Fargo‑Moorhead coalition outlines $2.5 million short‑term push and regional council to curb homelessness

Chandler, executive director of the Fargo‑Moorhead Coalition to End Homelessness, told the Morehead Human Rights Commission on April (date not specified) that the coalition and United Way have joined to launch “United to End Homelessness,” an effort combining more than 70 agencies’ work and a 15‑member steering committee to scale resources and reduce homelessness across the Fargo‑Moorhead metro area.

Chandler said the coalition estimates about 1,050 individuals experience homelessness on any given night in the metro area and about 600 students lack a stable residence. "Our mission is that we work in partnership to achieve permanent solutions to prevent and end homelessness," she said.

Why it matters: Chandler told commissioners that several parts of the homeless‑response system are overwhelmed — notably outreach/coordinated entry and emergency shelter — and that without scaled resources the community will see more people living unsheltered. She said local shelters provide roughly 330 beds on a typical night, which is insufficient to meet demand, and the community counted about 100 people living outdoors during last year’s point‑in‑time count.

The short‑term plan: The steering committee identified an immediate need of about $2.5 million to address incoming risk as winter emergency programming ends in mid‑April. Chandler told the commission that 55 to 65 people who had winter supports are at risk of becoming unsheltered when those programs close. The committee has identified agencies positioned to add staff and match underused housing units with households that need wraparound services; Chandler said some contracts are near completion and the coalition expects to report concrete progress in the coming weeks.

Longer term: Chandler described plans to stand up a Cass‑Clay Interagency Council on Homelessness, modeled on the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness. The council will bring five metro municipalities, two counties and stakeholders from both North Dakota and Minnesota together to coordinate discharge planning, prevention and housing development. "There are many fail points in the system where people discharge from an institution like a hospital or jail directly into homelessness," she said, and the council is intended to reduce those failures.

Prevention and capacity numbers: Chandler said prevention and diversion programs in the region helped more than 2,700 people avoid homelessness in the last year. She also said a local partner, Lakes and Prairies Community Action, housed about 1,000 people last year but was able to serve only one in four households that sought help, underscoring unmet need.

Drivers and trends: Chandler said homelessness in the region rose about 5% over the past year, while nationally homelessness rose about 18%. She told the commission that youth and seniors are the fastest‑growing groups experiencing homelessness, while middle‑aged adults remain the largest single group. She urged community education, fundraising and volunteer support and encouraged people to connect with local agencies such as YouthWorks, Churches United and the YWCA to volunteer or donate.

Funding risks: Commissioners asked about federal grant volatility. Chandler said exposure varies by agency; some providers rely heavily on federal funding and could be at risk, while others would be less affected. She advised advocacy to preserve grant support but declined to name agencies that might lose funding without their permission.

Next steps: Chandler said the coalition and United Way will post updates to the United to End Homelessness webpage and will return with progress reports. She invited commissioners to reach out for one‑on‑one briefings and to participate in planning for the interagency council.