GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) – Assembly Republicans have announced the next step in the plan to combat Homelessness.
It’s called “A Hand For The Homeless”.
The work of the recently formed Inter-Agency Council on Homelessness has resulted in new legislation.
“It attacks the homelessness problem at every step along the way.”
Steineke says about 20,000 people experienced some sort of homelessness in 2017, which is the last year that data was collected.
Assembly Majority Leader Jim Steineke joined other Republican lawmakers in Green Bay Thursday to announce it includes round circle approach starting with funding.
“It’s job training, creating technical skills and helping them gain employment so they can get back on their feet and into a stable environment.”
Steineke says in Northeast Wisconsin, homelessness is just as big of a problem as Milwaukee and Madison.
“We don’t recognize that it is there because we don’t see people sleeping out on the streets.”
Steineke says the shelters in Northeast Wisconsin are doing a really good job of keeping people in a safe environment.
“It does so in a responsible way by measuring results and targeting investments in the early process when people are dealing with housing security, helping them stay in their houses before they get evicted.”
The legislation would double Wisconsin’s investment, and help homeless shelters with funding to help those in need.
“They are doing it on a shoestring budget with very little help from the state.”
Steineke says it is one area were legislatures can be supportive.
He adds that in the long run, the state will save money because fewer people will need the services.
