Homelessness: McKinney Act Programs Provide Assistance but Are Not Designed to Be the Solution: RCED-94-37

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Overview

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the impact of the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act in selected cities, focusing on: (1) how the act has affected the cities' efforts to assist the homeless; and (2) the problems the cities have experienced with McKinney Act programs. GAO found that: (1) McKinney Act programs are an important source of funds for improving emergency services to the homeless, developing long-term housing options, assisting mentally ill and substance-abusing homeless persons, providing limited education and employment training, and leveraging funds from other sources; (2) McKinney Act programs foster cooperation and coordination among local service providers; (3) Congress has authorized funding renewal for housing projects to sustain the delivery of effective services; (4) local providers find the programs' duplicative application and reporting requirements burdensome; (5) officials do not agree on how to consolidate McKinney Act programs; (6) federal agencies do not plan to disseminate information on McKinney Act program evaluations or incorporate successful service strategies into their mainstream assistance programs; (7) although McKinney Act programs are important to supporting future efforts, they do not fully address the problem of homelessness because of the lack of affordable housing, stagnant economies, and funding reductions; and (8) local officials would like increased funding for McKinney Act programs, to fill gaps in prevention, long-term housing, and comprehensive services.