Prairie Public Broadcasting

ND ahead of the game in ending homelessness BISMARCK, ND (NDPR) - The director of the US Interagency Council on Homelessness says North Dakota Governor John Hoeven and a group of mayors and Indian tribal chairmen are on the right track in fighting homelessness.

Philip Mangano is encouraging state and local governments to develop 10-year plans to address the problem.

"It's a national movement, really," Mangano told a meeting in Bismarck. "It's all intended with one goal, one objective and one mission -- and that is, getting the job done for our homeless neighbors. No longer managing their homelessness, which you did for 20 years, but committed now to solving that homelessness issue."

Mangano says the cities of Bismarck, Mandan, Fargo, Jamestown, Minot, Dickinson and Williston have finished their 10-year plans. The Three Affiliated Tribes and the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa are developing them.

Gov. Hoeven says ending homelessness is a worthwhile goal.

"We need to do more with shelters, we need to do more with food pantries, we need to do more with services to help not only low income children, single-parent families, people who are sick and have chronic diseases -- all those types of things," said Hoeven. "We need a more aggressive role in prevention and wellness efforts, all sorts of things. But having shelter is fundamental to the well-being of all North Dakotans. That's our collective commitment."

Mangano was in Bismarck to meet with city and state leaders -- and to honor Governor Hoeven with an award for his work to end homelessness.

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