COMTO Headquarters’ Post

The number of people enduring unsheltered homelessness rose across the U.S. last year. Meanwhile, homelessness response systems are working diligently to rehouse people while facing limited resources. 🤲 The National Alliance to End Homelessness writes that with the proper funding and leadership, communities would have the flexibility to choose strategies that fit their local needs and capacity and #EndHomelessnessOC once and for all! 🔗 Read up on the roadblocks and solutions: https://bit.ly/3J3xBoQ

We all see the impacts of homelessness, often in our own communities. Homelessness is complex and quite honestly heartbreaking. Communities must deploy multiple strategies and have the data needed to evaluate the effectiveness of programs attempting to help solve this complex problem. Take a look at our new case study outlining how harnessing data can help combat homelessness.

Are you ready to unravel the complex cycle of homelessness? Let's dive deep to break down the barriers! 💪 #HousingStability #EndHomelessness Understanding the Cycle of Homelessness: Breaking Down Barriers to Housing Stability Hey, Friends! Today, I want to shed light on a topic that affects our community more than we may realize - homelessness. Ever wonder why it's so hard for some people to break free from the cycle of homelessness? It's not just about finding a shelter for the night; it's a complex puzzle that involves economics, policy, health, and equality. From job loss to medical emergencies, from unaffordable housing to lack of support systems, the barriers to stable housing are REAL and DIVERSE. #CommunitySupport #AffordableHousing #SocialChange #BeTheChange #FindHopeHere #OrgOfHope #YourLifeMatters

How do you know your housing and homelessness programs are making the intended impact? Through assessment and evaluation, our analytics experts specialize in understanding data on homelessness and housing. We help organizations and communities quantify the impacts of their homelessness response and housing programs, giving them the knowledge to make targeted improvements to house as many people as possible quickly and equitably. Learn more about our approach! https://lnkd.in/gJeQ62eB  #HomelessnessSolutions

Affordable Housing is necessary across all sectors.

🔍 Dive into the latest findings on homelessness systems and learn from local administrators and service providers. Our webinar with Homebase looks at strategies to improve coordination and collaboration to address homelessness at the local level. Register here: https://lnkd.in/eeZJB7zw

An incredibly important piece this morning on Inside Housing from John Glenton. A quote that sticks with me is "As such, it is important for me to tell policymakers that after 35 years of working in the sector I’ve never known things to be so bad. Never." As John writes, it is imperative that the next government can provide sufficient and long term grant funding to support the building of more social and affordable homes. #SocialHousing #AffordableHomes

Today, I was pleased to speak to a Private Member's Bill from my MPP, the Ontario NDP's Bhutila Karpoche, that would establish a provincial Homelessness Task Force. If passed into law, the Task Force — composed of advocates, front-line workers, and people who are homeless — would utilize its expertise to inform a human rights-compliant provincial homelessness strategy. It's clear that the government's actions to date are not working, and that we are spending substantial resources on an uncoordinated effort to manage homelessness, not end it. The best way forward is for those who know what the solutions are to shape a provincial strategy. This isn't an added layer of bureaucracy; it's meaningful engagement with communities of expertise to ensure that Ontario will implement tangible, sustainable positive solutions to the homelessness crisis.

Why doesn't criminalizing homelessness work? ⚠️ IT'S INEFFECTIVE: arresting or fining a person does not solve their housing problem. It accomplishes nothing. 🏘️ It KEEPS PEOPLE HOMELESS FOR LONGER: not only are there fines, but the record follows a person attempting to secure a job and housing. It becomes a long-term barrier to exiting homelessness. 💡 IT DISTRACTS FROM SOLUTIONS: rather than punishing individuals without housing options, our communities should commit to the challenging yet sustainable work that has repeatedly proven effective in resolving homelessness. #HomelessnessIsSolvable Learn more about the Johnson v. Grants Pass case: https://bit.ly/3xmp8dv

🏘️ In many cases, communities are set up to manage homelessness, but not to end it for everyone who is experiencing it. Communities are proving that they can only end homelessness if they have systems and investments realigned around getting to zero ⬇️ Learn more about how #HomelessnessIsSolvable: https://bit.ly/49HqKxb