ROANOKE, Va. – Homelessness declined before the COVID-19 pandemic but has since become a growing problem in Roanoke. Monday, Mayor Joe Cobb unveiled the members and mission of a new task force aimed at tackling the issue.
“Our goal isn’t just to house everyone in Roanoke City,” Cobb said. “We would love for people to have a home in the Roanoke Valley, in the Blue Ridge region. Everybody needs a place to call home.”
The Hope and Home Task Force will examine data and investigate possible resource gaps in finding the best solutions to the issue. It is made up of a wide range of stakeholders, from members of nonprofits that seek to help the homeless population to public health officials.
“We’d like to be part of the solution. We feel very strongly about the some of the issues the mayor brought up with respect to mental health, substance abuse, etc., we happen to be involved in research in those areas,” said Michael Friedlander, executive director of the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute and a task force member. “And we also want to able to continue to attract people to come to the area and see that this is a city that is committed to during the right thing.”
Cobb said he hopes the city can leverage local, state and federal funding to address homelessness. But a new executive order from President Donald Trump changes some funding priorities. It puts a focus on banning homeless encampments and forcing people into treatment. The administration has already proposed reduced funding for some homeless services and affordable housing programs.
“Unfortunately, their priorities don’t match our priorities. and their priorities are going to potentially be extremely disruptive and detrimental to cities like Roanoke and cities across the nation,” Cobb said.
Cobb did tell reporters the city is focused on reducing the number of encampments in the city and the city’s HAT team has already housed 113 people this year after housing more than 250 last year.
“So, we’re making progress, and we want to continue to do that, and we will continue to do that work every day,” Cobb said. This [task force] is to enhance that effort and to make sure we have a longer-term strategy that can see a sustainable reduction in homelessness in the future.”
The task force’s first meeting will be either in late August or in early September and all meetings will be open to the public, Cobb said. The task force is expected to wrap up its work in early 2027.