What Solves Homelessness?
Creating Equitable Responses
For decades, our homelessness response system has served some populations effectively while systematically failing others. This isn’t just about uneven outcomes — it means that someone’s race, gender identity, or background can determine whether they find a path out of homelessness or remain trapped in it. Ending homelessness requires us to confront and dismantle these systemic barriers, redesign services around the specific needs of marginalized communities, and ensure that everyone has a genuine opportunity to access stable housing. Without this transformation, we risk perpetuating a system where some people receive help while others are left behind simply because of who they are.
Centering Equity in Homelessness Solutions
Every day, homelessness systems serve historically marginalized groups. To be effective, systems must prioritize solutions that remove barriers and address the specific needs of people that are a part of different groups who may be situated further away from opportunities. By assessing data on who our systems serve and the gaps across demographics, our systems can achieve better outcomes for those most affected by systemic investment. This, in turn, ensures that that everyone has an equal shot of getting into housing and the diverse needs of all people experiencing homelessness are met.
%
According to a 2021 study, Black/African American young adults age 18 to 24 were 69 percent more likely to exit homelessness systems back into homelessness than their white counterparts
%
The same study concluded that young adults who were American Indian/Alaska Native or Asian were 56 percent and 70 percent less likely, respectively, to exit into permanent housing situations than their white counterparts.
Men who experience homelessness as a young adult are three times more likely to exit homeless services back into homelessness than women experiencing homelessness as a young adult
Transforming Homelessness Systems with Culturally-Responsive Practices
To reduce homelessness, it’s essential to use culturally-responsive practices that address the diverse needs of vulnerable populations. Learn the key strategies to achieve equity and fairness in homelessness systems.
A targeted universalism approach recognizes that while homelessness affects various groups, some communities experience unique barriers due to race, history, and social inequities. Targeted universalism works by establishing a universal goal for everyone (such as reducing homelessness in the community), then analyzing how different groups are currently performing in relation to this goal, and finally creating targeted strategies to help each group move closer to the universal goal.
Equity-Centered Trauma-Informed Care
To support vulnerable populations, organizations should adopt equity-centered trauma-informed care. This approach builds a foundation of emotional safety, trust, and collaboration to help marginalized communities heal and thrive.
To serve everyone equally, we need everyone at the planning table to make sure that our policies, programs, and practices are culturally responsive. From hiring, to contracting, to board membership, homeless response systems should be reflective of the groups most impacted by homelessness within a community. By centering the people most impacted, we can ensure that systems are fair, just, and responsive to the needs of marginalized communities.
Increasing Representation at Decision Making Tables
Organizations must be intentional about diversity and representation across all levels, from staff to leadership. Black men, for example, are especially underrepresented in leadership roles. Homelessness systems must ensure that all hiring, recruitment, and contracting processes are inclusive with accessible outreach to reach those that are underrepresented, especially people with lived experience of homelessness or housing instability.
Authentic Partnership with People with Lived Experience
To eliminate homelessness and housing insecurity, it is important to ensure that the voices of people with lived experience are at the forefront of research, policy, advocacy, training, and collaboration.
Creating equitable solutions means eliminating the systemic barriers to housing that many marginalized groups face. These barriers both increase their risk of homelessness as well as impact what assistance they can access to end their homelessness.
Combatting Discrimination in Homelessness Services
Every person served within a homelessness system deserves an equal opportunity to get the help they need. That means that our systems must have equitable processes to assess people’s needs and connect them to the appropriate resources. The staff involved in these processes should be representative of the people seeking assistance and they should receive adequate training on implicit bias and cultural humility. Finally, it is important for homeless service providers to understand the Fair Housing Act to help protect the people they work with from being excluded from housing due to discrimination.
Partnering with Interlocking Systems for Greater Impact
People at risk of homelessness interact with multiple systems that serve marginalized populations, including healthcare, corrections, child welfare, and the criminal legal system. These systems have historically and disproportionately impacted BIPOC communities, often creating pathways into homelessness rather than preventing it. By failing to provide adequate support and resources, these systems can reinforce existing racial disparities and perpetuate cycles of housing instability. Strategic partnerships between the homelessness response system and these interconnected systems are essential to create early intervention points, redirect resources toward prevention, and ensure equitable access to solutions before people face housing loss.
Tethering Employment, Housing, and Education for Lasting Impact
Combining housing with education and job training is critical for breaking the cycles of economic vulnerability and homelessness. By offering pathways to employment and education, homelessness systems can help marginalized individuals not only find housing but also gain long-term independence.
Stay Updated: Solutions, Stories, and Ways to Make an Impact
Sign up to receive updates on the Alliance’s work, including the latest research, advocacy efforts, and real stories of progress — plus ways you can help drive lasting change.