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Even though President George W. Bush appointed
him to head the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness in 2002,
Philip F. Mangano didn’t utter his boss’ name once
during his two-and-a-half-hour presentation in Springfield last
week. Instead, he simply referred to “the administration I
serve.”
Nor does Bush’s name occur once in
Mangano’s extensive biography, found on the interagency
council’s government-run Web site.
It’s likely a wise course, considering
that the president’s wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have
produced a surge in homeless veterans and in light of the fact that
Wyoming, the home state of Vice President Dick Cheney, is the only
state in the nation that has not established a
state interagency council on homelessness.
Besides, even though Mangano represents a
Republican administration, he collaborates with the mayors of
several major U.S. cities, many of whom are Democrats.
“The D’s and the R’s are
united on the issue of ending homelessness,” Mangano said.
Political will is crucial to combating
homelessness, said Mangano, who applauded the administration of
Mayor Tim Davlin and several other groups leading the effort to
fight homelessness.
Homeless people, Mangano added, should be
treated like consumers who give input on what services are offered
to their community, not as charity cases who
should accept whatever they’re given.
“They don’t want a pill or a
program or a protocol. They want a place [to live],” Mangano
said.
In Springfield, shelter for the homeless has
long been limited. Although the number of people who don’t
have permanent homes has declined steadily in the capital city
— from 443 people in 2005 to 303 in 2008, according to annual
counts — the actual numbers are believed to be much higher.
“They’re sleeping in back yards and
behind churches. It’s sad that there are individuals who have
to live like this in our nation, which has so many abundant
blessings,” said Billie Aschmeller, a representative of
Homeless United for Change who was herself homeless until several
months ago.
Last week several Springfield agencies unveiled
projects aimed at helping more people move off the streets of the
capital city.
• The Springfield Housing Authority will
build 41 mixed-income housing units on the former site of the Major
Byrd Hi-Rise, which was demolished in 2007. Construction, set to
begin this fall, is scheduled for completion
in 2009.
• The SHA, with help from Abundant Faith
Ministries, Fifth Street Renaissance, Helping Hands, and MERCY
Communities, has received a three-year state grant for 19 low- to
middle-income family units.
• The Washington Street Missionis nearing completion
on $60,000 in repairs, including new showers and changing rooms,
additional restrooms, and laundry space. The mission also wants to
implement a job-readiness program and other services and expand its
hours of operation.
• Fifth Street Renaissance has received
federal funding to construct a facility for homeless and disabled
veterans. The organization, working with the SHA, also has plans to
renovate the vacant All Star Inn, 2224 E Cook St., for 19
single-occupant units.
In addition, Davlin has committed Springfield
to the America’s Road Home Statement of Principles and
Action, established by Mangano’s agency, which comprises 20
cabinet departments and other federal agencies. Davlin says his
administration has committed unprecedented time and energy to the
issue of homelessness, which, he adds, cannot be solved by any one
community entity.
The mayor’s task force on homelessness
will also take on an oversight rather than an advisory role, and
the city is recalibrating its 10-year plan to end homelessness.
Once this is complete, city community-relations
director Sandy Robinson, who co-chairs the task force, will likely
relinquish that role, Robinson said.
Contact R.L. Nave at rnave@illinoistimes.com.
This article appears in Jul 17-23, 2008.
