The Homeless Task Force meeting held on July 18, 2025, in Carbon County, Pennsylvania, focused on collaborative efforts to address affordable housing needs amid anticipated federal funding reductions. The meeting began with Marcia discussing a planning grant initiative aimed at uniting various groups, including the Blue Ribbon group from Panther Valley, to assess attainable affordable housing solutions. She emphasized the necessity for collaboration due to the expected decrease in federal funds, urging members to target specific populations to effectively move forward.

Following Marcia's remarks, Mary Penny from the Eastern Continuum of Care (COC) shared positive developments regarding a new consultant contract aimed at enhancing landlord recruitment and engagement across 33 counties. This initiative will produce marketing materials and plans to assist organizations within the Regional Advisory Board (RAB) system. Penny highlighted successful strategies from the Lehigh Valley, where a consultant had previously helped create a landlord engagement system using incentives.

Penny also noted that the Eastern COC had received funding for landlord engagement, which would continue to support efforts to encourage landlords to accept tenants with challenging backgrounds, such as poor credit or criminal histories. She mentioned the United Way of the Poconos as a resource for additional landlord engagement funds, which could be stacked to provide further incentives for landlords.

The meeting concluded with a reminder of the next gathering scheduled for July 31 at the housing authority, where members will continue to strategize on addressing the pressing housing challenges in the community. Overall, the discussions underscored a commitment to collaboration and innovative solutions in the face of funding challenges.