Building a Stronger Future: How Our Strategic Plan is Driving Change at Valley Homeless Connection

At Valley Homeless Connection, we know that ending homelessness takes more than good intentions — it takes a clear plan, community collaboration, and consistent action. That’s why, over the past year, we worked closely with staff, community partners, and people with lived experience of homelessness to create a strategic plan that will guide our efforts in the years ahead.

This plan isn’t just a document — it’s a roadmap for impact. It defines our priorities, aligns our resources, and ensures we’re working toward solutions that create lasting change. Most importantly, it gives us a structure for accountability and collaboration.

From Vision to Action: Creating the Plan

The strategic planning process began with listening. We gathered feedback from service providers, community members, and people who have experienced homelessness firsthand. We reviewed data to understand where the biggest gaps and opportunities exist. And we identified four major areas where focused action could make the most difference.

From this work, we developed a series of subcommittees — each designed to turn big-picture goals into concrete, measurable progress. These committees will bring together diverse voices, ensure resources are used effectively, and track results over time.

Meet the Subcommittees

1. Housing Access Committee: The fastest way to end homelessness is to connect people with stable housing — and to do it quickly. This committee focuses on accelerating pathways into housing by identifying available units, reducing barriers for applicants, and partnering with landlords. Their mission is simple: shorten the time between someone losing housing and regaining stability.

2. Prevention & Early Intervention Committee: It’s always better — and more cost-effective — to prevent homelessness before it starts. This committee focuses on stopping homelessness at its source by addressing early warning signs such as eviction notices, sudden income loss, or unsafe living situations. They will develop strategies and partnerships to keep individuals and families housed, reducing the need for emergency shelter in the first place.

3. Service Coordination Committee: Homelessness is not just a housing challenge — it often involves a web of needs like healthcare, mental health services, employment, and legal assistance. This committee works to streamline services so individuals can get the help they need faster, without falling through the cracks. By improving coordination among agencies, they aim to reduce the time people experience homelessness and increase long-term stability.

4. Organizational Strengthening Committee: Even the most ambitious goals require a strong foundation. This committee focuses inw

ard, working to build a stronger, more sustainable Valley Homeless Connection through staff development, technology upgrades, financial planning, and leadership growth. A stronger organization means better, more consistent service for the community.

Why This Matters

The causes of homelessness are complex — but solutions are possible when we work together. Our strategic plan ensures that every step we take is intentional, coordinated, and impactful. These subcommittees are where the work happens: where ideas turn into action, and action turns into lives changed.

We believe that with the dedication of our staff, the commitment of our partners, and the involvement of our community, we can make homelessness rare, brief, and nonrecurring in the Valley.

We’ll be sharing updates from each committee in the months ahead so you can follow our progress — and find ways to get involved. Together, we can build a future where everyone has a place to call home.