Senator Nasheed Appointed to Governor’s Committee to End Homelessness
JEFFERSON CITY — On Thursday, the governor announced that he appointed Sen. Nasheed to the Missouri Governor’s Committee to End Homelessness, or GCEH. The committee was established to use public and private efforts to develop and employ strategies to prevent and end homelessness.
“I thank the governor for this appointment and his serious commitment to addressing homelessness in the state of Missouri,” said Sen. Nasheed. “I have been an aggressive advocate for giving the people of Missouri the tools and resources they need to get safe and affordable housing, and I look forward to working with the committee to strengthen efforts to end homelessness,” stated Sen. Nasheed.
Last week, the senator sent a call-to-action letter to the governor to address the recent closing of St. Louis’ then-largest homeless center, New Life Evangelistic Center for the Homeless. In the letter, the senator stressed the importance of affordable housing and recommended state resources, such as the Missouri State Emergency Management Agency, be used to alleviate the burden on those who struggle to secure stable housing during the state’s homelessness crisis.
Senator Nasheed noted the immediate effects of the St. Louis center’s closing. “Men, women and children have been displaced as a result of the center closing. But more fundamentally, the lack of affordable housing, which contributes to homelessness, is a serious problem. This issue has matured and created a crisis in our state. And it’s going to take a collaboration of aggressive and proactive private and state initiatives, especially by our Legislature, to combat homelessness,” said Sen. Nasheed.
The committee meets monthly, and its voting membership comprises representatives from centers, organizations and agencies throughout the state and two members, one from each political party, from the General Assembly.