WHEREAS, housing has been found to be the most commonly identified challenge facing those in need; and

       WHEREAS, the purpose of this Executive Order is to establish a council and recognize the need to develop a statewide plan that would include short-term and long-term strategies to effectively address the issues facing Idaho’s homeless population; and

       WHEREAS, the development of the statewide plan by the council should serve to educate all Idahoans about the tragedy of homelessness and engage both governmental agencies and the private sector in finding solutions to this problem; and

      WHEREAS, an administrative policy with the goal of ending chronic homelessness must be established as a requirement for federal grant funding.

       NOW, THEREFORE, I, DIRK KEMPTHORNE, Governor of the State of Idaho, by the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the State of Idaho do hereby establish the Idaho Homelessness Policy Council.

1. Council members are appointed by the governor to serve at the pleasure of the governor. The initial appointments shall be made for terms of 1, 2 and 3 years, as determined by the Governor. Successive appointments shall be made for 3 year terms.
    
2. The executive director of the Idaho Housing and Finance Association, or the executive director’s designee, shall chair the council. The designation of pertinent agencies and other entities for the Idaho Homelessness Coordinating Committee (IHCC) will be the responsibility of the chair of the council. The chair on an annual basis will report to the Policy council on the progress of the IHCC. The council will appoint representative membership on the IHCC to accomplish directed projects and tasks in order to prepare an action plan for the state of Idaho.
    
3. Council members will be representatives of appropriate state agencies, with ex-officio representation by the lieutenant governor or the lieutenant governor’s designee and by the director of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development of Idaho or the director’s designee.
    
4. The council may invite to its meetings other non-voting representatives from federal and local government agencies, the business community, providers of services to the homeless, philanthropic agencies, faith-based organizations, homeless persons advocacy organizations, homeless people, and community leaders.

A. The Idaho Homelessness Policy Council shall prepare and submit to the Governor a statewide homeless Idahoans action plan by October 31, 2005. The action plan must include at least the following:

1. Accurate fiscal and demographic information on the homeless in this state, to support policy development;
   
2. An inventory and analysis of all existing activities and programs in this state that assist the homeless;
   
3. An inventory and assessment of existing statutory and regulatory provisions relating to the homeless and suggested changes to those provisions needed to implement the plan;
   
4. Short-term and long-term statewide strategies designed to substantially decrease homelessness in this state within the next 10 years; these strategies should:
   

   a. Identify funding opportunities to assist homeless people in this state;
   

   b. Involve non-traditional stakeholders, including business, philanthropic, faith-based, and other community organizations; and
   

   c. Promote systems integration, including interagency agreements, to reduce duplication among homeless assistance programs;
   

5. Performance measures and accountability mechanisms to provide policymakers with tools to assess the success of the plan over time.

      In addition, the council shall conduct a public hearing on the issue of homelessness.

      The council shall monitor and review implementation of the action plan, and shall provide to the Governor an annual report containing the council’s findings and recommendations regarding implementation of the plan.

      The Idaho Housing and Finance Association shall provide administrative support for the council. In accordance with law, the IHFA may enter into intergovernmental agreements necessary to accomplish the purposes of this Order.

The following general provisions apply to the activities of the council:

1. Council members do not receive compensation as a member of the council. Per Diem and travel expenses for members of the council are the responsibility of the state or federal agency the member represents.
   
2. To reduce costs, the council may use teleconferencing or other electronic means to the extent practicable in order to gain the widest public participation at minimum cost.
   
3. The council shall establish procedures for voting and meetings of the council.
   
4. Meetings of the council shall be conducted, and notice of the meetings provided, in accordance open meetings laws of the State of Idaho.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused to be affixed the Great Seal of the State of Idaho at the Capitol in Boise on this 29th day of July in the year of our Lord two thousand and five, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred twenty-ninth and of the Statehood of Idaho the one hundred fifteenth.

BEN YSURSA
SECRETARY OF STATE