Street Outreach staff often share a similar story… Someone they know has been living on the street for a long time and continually turns down assistance or shelter. Suddenly, the individual reaches out for help because their service animal or pet needs assistance. For the outreach team, this is a perfect opportunity to finally offer […]
Although people commonly think of homelessness as an urban phenomenon, data from HUD’s 2017 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report (AHAR) indicates that nearly 75,000 people experiencing homelessness were in Balances of State or Statewide Continuums of Care, a rough proxy for estimating the scale of homelessness in rural areas. Of that number, roughly one-third (24,386) were […]
The midterms are over, bringing us back to “divided government” where neither party has full control of the House, Senate and White House. I have some actionable thoughts about how it will affect our work with Congress to end homelessness. We have to get to know lots of new members. There will be an unusually […]
This Veterans Day presents a dichotomy in our efforts to end veteran homelessness. Significant public investment in housing and other services has spurred a dramatic decline in veteran homelessness. But significant racial disparities remain among veterans experiencing homelessness. Since 2010, the United States has cut veteran homelessness almost in half, providing a model for ending homelessness […]
During Domestic Violence Awareness Month, it’s important to reflect on how housing and shelter service providers can best promote safety for their clients. It’s clear that shelter ALONE is not enough: housing is critical. Domestic violence emergency shelter programs provide life-saving services: a confidential location where survivors can be safe from harm. And a place where they can heal until they’re able to safely return to their own home or secure new housing. The affordable housing crisis interferes with this model. Some survivors do not require (or desire) the safety and support […]