The director of the Wisconsin Coalition Against Homelessness says a package of bills designed to combat homelessness and find permanent homes for people is a step in the right direction. The eight bills passed by the Assembly this week focus on efforts to prevent homelessness, get the homeless into more stable housing and boster grants for homeless shelters. Coalition director Joe Volk says many people may be surprised how many children in Wisconsin are homeless. “Half the people who are homeless in Wisconsin are young children,” Volk told WFDL news. The bills call for $3.75 million in new annual spending, and mirror a 30 page action plan recommended by the Wisconsin Interagency Council on Homelessness. Volk says nearly 22,000 people experiencing homelessness in 2017 received shelter and services from agencies in Wisconsin. He says the number of homeless people in Wisconsin continues to climb. “What is concerning is that were still seeing, although relatively modest increases in the numbers of homeless people, that moderate increase is coming in probably one of the best economies we’ve had in a long, long time.” The bill next heads to the state Senate.
