Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services
Skip Navigation
Behavioral Health Children and Family Services Developmental Disabilities Medicaid and Long Term Care Public Health Veterans' Homes

History of NCHH

The Nebraska Interagency Council on the Homeless was established on September 21, 1994 by Executive Order 94-6 by Governor Ben Nelson. The original commission was composed of approximately 30 members from The Nebraska Crime Commission, the state Departments of Agriculture, Corrections, Economic Development, Education, Health, Labor, Public Institutions, Social Services, and Veterans’ Affairs, and additional representatives from homeless shelter providers, homeless assistance service providers, Federal, regional, and local agencies, non-profit community-based organizations, organizations advocating on behalf of people who were homeless and near homeless, business and industry, and other interested persons.

The Council was vested with the charges:

  • to focus attention on and increase awareness of the needs of homeless families and persons in Nebraska;
  • to encourage the continuity, coordination and cooperation at the state level among state agencies and service providers that deliver services to people who are homeless;
  • to coordinate the development of a statewide comprehensive plan that established a method of periodically counting the number and types of homeless and near-homeless people, the causes of homelessness, and to provide an inventory of agencies and providers of services, as well as establish common terms and definitions for the purposes of data-gathering and program descriptions.
  • to serve as an advisory body to the Governor on issues of homelessness.

The Council established by-laws and a mission. The mission statement was:

The Nebraska Interagency Council on the Homeless is a cooperative body comprised of representatives of governmental, public and private entities. We are committed to facilitating the development and implementation of a comprehensive, statewide strategy designed to reduce the incidence of homelessness and improve the quality of housing supportive services for all Nebraskans.

On May 13, 1998, Executive Order 98-4 consolidated the Nebraska Affordable Housing Commission, the Nebraska Interagency Council on the Homeless, and the Affordable Housing Trust Fund Advisory Committee in order to provide for efficiencies in the manner in which these issues were addressed in Nebraska. The combined commission is called the Nebraska Commission on Housing and Homelessness (NCHH) and is composed of 21 members appointed by the Governor as well as at-large non-voting members representing interests of each prior commission, council, or committee.

The objective of the Nebraska Commission on Housing and Homelessness is:

  • to develop ongoing, specific policies and program recommendations to the Governor that address affordable housing and homelessness/near-homelessness issues.

The issues include:

  • identifying and monitoring the implementation of models of community-based affordable housing production and homeless/near-homeless programs;
  • identifying and monitoring the implementation of progressive housing and homelessness/near-homelessness policies, plans and courses of action;
  • identifying and monitoring the implementation of continuum of care-based models that provide supportive services for persons who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless;
  • monitoring implementation of those recommendations.

(Article II, Bylaws for the Nebraska Commission on Housing & Homeless).

The Nebraska Commission on Housing & Homelessness has four standing committees:
     1.    Executive Committee;
     2.    Policy & Issues Committee;
     3.    Education & Awareness Committee;
     4.    Continuum of Care Committee.

The Continuum of Care Committee members and additional at-large members of the committee serve as the advisory committee to the Nebraska Homeless Assistance Program (NHAP).

In 2003, an Ad Hoc Committee was created to develop a state 10-year plan on ending chronic homelessness.

Image showing the organizational structure for the Nebraska Commission on Housing and Homeless

NHAP Advisory Committee

On September 1, 2001, The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) assumed the responsibility of the Nebraska Homeless Assistance Program.  In November of 2002, an advisory committee was established for the program.  Such a committee is required by state statute.  The committee operates under the auspices of the Nebraska Commission on Housing and Homelessness. The advisory committee consists of members of the Commission’s Continuum of Care committee and at-large members that represent the various populations of people who are homeless and near homeless.

Past accomplishments of the advisory committee include:

  1. A review of state regulations for the Nebraska Homeless Assistance Program: Title 462 - Homeless Assistance Program
  2. Input on and selection of an allocation formula that is based on population and poverty data, as well as quality projects, resulting in an equitable distribution of funds across the state.
  3. Service on grant review teams that recommend the grant awards.
  4. Research of Homeless Management Information Systems and the recommendation of adopting Bowman System, LLC - ServicePoint.
  5. Reviewing bylaws for the advisory committee.

Documents in PDF PDF format require the use of Adobe Acrobat Reader
which can be downloaded for free from Adobe Systems, Inc.

NHAP Index Page

Financial Assistance Page