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Center for Social Policy
McCormack Graduate School
University of Massachusetts Boston
100 Morrissey Blvd.
Boston, MA 02125-3393
Phone: (617) 287 5550
Fax: (617) 287 5544
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| Homeless plans praised |
Author(s):
Jessica Alaimo, Staff Writer
Source(s):
Cape Cod Times
Date: July 9, 2005
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Homelessness on Cape Cod is not as obvious as in downtown Boston or Cleveland, but it's still there,
with individuals taking advantage of shelters and families living in other people's basements and
motel efficiencies.
However, the Cape has a strong emphasis on homelessness prevention programs. And this month, those
efforts were recognized as among the best in the nation.
The Boston Foundation, which sponsored a study, the Homeless Prevention Initiative, is a civic
organization with a $675 million endowment, giving grants to communities.
The foundation named Cape Cod as one of the best communities in the country at minimizing
homelessness. John McGah, senior research associate at the Center for Public Policy at the
University of Massachusetts, which is leading the study, said communities were picked according
to three factors: Is the program communitywide? Does the community prevent homelessness before it
occurs? Does the community do something unique?
The Cape stood out, McGah said, because of its "true communitywide effort."
"There's lots of partnering within the community, and good leadership within," McGah said. "A lot
of groups say they are, but the Cape really has a broad-based community involvement."
Also noted about the Cape was the amount of corporate and individual participation, which Bob
Murray, executive director of the Falmouth Housing Authority, said is helpful in the age of
government cuts in housing programs and increasing housing costs.
Murray has been working with prevention programs since 1990.
"There were hundreds of families living in motels and shelters. We figured we could house them in
apartments for less money," Murray said.
In 1993, the Housing Assistance Corp. launched its prevention program, getting $265,000 from the
state, Murray said.
The programs target families in danger of losing their housing by assisting with back-rent, a
small rental subsidy or with mortgages.
Jessica Alaimo can be reached at
jalaimo@capecodonline.com.
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