Interview: Phil Mangano

Posted by Bill Peters March 03, 2008 00:03AM

The Kittredge Center's lobby is naturally bright, airy, more window than wall. The sunlight is pale, like copy paper, and I'm probably the fourth consecutive person Phil Mangano has talked to. Mangano is the current Executive Director of the Interagency Council on Homelessness. He was the founding Executive Director of the Massachusetts Housing and Shelter Alliance, and was recently nominated as one of TIME Magazine's 100 Most Influential People. After the jump, we talk with him about Housing First, Springfield's success in reducing homelessness, and what he calls 'the art of legitimate larceny.'

I had read on CBS Springfield's website that Springfield was one of 40 cities so far - of cities that had 10-year plans - that saw a reduction in homelessness. Can you talk about what categories of homelessness have seen reductions and what factors do you think influenced that?

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