Here & Now

Kleefisch Talks Homelessness Bills

Frederica Freyberg:

Now a look ahead to potential impact of bills having to do with the homeless population that passed this week in the Assembly. It’s estimated there are nearly 30,000 homeless people in Wisconsin and not just in the urban areas. According to the Wisconsin Coalition Against Homelessness, the state lags way behind neighboring states in its response to the problem. But this week the State Assembly passed four bills to fight homelessness. Among them creating a pilot program to get chronically homeless people on the waiting list for federal housing vouchers. Freeing up more money for transitional housing and making $75,000 available for one city for a pilot program to help the homeless get jobs. Homeless advocates say it’s the first time in 25 years there will be an initiative to provide more resources and policy enhancements. Also among the bills passed, one calling for the creation of an interagency council on homelessness with the secretaries of eight state agencies meeting to discuss services. Lieutenant Governor Rebecca Kleefisch will chair the council. She joined us earlier to discuss her role. Lieutenant Governor, thanks for joining us.

Rebecca Kleefisch:

Thank you for having me.

Frederica Freyberg:

Why is this issue getting the attention of Republican lawmakers and the administration now?

Rebecca Kleefisch:

I think one of the reasons it is a key piece of our workforce solution is because you have a lot of folks on the sidelines of the traditional Wisconsin economy who can be animated to get into the economy if only given the connections they need and I would argue they deserve as their right. Our Constitution says and our Declaration of Independence guarantees we have the right to pursue happiness here in the United States of America. You have a lot of folks who may be housing insecure who have not been exercising their right to happiness. And I believe this package of bills and the impetus, the budget from our executive branch allows those things to happen. Those connections to be made and folks who are right now on the sidelines of Wisconsin's economic recovery to get into our talent pipeline.

Frederica Freyberg:

How do you see the interagency council moving forward to help prevent and reduce the homeless population in the first place?

Rebecca Kleefisch:

Well, I've been working on this issue for about the last year and a half. You know as a former journalist I like to see both sides of a story and interview everyone involved before making a decision on best steps forward. So I have traveled the state and can assure you this is not a problem, an issue for just one area or just one demographic. Homelessness and housing insecurity in fact affects all corners, all facets in Wisconsin. I spent a lot of time not only with the advocates and those not-for-profit and social workers working with this population but also with the population asking them the questions that I think I need the answers to in order to provide the best solutions and resources so we can get them connected to opportunity. I imagine the interagency council will continue that work. The work determining how those on the front lines of this challenge can best use resources and which are the most necessary and the most immediately needed. But also as we see challenges change how we can be more responsive and more nimble in assuring we can get our homeless and house-insecure population attached to a safe place to sleep at night so they can get engaged in our workforce.

Frederica Freyberg:

According to the Wisconsin Coalition Against Homelessness, Wisconsin’s annual funding for homeless programs is $3.25 million compared to Minnesota's nearly $45 million. What is the commitment to put more money into programs?

Rebecca Kleefisch:

Well, after travelling this state for the last year and a half talking to the groups with whom I've talked and the folks with whom I’ve met, I can tell you honestly this is less about funding and more about our expectations of the use of the funds we’ve allocated. I’m not arguing we don’t need more funding. What I am arguing is we need to have high expectations and we also need to reimagine how we do this funding as it is spent in communities. I’ve seen really good models, Frederica. I’ve also seen models that are not accomplishing what I would consider to be success. It’s one thing to say somebody got a safe place to sleep for a night and they’re not on our rolls. They’re not counted anymore because they’ve just moved to another program. That to me isn’t success. What I see as success is a long-term solution where someone is well, mentally healthy, is well, free of addiction but also connected to the services and also perhaps even the private sector economy where they can succeed independently long-term.

Frederica Freyberg:

One type of program we’ve reported on is something called “Housing First” where homeless people get permanent housing first and then supportive services to go with it. Is this the kind of program you would support?

Rebecca Kleefisch:

“Housing First” works specifically and best I think in cases of what we call dual-diagnosis, which means mental illness coupled with addiction. Because oftentimes in cases like that you need intense wrap-around services, almost life coach style, in order to get someone well enough to have a dependable income to begin to live independently in the first place.

Frederica Freyberg:

We need to leave it there as you’re suggesting varied reasons for homelessness, varied approaches. We’ll be watching as this goes forward. Lieutenant Governor Rebecca Kleefisch. Thanks very much.

Rebecca Kleefisch:

Let's keep talking about this, thank you.