FOCUS Forums are a series of engaging public discussions featuring expert panelists who discuss a range of topics that impact Central New York residents, including education, environment, local government, business, health, public service, and more. Each forum consists of insightful presentations, followed by a moderated Q&A session that encourages community participation. We aim to create an inclusive space for residents to learn and contribute to the issues that matter most in our community.
View the Slides Used During this FOCUS Forum
When: Friday, March 28, 12:05 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Registration & Location: This online forum will be conducted via Zoom. Registration is free and open to everyone.
Topic: Homelessness is on the rise across the country and here in Central New York, increasing locally more than 60% since 2019, meaning that nearly 1,200 people in our community find themselves unsheltered or in temporary settings on any given night. Having a coordinated community response is more important than ever in the efforts to end homelessness.
Each community across the country has what is known as Housing and Urban Development’s Continuum of Care of homelessness. The Housing & Homeless Coalition of Central New York (HHC) acts as the Continuum of Care for Central New York. The HHC organizes community resources, collects and analyzes data from community partners, and develops community-wide strategies to streamline the homelessness response system.
This FOCUS Forum discussed how the HHC operates and is structured, reported on the state of homelessness in our community, and how our community can rise to the growing challenges of homelessness and housing insecurity.
Presenter and Resources:
Megan Stuart, Director of the Housing and Homeless Coalition of Central New York
Megan Stuart is the Director of the Housing and Homeless Coalition of Central New York, which acts as HUD’s Continuum of Care for homelessness for Onondaga, Cayuga, and Oswego Counties.
The coalition’s mission is to assess community needs and foster collaboration in an effort to prevent, reduce, and ultimately end homelessness. She has been serving as Director since June of 2018 and has worked in housing and homelessness for over fifteen years overseeing federal, state, and locally funded projects.
She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Anthropology/Sociology and Political Science from William Smith College and an Executive Master’s in Public Administration from Syracuse University. She holds positions on the local Emergency Food and Shelter Program board and the CNY Regional Healthcare Equity Taskforce.