just a campaign
slogan,'' Schell said. ``Homelessness is a national problem and continues
despite cities' best efforts.''

The Seattle Times reported that no one at the White House could be reached
to comment on Schell's request Sunday.

Schell distributed the letter last week during the Conference of Mayors in
Washington. Others who signed include Richard Daley of Chicago, Willie
Brown of San Francisco and Tom Menino of Boston.

AP-WS-01-22-01 0731EST
Received  Id AP1010223EBC021A on Jan 24 2001 07:18

*****

http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis/web/vortex/display?slug=
schell22m&date=20010122&query=homeless
FWD  Seattle Times - Monday, January 22, 2001

     TRIPLE FUNDING FOR HOMELESS, SCHELL URGES BUSH

     By Ian Ith - Seattle Times staff reporter

Seattle Mayor Paul Schell is calling on President George W. Bush to
immediately triple federal funding to help the homeless.

In a letter to the new administration last week - and signed by more than
40 of the nation's mayors - Schell said cities need more help building
enough shelters and starting more programs.

"This is an enormous opportunity for the Bush administration to demonstrate
that compassionate conservatism is more than just a campaign slogan,"
Schell said. "Homelessness is a national problem and continues despite
cities' best efforts."

No one at the White House could be reached yesterday to comment on Schell's
request.

Schell said the president should ask Congress to triple the amount of
spending for the homeless under the McKinney Act, a 1987 law that now
distributes $896 million to cities.

This year, Seattle has received $14.5 million to fund 37 projects such as
Chronic Public Inebriate Housing, several shelters and The Homelessness
Project, a program to help families find permanent homes.

"We now have ample experience with the McKinney Act programs," Schell
wrote. "They have been tested and they work."

Schell distributed the letter last week during the Conference of Mayors in
Washington, D.C. Mayors who signed include Richard Daley of Chicago, Willie
Brown of San Francisco, Tom Menino of Boston, Mike Crowley of Tacoma and
John Powers of Spokane.

"With the Bush administration coming in, and the sounds emerging from the
Bush administration, I think many mayors across the country are concerned
about the future funding for homeless programs," said P.J. Johnston,
Brown's press secretary.

With federal funding and local budgets, King County has added 464 shelter
beds since 1998, to a total of 2,700 beds, with 2,275 of them in Seattle.

Transitional-housing units have increased from 923 in 1998 to 1,544 last
November. The Mayor's Office says local homeless programs helped about
1,500 families last year, and 400 of those families have moved into
transitional or permanent housing.

END FORWARD

**In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material is
distributed without charge or profit to those who have expressed a prior
interest in receiving this type of information for non-profit research and
educational purposes only.**


Visit HPN for CONSTANTLY UPDATING NEWS on Homeless People:

***************************************************************
Over 10,000 articles by or via homeless & ex-homeless people
Been Homeless? Then JOIN! EMAIL Tom Boland <wgcp@earthlink.net>
Nothing About Us Without Us - Democratize Public Policy
***************************************************************