Photo: Community Solutions
Rockford, Illinois, about 90 miles from Chicago, was a hotbed for manufacturing before the recessions of the 1970s and 1980s. As unemployment rose, so did homelessness; in 2014, roughly 700 of the city's 147,000 residents were unhoused. Rockford has been working to reverse that trend since partnering with Community Solutions, a New York City nonprofit dedicated to ending homelessness through a housing-first approach. In 2017, Rockford became the first city in the nation to reach functional zero, which is effectively ending homelessness, for two of the city's homeless populations: veterans and chronically homeless. This amazing journey began when the city's housing advocate learned about Community Solutions' Built for Zero initiative and joined the effort, working to end homelessness in a way that's both measurable and equitable. There have been a lot of steps along the way, and some pain points, but the outlook is hopeful. Rockford is on track to reach functional zero for all of its populations, including single adults, youth under 25, veterans, chronically homeless, and families with children, sometime next year.
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