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GUEST: Maria Foscarinis, Executive Director of The National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty and one of the primary architects of the Mckinney Act

This past Sunday was the 20th anniversary of the Stewart B McKinney Homeless Assistance Act. Named after the Republican Congressman Stewart B McKinney, the act emphasized emergency measures, transitional measures and long-term solutions to combat the homeless crisis. At the time, it was viewed as the first step in a larger effort to eradicate homelessness, but subsequent efforts never materialized. McKinney died of AIDS in 1987 and was a major force on Capitol Hill in advocating for the homeless – he spent the night with homeless residents on the streets of Washington, D.C. soon before his death. The National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty commemorated the anniversary by passing out bittersweet chocolate bars to members of Congress.

For more information, visit www.nlchp.org.