Strategic Action Plan for Homelessness

Advancing Pathways to Housing Through Equity

Over the past ten years, the Cuyahoga Continuum of Care (CoC) has been largely successful in managing homelessness in the community. Despite significant external challenges – such as inflation, the COVID pandemic, and housing supply shortages - the CoC has kept homelessness from increasing and has been able to achieve small reductions in the number of people experiencing homelessness. However, the local homeless response system requires modifications to achieve improved outcomes.

This Strategic Action Plan establishes the framework for Cuyahoga County’s ambitious response to homelessness. It defines a set of system-wide and coordinated strategies to reduce homelessness by 25% by 2027.

This Action Plan organizes system improvement strategies around five key system goals:

1. Improve the Engagement and Access
2. Improve the Experience of Clients in Crisis Housing
3. Expand Housing Stabilization Capacity
4. Connect Clients to Income and Benefits
5. Build System Capacity

The Action Plan includes a strengthened prevention and diversion response so that people experiencing a housing crisis can obtain immediate assistance and avoid losing their housing. The Action Plan calls for immediate access to quality emergency shelter that is welcoming and appropriate for all people experiencing homelessness. We’ve also included a focus on helping people rapidly secure new housing and supportive services to assist people in maintaining housing.

• Homeless Plan
• Homeless Plan Summary
• Homeless Partners Video
• Homelessness Slideshow