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Note: this post was written with the help of guest writer Iona Gordon, a summer intern at Common Ground’s national office.

On July 23 2010, Washington DC celebrated the 1,000th person placed in permanent supportive housing under the city’s two-year-old Housing First initiative. City leaders and housing advocates gathered proudly outside the home of Lisa Bolling, the 1,000th person housed, to commemorate this step.

Since Bolling’s daughter passed away from a brain tumor, she has been homeless partly due to overwhelming bills and depression. Then, she met a man named Prince Brooks who informed her about the Housing First program, which receives local and federal funding. The program provides intensive supportive services and affordable housing to the most vulnerable individuals and families experiencing homelessness, and gets people into homes quickly. Now, Lisa is living in a place she can call home. There are many more in need of help, but as the 1,000th person housed, Lisa Bolling reminds us how far the program has come. This is one very large stepping stone for the Housing First program.

Congratulations to all who made this possible – we are so proud to have DC as a partner!  Read the full press release here.  You can also watch the full press conference here.