United to End Homelessness
Responding to Community Crisis with Strategic Unity
When crisis hits, your United Way is here working to understand the local challenges of our neighbors so we can be the voice of those in need. With homelessness in our area reaching crisis levels and in a region with a deadly winter climate, taking action was urgent.
The United to End Homelessness Initiative
United to End Homelessness is a collaborative initiative led by United Way of Cass-Clay and the FM Coalition to End Homelessness. Formed in response to community need—and the call for a unified voice and structure to address homelessness—this initiative brings together local partners with the expertise, passion, and proven strategies to create permanent solutions.
Our shared mission is to prevent and end homelessness in our region by making the experience rare, brief, and one-time through collaboration, coordination, and shared accountability.
The purpose of this collaboration and the United to End Homelessness initiative is to create a community where homelessness brief, rare, and one-time, and families have the programs and services they deserve to thrive. Our community has had success in reducing homelessness when resources are adequately funded and supported.
One of our most critical partners in co-leading this work is the FM Coalition to End Homelessness, which is why United Way has teamed up with them to mobilize our local partners who have the expertise, passion, and proven strategies for permanent solutions to prevent and end homelessness.
The purpose of the United to End Homelessness initiative is to create a community where homelessness is prevented or brief and families have the programs and services they deserve to thrive.
Key Milestones
-
December 2024 – United to End Homelessness Initiative launched
-
February 2025 – Steering Committee of Direct Service Providers established
-
April 2025 – Cass-Clay Interagency Council on Homelessness proclaimed
-
July 2025 – First Council meeting held
-
August 2025 – Direct service to individuals experiencing high-visibility homelessness began
- November 2025 – Continue to increase direct service to individuals, and regional plan development begins through the Cass Clay Interagency Council on Homelessness to create long-term, coordinated solutions to prevent and end homelessness
Important Progress is Being Made
Since December 2024, we’ve stood up critical infrastructure and made progress that takes other communities years to develop. We know social change is significant, difficult work. We are thankful for our partners and donors who are making it possible.
Learn More About ...
Locally, homelessness continues to increase and, in many ways, has reached a breaking point.
Definition of Homelessness: People who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate night-time residence, including those whose residence is a shelter or transitional housing program, living in unstable and non-permanent situations, or forced to stay on a temporary basis with a family member because they have no other place to stay.
Over 1,050 people experience homelessness on any given night in our community. Of those, 100 are unsheltered, including staying outside, loitering, or sleeping in their vehicles.
The rise in homelessness isn’t unique to our community, nationally there’s been a 18% increase in the last year. Locally, there has been a 5% increase since 2023.
At any given time in our community, our metro schools estimate 600 students are experiencing homelessness.
Right now, this winter, there are about 55-65 individuals that are currently being sheltered in temporary, winter-related programs.
“With the increased attention toward and conversation around this issue combined with aligned priority and attention from our nonprofits, city leaders, business community, and faith communities, and citizens who call our region home, our community is in a unique position to tackle this issue. The time to design and launch a plan is now – while the issue is still solvable.”
– Taylor Syvertson, Director or Community Impact at United Way of Cass-Clay.
There are five key components that are needed for any community to maintain a stable system for homelessness response: Affordable Housing and Stabilization, Prevention and Diversion, Outreach and Coordinated Entry, Emergency Shelter, and Supportive Housing and Rapid Rehousing. Each plays a critical role – our goal is for each component to work effectively and at the right level. We currently have 325 shelter beds in our community. And for a community our size, this should be adequate.
When our system is overwhelmed, those experiencing homelessness can’t exit shelters efficiently, and there are not beds available for individuals who are in crisis. We know the number one indicator of someone becoming homeless, is a past experience with homelessness, so we need to focus on prevention efforts.
Affordable housing means that a family is not paying more than 30% of their income on housing. In our community, over 40% of renters are housing cost burdened and this means that low-income families are in a precarious situation – making trade offs between housing and other basic needs. In just the last year, our community has prevented or diverted over 2,700 children, adults, and seniors from homelessness.
On April 11, 2025, United Way of Cass-Clay united mayors from across five communities and commissioners from Cass and Clay counties to announce the official launch of the Cass-Clay Interagency Council on Homelessness, to address homelessness across our region. The leaders signed an official Mayoral Proclamation, symbolizing their unified commitment for the United to End Homelessness project.
Pictured (left to right): Fargo Mayor Dr. Tim Mahoney, Moorhead Mayor Shelly Carlson, West Fargo Mayor Bernie Dardis, Executive Director of FM Coalition to End Homelessness Chandler Esslinger, Director of Community Impact United Way of Cass-Clay Taylor Syvertson, Cass County Commissioner Joel Vettel, Horace Mayor Jeff Trudeau, Dilworth Vice Mayor Julie Nash
At the event, each leader also provided comments about their support for and the impact of this unified effort to end homelessness led by United Way and the FM Coalition to End Homelessness. This groundbreaking effort represents a comprehensive, coordinated approach that spans across state lines and brings together local leadership from five metro cities and both counties.
The event signified the formation of the Cass-Clay Interagency Council on Homelessness, which will be the first of its kind in the United States, spanning across state lines to address homelessness in an innovative, unified way.
The Cass-Clay Interagency Council on Homelessness will draw from the best practices established by the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, which coordinates the federal response to homelessness. By applying these proven strategies alongside a multi-jurisdictional planning process tailored to our region, the council aims to drive lasting, impactful change in the effort to reduce and eventually end homelessness in our community
“No one organization, jurisdiction, or person can address homelessness alone. That’s why we’re here today – to work together, in unity, to end homelessness,” shared Taylor Syvertson, United Way of Cass-Clay Director of Community Impact.
November 2025 Update
Using community data and cooperation across agencies, the Initiative has identified approximately 55 individuals in need of support.
What We’ve Done:
- A new prioritization model was developed in collaboration with ND and MN Continuums of Care and implementation partners: SENDCAA (Southeastern North Dakota Community Action Partnership), CAPLP (Lakes and Prairies Community Action Partnership), and Presentation Partners in Housing.
- Individuals are assessed using a standardized tool that evaluates housing needs, health, employment, transportation, childcare, and other barriers.
- 16 participants of the 55 individuals are currently enrolled – our currently raised funding allows us to serve up to 20 individuals.
- Providers offer intensive, housing-focused case management.
- Of our currently identified target population, they have a cumulative homeless history of 250+ years, averaging nearly 6 years per person.
Key demographics:
- ~50% meet the definition of chronic homelessness
- 40% have a physical disability
- 1 in 4 has a developmental disability
- 1 in 3 have a chronic health condition
- 60% have a mental health condition
- 16% have a substance use disorder
- 1 in 3 have an alcohol use disorder
- 13% have both substance and alcohol use disorders
- 2/3 have at least two disabling conditions, and ¼ have at least 4 disabling conditions. Not: Disabling conditions refer to long-term physical, mental, or emotional impairment.
Challenges:
• Demand exceeds current financial capacity
• Winter months strain emergency shelters due to underinvestment in prevention and permanent housing pathways
• A Comprehensive Regional Plan is essential to shift from crisis response to long-term solutions
What’s Next
We’ll continue working alongside our Steering Committee and Implementation Partners to provide direct service to high-visibility, high-vulnerability homeless individuals.
These services are helping address the immediate crisis in our community. And our work doesn’t stop. Through the Cass Clay Interagency Council on Homelessness, we’re building for the future. Through our collaborative work, our community will develop and implement a Regional Comprehensive Plan to Address Homelessness.
If you have questions, contact our team at unitedway@unitedwaycassclay.org or 701-237-5050.
News Media partners can reach out to Kristina Hein Landin at kheinlandin@unitedwaycassclay.org or 701-388-4660.