[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 118 (Monday, September 13, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1851-E1852]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 CITY OF BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA SHELTER PLUS CARE CURRENT RENEWAL CRISIS

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BARBARA LEE

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, September 13, 1999

  Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I want to call to your attention a grave 
housing situation in my congressional district the 9th of California 
and all across the Nation. Funding for renewals of the Shelter Plus 
Care Programs is in a state of crisis, and unfortunately, the fiscal 
year 2000 Veterans, Housing and Independent Agencies bill does not 
address this critical funding situation.
  By the way of background, the City of Berkeley, which I represent, 
administers a HUD-supported Shelter Plus Care Program which currently 
provides permanent, supportive housing to 145 households, involving 105 
formerly homeless individuals and 40 formerly homeless families. All of 
the individuals and families served by this program are disabled, 
either by severe mental illness (34 percent), chronic substance abuse 
(23 percent), dually diagnosed (both severe mental illness and chronic 
substance abuse) and/or by AIDS/HIV-related diseases (5 percent).
  The Shelter Plus Care Program has been key in moving these 
individuals and families from chronic homelessness to self-sufficiency. 
All of the City of Berkeley's Shelter Plus Care participants are now 
living in private market housing with a range of needed support 
services (mental health, primary health care and social services).
  The current lack of available McKinney Act funding to renew the City 
of Berkeley's existing Shelter Plus Care Program threatens these 
households that have made such significant strides with displacement to 
homelessness. This result is both unnecessary and potentially a major 
impact to the more costly emergency and safety net systems of care in 
the Berkeley and Oakland community.
  Let me tell you abut two individuals who are currently participants 
in the City of Berkeley Shelter Plus Care Program.
  Killian is a 54-year-old male veteran who served in the United States 
Air Force from 1963-67. In the fall of 1989 he was hospitalized in the 
VA Hospital with severe symptoms of mental illness; he has been 
seriously disabled and homeless since then. Three years ago, the 
Shelter Plus Care Program provided him with housing and needed mental 
health services in the Berkeley community. Killian has achieved a level 
of stability in terms of both his housing and mental health issues

[[Page E1852]]

since entering the Program. In his words, ``without the Shelter Plus 
Care Program, I would have been unable to survive.''
  Glenda is a single mother in recovery who until recently was homeless 
in Berkeley with her young son. She has been diagnosed with clinical 
depression, ADD and bulimia. Since entering the Shelter Plus Care 
Program, she participates in regular case management counseling as well 
as receiving needed medical follow-up for her health conditions. In her 
words, ``I know that without Shelter Plus Care I would still be on 
drugs, homeless or dead and my son not with his mother like God 
intended him to be. Without the services that Shelter Plus Care 
requires, I would never be where I am today. In September I start 
school. I need Shelter Plus Care to continue to progress in my life and 
future.''
  The positive impact that Shelter Plus Care housing has had on people 
could be repeated in any other city in the U.S., because it is such a 
vital and successful program. Mr. Speaker, I hope we can work together 
in conference to make the expiring Shelter Plus Care projects eligible 
for renewals from the Section 8 program rather than the current year 
McKinney appropriation. I also ask that Section 8 be provided with 
adequate funding to incorporate this request.

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