Government launching plan to halt homelessness, promising new approaches and coordination

Government launching plan to halt homelessness

WASHINGTON — The government is launching a sweeping plan to try to end homelessness over time, promising smarter coordination among the many agencies that try to help people find stable housing and economic security.

The plan suggests a big shift is needed so that programs targeted to solve homelessness are integrated with health, education and human services efforts.

The goals are ambitious. This effort calls for the end of chronic homelessness - the problem of people cycling through shelters and hospitals - in five years. It seeks to end homelessness among veterans in five years.

And it calls for preventing and ending homelessness among families and children in 10 years.

Cabinet secretaries and other leaders will announce the plan Tuesday at the White House.