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Alameda Countywide /lomeless and Special Needs Housing Plan Our vision We envision a system that partners with consumers, families and advocates; provides appropriate services in a timely fashion to all who need them; and ensures that individuals and families are safely, supportively, and permanently housed. We envision a future in which there are sufficient resources, political will, and community support to effect the changes necessary to make this vision a reality. We're in it for the long haul 5 "The moral test of a society is how that society treats those who are in the dawn of life-the children; those who are in the twilight of life-the elderly; and those who are in the shadow of life-the sick, the needy, and the handicapped." I iubert Humphrey, former Vice-President of the United States As the sponsors and stakeholders who developed this plan, we recognize that as we complete this document, federal and state resources for housing and services have been decreasing, local governments are experiencing serious budget problems, and our local economy is still struggling to recover. However, homelessness, H[V/AIDS, and mental illness will not go away on their own. We cannot afford to wait until the "right" time to start working together to address these issues. Now, more than ever, we need to make sure that we are making the most effective use of resources. We know that the goals of ending chronic homelessness within ten years and reducing housing crises for extremely low-income people living with serious and persistent mental illness and/or H[V/AIDS arc ambitious. We know that these goals cannot be accomplished overnight, or even in the first years of this plan. Change will come slowly, as we expand existing relationships, create new relationships, identify new resources, and implement new approaches. As new strategies are implemented, we will see progress towards our goals of ending homelessness in Alameda County and supporting people living with I{[V/AIDS or mental illness to stay stably housed and able to participate in their families and in our community to the greatest extent possible. "It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan." Eleanor Roosevelt