News Topic

## Early Life and Career Origins

Rosanne Haggerty grew up in Hartford, Connecticut, in a family deeply involved in community service. After graduating from Amherst College, she began working at Covenant House in New York City, where she first encountered the complexity of homelessness. This experience would shape her future approach to solving homelessness through systematic, data-driven methods.

## The Common Ground Years (1990-2011)
### Founding and Innovation
In 1990, Haggerty founded Common Ground Community (now known as Breaking Ground) with a distinctive approach: converting historic buildings into supportive housing. Her first major project was the Times Square Hotel, a landmark building that became a model for supportive housing nationwide.

### Key Innovations at Common Ground:
- Introduced the "Housing First" philosophy before it became widespread
- Developed the Street to Home program, reducing street homelessness by 87% in Times Square
- Created the First Step Housing program for employment-linked housing
- Pioneered the use of data tracking systems for homeless services

### Notable Projects:
- Times Square Hotel renovation (1994)
- The Prince George Hotel conversion
- The Christopher renovation
- The Andrews supportive housing development

## Founding Community Solutions (2011)
### The Transition
Haggerty's experience at Common Ground led her to recognize that while housing development was crucial, solving homelessness required fundamental systems change. This realization prompted her to launch Community Solutions in 2011.

### Core Principles:
1. Data-driven decision making
2. Real-time tracking of homeless populations
3. Cross-sector collaboration
4. Continuous improvement methodology
5. Focus on measurable results

## The Built for Zero Innovation
### Development and Implementation
Built for Zero emerged from Haggerty's observation that communities needed a coordinated, measurable approach to ending homelessness. The program introduces:
- By-name lists of all homeless individuals in a community
- Real-time data tracking systems
- Quality improvement methods from healthcare
- Cross-agency coordination protocols
- Clear definitions of "functional zero" homelessness

### Impact and Recognition
Under Haggerty's leadership, Built for Zero has achieved significant milestones:
- Multiple communities reaching functional zero for veteran and chronic homelessness
- Expansion to over 80 communities nationwide
- Recognition through major awards and grants
- Influence on national policy discussions

## Leadership Philosophy and Methodology
### Key Principles:
1. **Problem-Solving Focus**: Emphasis on understanding root causes
2. **Data-Driven Decisions**: Using real-time information to guide strategy
3. **Systems Thinking**: Addressing homelessness as a complex system
4. **Collaboration**: Building partnerships across sectors
5. **Innovation**: Adapting successful practices from other fields

### Management Style:
- Emphasis on measurable results
- Focus on building strong teams
- Commitment to continuous learning
- Balance of vision and practical execution

## Awards and Recognition
- MacArthur Fellowship (2001)
- Jane Jacobs Medal for New Ideas and Activism
- Peter F. Drucker Award for Nonprofit Innovation
- Schwab Foundation Social Entrepreneur of the Year
- Multiple honorary degrees

## Impact on Homelessness Policy
### Policy Influence:
- Advocacy for Housing First approaches
- Promotion of data-driven methods
- Support for system-wide coordination
- Emphasis on measurable results

### Legacy Contributions:
1. Transformation of supportive housing development
2. Introduction of business principles to homeless services
3. Development of scalable solutions
4. Creation of replicable methodologies

## Published Works and Thought Leadership
### Key Publications:
- Various articles in national publications
- Contributions to policy papers
- Conference presentations and keynotes
- Academic collaborations

## Current Work and Future Direction
### Ongoing Initiatives:
- Expansion of Built for Zero methodology
- Development of new data systems
- Focus on racial equity in homelessness
- Integration of public health approaches

### Future Vision:
- Scale Built for Zero nationally
- Develop international applications
- Advance system-wide changes
- Build sustainable funding models

## Professional Legacy
Haggerty's work has fundamentally changed how we approach homelessness by:
1. Introducing business and data principles to social services
2. Demonstrating the possibility of ending homelessness
3. Creating replicable, scalable solutions
4. Building cross-sector collaborations
5. Emphasizing measurable results

Her methodologies continue to influence new generations of social innovators and policymakers working to end homelessness.