Three Steps to Ensure Robust Funding for HUD’s Homelessness Programs in FY22
COVID-19 has upended the typical funding process Congress undertakes annually. Though historic emergency investments in homelessness have provided relief, the annual appropriations process is still an integral component of federal funding for homelessness and housing programs. With that process starting […]

New Report Shows Rise in Homelessness in Advance of COVID-19 Crisis
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) 2020 Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR) to Congress (Part 1) shows that 580,466 people were counted as homeless during the 2020 Point-in-Time count, representing a 2.2% increase over 2019. This marks the fourth consecutive annual increase in homelessness, following sustained […]
Help Is On The Way! The American Rescue Plan Act Becomes Law
Last week, as the Alliance was wrapping up its virtual conference on ending homelessness, the federal government responded to the health and economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic with a massive, $1.9 trillion relief bill. The new law, the American […]
Positive Changes in FY2021: Universal FUP Vouchers for Youth Aging Out of Foster Care
This is the second installment in blog series dedicated to some of the most encouraging investments in the United States Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 budget. To read the first installment, click here. In 1995, Alliance now-President and CEO Nan Roman […]
Centering Racial Equity in Homeless System Design
This post is written by staff of the Oakland-Berkeley-Alameda County, California Continuum of Care (CA-502). Between 2017 and 2019, homelessness increased by 43 percent in Alameda County, California and unsheltered homelessness grew by 63 percent. The upsurge in homelessness is […]
Homelessness and Black History: Access to Housing
Homelessness is what happens when housing is out of reach. The growing gap between increasing housing costs and static wages in recent years has meant constantly rising rates of homelessness. For Black people, generations of being excluded from housing access means today being significantly overrepresented among people experiencing homelessness. When Housing is […]
Positive Changes in FY2021 Spending: HUD-VASH Eligibility Expands
As the pandemic continues and things remain tough in communities nationwide, changes set forth in recent legislation cause me to be hopeful about what we can accomplish to end homelessness. The final spending legislation for fiscal year 2021, passed by […]
Supporting Children and Families During the Pandemic
Even under normal circumstances, service providers struggle to meet the needs of children and families experiencing homelessness. And, these are far from normal times. Millions of families are now at risk of homelessness due to the impact of COVID-19. The […]
Preventing Homelessness for Youth and Young Families in Foster Care: FY2021 Updates
Many young people who enter homelessness, including young parents with children, do so after exiting foster care. Researchers have found that between 31% and 46% of youth exiting foster care experience homelessness by age 26. A study conducted in Washington […]
The Next Four Years: What Can We Expect for Homelessness and Housing Policy?
With the start of a new Presidential Administration, it’s a good time to look at what opportunities and challenges lie ahead as we seek an end to homelessness in the United States. In the coming months the Alliance will continue […]