Lt. Governor Tim Murray and Massachusetts Interagency Council on Housing and Homelessness Director Bob Pulster were in Northampton today for a kick off of the regional initiative to end homelessness. The kick off event was hosted by Mayor Clare Higgins, and included the Leadership Council of the Western Masssachusetts Homeless Coordinating Network, as well as network members.
The kick off was the formal announcement of the state’s award of $1.1 million to the region to fund new initiatives aimed at ending homelessness. In attendance at the meeting were Holyoke Mayor Mike Sullivan, Department of Transitional Housing Commissioner Julia Kehoe, and Alana Murphy from the Department of Housing and Community Development.
The Daily Hampshire Gazette covered the event, noting that the Lt. Governor and Alana Murphy praised western Massachusetts as a model for the rest of the state. From the article:
Alana Murphy, director of policy and development at the state’s housing and community development department, said each of the eight regions will have to work hard in its own area to ultimately solve the problem statewide. It’s a lofty goal, she acknowledged, but not impossible. “We will prove that we can end homelessness, and Massachusetts will become a national paradigm using western Mass. as the first model,” said Murphy. “This is all very exciting.”
Prior to the press conference, the Lt. Governor met with the members of the Leadership Council.
