Join the Conversation about Homelessness in Cambridge this September

The City of Cambridge Department of Human Service Programs, in consultation with the Cambridge Homeless Continuum of Care (CoC) and other City departments, has partnered with the Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH) to facilitate a community planning process on homelessness.  Please join us September 15-18 for a unique community planning experience. 

CSH has developed a Charrette model that will enable our community to engage in a focused, time-limited process that will result in a Strategic Action Plan to address homelessness in Cambridge. In January 2015, the City Council’s Human Services and Veterans Committee held a hearing to discuss the city’s efforts and planning around homelessness.  The need for an updated planning process was described at that time.  This planning effort around homelessness will help inform the citywide planning process.

The initial phase of planning has been led by a local Steering Committee comprised of a diverse group of stakeholders, working in concert with CSH consultants and City staff from the Department of Human Service Programs.  Using input from the public received at two community meetings held in June, the Steering Committee identified six issue areas to be addressed during Charrette Week:  Serving Frequent Users of Emergency Services; Service Navigation and Systems Coordination; The “Housing First” Service Model; Services and Policies to Prevent Homelessness; Increasing Housing Supply for People Experiencing Homelessness; and Strategies for Increasing Investment. 

On Tuesday and Wednesday, September 15 and 16, each issue area will have a dedicated fishbowl-style session, a facilitated dialogue between community members and local and national experts.  CSH will present their recommendations to the community on the morning of Friday, September 18, followed by a final round of feedback from the community.  Mayor David Maher and City Manager Richard C. Rossi will provide opening remarks to Charrette participants on Tuesday, September 15.  City Councilor Marc McGovern, Chair of the City Council’s Human Services and Veterans Committee, will provide opening comments on Wednesday, September 16.  Please see times and locations below.

“We are thrilled to have this opportunity to engage the community in strategizing how to most effectively address the critical issues facing individuals and families experiencing homelessness, as well as the community as a whole,” said Ellen Semonoff, Assistant City Manager for Human Services.

The public is warmly invited to attend these meetings, which will address the root causes and propose actionable solutions to the multiple facets of homelessness in Cambridge.  You can come for as much or as little as you like—whether for just one session or all three days.  Community members with firsthand experience with homelessness are especially encouraged to attend.  Please help us make this an experience that will truly impact homelessness in Cambridge.

Tuesday, September 15 @ Sheraton Commander, Harvard Square
9:00 am:  Introduction
9:30 – 11:30 am:  Serving Frequent Users of Emergency Services
12:30 – 2:30 pm:  “Housing First” Services Models
3:00 – 5:00 pm:  Strategies for Increasing Investment

Wednesday, September 16 @ Sheraton Commander, Harvard Square, 16 Garden St., Cambridge
9:00 am:  Introduction
9:30 – 11:30 am:  Increasing Housing Supply for People Experiencing Homelessness
12:30 – 2:30 pm:  Services and Policies to Prevent Homelessness
3:00 – 5:00 pm:  Service Navigation and Systems Coordination

Friday, September 18 @ YWCA – Hannum Hall, Central Square, 7 Temple St., Cambridge
10:00 am – 12 noon:  Community Recommendations

To see Charrette updates or learn more, visit cambridgecharrette.yolasite.com and follow us on twitter @CambMACoC.

For more information, contact: Shelly Chevalier, Planning & Development Manager at schevalier@cambridgema.gov or Phone: 617-349-6206.