By Stacy M. BrownNNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent@StacyBrownMediaIn major U.S. cities, officials have either ramped up or dialogued about efforts to reduce homelessness, with New York City Mayor Eric Adams announcing plans to place the unhoused with severe untreated mental illness into hospitals among the strategies employed.Now, the Biden-Harris administration has decided to roll out a national push to reduce homelessness by 25% in two years.Titled “All In: The Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness,” the initiative, announced on Dec. 19, would mandate federal officials to intervene.Various government agencies would work with states and cities to target unsheltered homelessness. In addition, the administration would expand housing and services and strengthen efforts to prevent people from being unhoused before they turn to the streets.“Many Americans live each day without safe or stable housing,” Biden stated. “Some are in emergency shelters. Others live on our streets, exposed to the threats of violence, adverse weather, disease, and so many other dangers exacerbated by homelessness.”The White House called the plan the “most ambitious effort by any administration to prevent people from becoming homeless, address inequities that disproportionately impact underserved communities, including people of color and other marginalized groups, and help cities and states reduce unsheltered homelessness.”The “All In” plan outlines new strategies to prevent homelessness and increase the housing supply with supportive services to reach that goal.Administration officials said these strategies build on the proven “Housing First” model – an approach where housing is the first step to a better, safer, and healthier life and serves as a platform for providing services so people can stay housed.“All In” also sets the foundation for new initiatives, including one to reduce unsheltered homelessness in a cohort of geographically diverse communities.Biden called on state and local governments to set goals for 2025 and use “All In” as a blueprint to address homelessness in their communities.“My plan offers a roadmap for not only getting people into housing but also ensuring that they have access to the support, services, and income that allow them to thrive,” Biden asserted.“It is a plan that is grounded in the best evidence and aims to improve equity and strengthen collaboration at all levels.”According to HUD data, 582,462 people were experiencing homelessness on a single night in January 2022 – a slight .3% increase since 2020.The unsheltered homeless population, including encampments, has increased by more than 3% since 2020. In addition, chronic homelessness, including those with disabilities, increased by 15%.In New York,65,633 lived in shelters in October 2022, compared with 57,341 in October 2020, according to the Coalition for the Homeless.The Los Angeles region, which recently counted 69,144 people experiencing homelessness, has realized recent increases, including a 25% jump from 2018 to 2020.Homelessn