Rockford On Pace To End Homelessness By End Of Year

The definition of insanity can best be summed up as doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. For many communities around the country, when it comes to dealing with their homelessness, the same path has not fixed the problem.

Less than a decade ago there were more than 700 people homeless in Rockford, by the end of the year, Rockford is on pace to become the first essentially zero community in the US according to Fast Company.

Back in 2014, Rockford took President Obama's challenge to end veteran homelessness, and ran with it. Teaming up with Community Solutions to work a new approach to getting vets housing. By 2018 the city had reached "functional zero" for homeless veterans, meaning it's rare that it happens and if it does they quickly find housing.

It reached the same goal for people who are chronically homeless and by the end of the year, look to become the first community to end it for the remaining population which includes youth, single people, those that have only been homeless a short period, and families.

It's a new approach to a problem that needed it. Rockford is able to share their data with other communities that team up with Community Solutions to see what other communities have successfully or unsuccessfully tried.

Right now Rockford is leading the way in showing other communities how to essentially fix their homeless problem. Hopefully this fixes some other problems in the community as well. Just goes to show that sometimes you need to try something new to fix an old problem.

If you would like to get involved or donate to Community Solutions, click HERE