CUYAHOGA COUNTY, OH – Cuyahoga County unveiled today its Strategic Action Plan for Homelessness: Advancing Pathways to Housing Through Equity. The plan was launched at a gathering of homeless advocates and community leaders this morning. The plan is aimed at elevating the response to homelessness in the county with a goal of 25% reduction in homelessness by the year 2027. The plan was developed by the Office of Homeless Services and Cuyahoga County Continuum of Care (CoC), a team made up of partners from homelessness assistance organizations, philanthropy, government, faith leaders, law enforcement, public health, behavioral health, education, and persons with lived experience of homelessness. The goals of the action plan include improving client engagement and access, improving the experience of clients in crisis housing, expanding housing stabilization capacity, connecting clients to income and benefits, and building system capacity. “The plan will also chart a path for future reductions and improvements to the homeless system for years to come,” said Cuyahoga County Office of Homeless Services Director Melissa Sirak. According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), there are approximately 5,000 Cuyahoga County residents who are homeless, with more than 80% of homeless persons being single. While homelessness in Cuyahoga County has decreased slightly since 2019, Black residents represent nearly 70% of the county's homeless population. "The Cuyahoga County Continuum of Care has done an outstanding job in developing a comprehensive action plan to address homelessness in our community," said County Executive Chris Ronayne. "The action plan lays out goals for increased self-sufficiency, sustainable permanent housing, wrap-around services, and ultimately, better outcomes for our residents. Through this work, we’re pointing the County toward a future where fewer people experience a housing crisis in our County.” The Continuum of Care and Office of Homeless Services is now working on implementation of the plan that outlines specific action steps, resource allotment, and timeframes. The entire Strategic Action Plan for Homelessness can be found on the Office of Homeless Services website and today's event can be viewed on the County's YouTube page.
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