3rd Annual Housing for All Community Summit

On May 27, 2015, more than 200 people from across St Louis County gathered at the Coppertop Church in Duluth for the Housing for All Summit. Loaves and Fishes Community and CHUM initiated these gatherings three years ago as a grassroots, action-driven gathering where everyone -- from elected officials and law enforcement officers to social and medical service providers and people experiencing homelessness -- have an equal say in developing strategies to end homelessness in our region.

This year's Summit participants identified four action steps that we will work on together in the coming year:

1. Creating tax credit incentives for landlords to rent to those who have criminal records.

2. Creating a universal background and credit check that tenants could use for all applications in a housing search.

3. Drafting the content of Duluth's Homeless Bill of Rights Ordinance and passing it through City Council, then using it as a model for the county as a whole.

4. Creation of a long-term supportive housing facility for those with severe and persistent mental illness.

We are working on a full report-back that will be made available to the public in coming weeks. In the meantime, we are holding follow up meetings in Duluth and on the Range to begin the work on our four action steps. If you were not able to make the Summit but would like to be involved in community solutions, you are warmly welcome to attend.

Duluth Follow-Up Meeting

June 17, 5:30-7:30pm. Trepanier Hall (212 W 2nd St)

Food and childcare provided

Range Follow-Up Meeting

June 23, 2-4pm, Virginia Workforce Center (820 9th St N)