THE MAYOR OF LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY IS THINKING OF COPYING ABQ’S HEADING HOME PROGRAM. HEADING HOME CEO DENNIS PLUMMER SAYS IT’S NOT THE FIRST SUCH PROGRAM IN THE U-S, BUT IT’S GETTING NOTICED FOR SUCCESSFULLY HOUSING THE HOMELESS. LEXINGTON CITY REPS ARE IN ABQ TO SEE THE PROGRAM FIRST HAND.
WHILE ITS 80 PERCENT SUCCESS RATE IS ATTRACTIVE, PLUMMER SAYS CITIES NOTICE ALBUQUERQUE’S FINANCIAL SUCCESS TOO. A UNM STUDY FOUND A 31-POINT-6 PERCENT COST SAVINGS IN HOUSING STREET PEOPLE COMPARED TO LEAVING THEM ON THE STREET. PLUMMER SAYS THEY’VE HOUSED 387 PEOPLE AND THEIR FAMILIES.
PLUMMER TELLS US ALBUQUERQUE’S HEADING HOME SUCCESS IS DUE TO ITS MULTI-AGENCY COLLABORATION. HE SAYS LEXINGTON IS THE SECOND CITY TO ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA TO SHOW AN INTEREST.
