Ending Homelessness

"Political will plays a huge role in efforts like homelessness," she said. "It just wasn't a priority."

She said the Duncan administration was also stymied by the high cost of land and construction in the county, and a tight rental market hindered those with subsidies.

And, advocates say, despite the liberal reputation of the county's residents, Montgomery officials also encounter the same fears and not-in-my-back-yard attitude that doomed similar efforts elsewhere.

For example, when officials first proposed converting an Econo Lodge in Gaithersburg into housing for homeless individuals and families in 2003, it drew opposition from neighbors. The 40-unit building, known as Seneca Heights, is now heralded as one of the county's biggest successes.

An apartment on Dale Drive in Silver Spring, which opened last month, also initially drew criticism from neighbors because of its proximity to two schools, Silver Spring International Middle and Sligo Creek Elementary.

In some cases, projects for the homeless were ruled out before they reached the point where plans are presented to a neighborhood.

"I think often what happens is the homeless population is ruled out internally," said Charles Short, who headed Montgomery's Health and Human Services Department in the Duncan administration before leaving in 2003. "There are lots of sites that could be used to house challenging populations, but in the discussions held early on, [we] realized that it would be a difficult sell."

Knapp says it's time to try the Housing First approach, to make more significant progress.

"If we want to stop people from being homeless, we have to give them a home. Sometimes it really is that simple," Knapp said. The county's plan "focuses on getting people into housing that is real, legitimate and stable. Instead of having a person navigate programs that take them from shelter to shelter to shelter, let's get them into whatever is the most suitable home environment."

The hope is that the plan could get people such as Michael Casey, 54, off the street and into permanent homes. Casey, who became homeless after trying to pay off medical expenses, often spends his time on Wisconsin Avenue in Bethesda, holding a sign that notes the day he became homeless: Feb. 24, 2004.

Advocates for the homeless have long pushed for a program that emphasizes permanent homes over temporary shelters. A handful of pilot programs have been in place in Montgomery for several years, but until now, the county's approach has been piecemeal.

Arthur Livingston, 47, was homeless for five years but was able to find a home in Silver Spring in May through a program sponsored by the Coalition for the Homeless. Today, he said he is stronger and more optimistic about his future.