Episcopal Community Services of San Francisco’s Post

Criminalizing homelessness fails to address its root causes, such as the lack of affordable housing and access to services. Instead, it penalizes individuals who have no alternative but to sleep on the streets. Fining people who can't afford housing only exacerbates their situation, leading to incarceration and further instability. In Grants Pass, with over 600 homeless individuals and only 130 shelter beds, the problem persists. Shelters, like the Gospel Misson in Grants Pass, can pose risks to mental health, promoting religious conversion and unpaid labor. Often there is an adversarial relationship between staff and the clients leaving many with no safe place for shelter. Shelters can pose physical health risks like requiring complete sobriety despite the dangers of a sudden detox for long term substance users. Working at a shelter during the pandemic I saw first hand how quickly illness spreads in such a close environment. Shelters are often unable to accommodate families with more than a few kids making it even more difficult to find resources for a family struggling together. As a dog owner having to say good bye to a pet I love so dearly just isn’t an option. Yet we expect those experiencing homelessness to just give up their pets for a temporary shelter bed that may not be available the next night. Forget the emotional and mental support that pet might bring to them. This law, and others like it, seeks to criminalize an individual experiencing homelessness for their existence. It further ostracizes them from society. This law is cruel. It is an unusual punishment applied exclusively to those experiencing homelessness. Rather than criminalizing individuals experiencing unsheltered homelessness, communities should prioritize creating effective programs and policies. The "Housing First" model remains the most effective approach. Expecting someone to improve their mental health, overcome addiction, or address financial struggles while sleeping outside is unrealistic. Stable shelter is a fundamental human necessity. Growing up in poverty I saw first hand how a discriminatory legal system can cause harm; a reality that was reinforced working as a social worker. I hope to continue to advocate for an individuals legal rights regardless of their socioeconomic status. It should not be a crime to sleep in public while homeless. Especially when communities have consistently failed to provide other safe and affordable alternatives.

Homelessness is one of the most pressing issues facing the country, and without drastic action things are only going to get worse. Our latest blog, "A chance to end homelessness - Glass Door’s Election Asks", spotlights: 💡 How rough sleeping is just the tip of the iceberg 💡 The work that Glass Door delivers to support people experiencing or at risk of homelessness 💡 Our top three asks of the next government, underpinned by data and insights from our front-line services Head to our website to give it a read: https://lnkd.in/ecT2CbFx

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.

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

🏠 Addressing homelessness is a moral imperative -- This week, I had the privilege of attending a legislative briefing at the RI state house, where the urgency of addressing homelessness was underscored by passionate advocates and representatives. A key takeaway was the undeniable strain felt across our state due to the rising number of unhoused individuals, regardless of income bracket. The ripple effects touch every aspect of our community, from increased pressure on essential services to the heartbreaking reality of families, including children, sleeping on the streets due to insufficient shelter beds. The message was clear: housing is a basic right, and it's imperative that we invest in solutions now. Every budget cut has a human impact, hindering the progress we've worked so hard to achieve. Let's not falter in our efforts. Together, we can make a difference and ensure that every member of our community has a place to call home. #EndHomelessness #CommunitySupport #InvestInHousing 🏡✨ View the briefing here: https://lnkd.in/eH9YEK6X

Today, we're focusing on a critical issue: homelessness, housing, and eviction resources in our state. No one should have to face housing instability alone. Join us as we share valuable resources to provide support and assistance to those in need. #EndHomelessness #HousingResources #CommunitySupport 🏠💙 https://buff.ly/3rTXVg8 https://buff.ly/44wFSvo

The LA Times reported California spent big on homelessness — hundreds of millions of dollars — but where's it all going? We see it every day — homelessness in CA is up 6% in 2023 and 53% since 2013. It’s time for greater accountability. We need to do what works, and what works is implementing more rigorous oversight over homeless assistance programs to ensure that our taxpayer dollars are spent on programs that actually produce results. Learn more about my plan here: https://lnkd.in/g2h5MBeP.

When viewed side-by-side, investing in evidence-based homeless services is far more effective than criminalization. A new analysis from National Alliance to End Homelessness compares the two approaches. https://lnkd.in/g6w-SmkB #JohnsonVGrantsPass.

Voting #YesOnA will: ✅Keep critical care in place ✅Prevent homelessness from increasing ✅Ensure funding goes to the most effective services ✅Build more affordable housing The choice is simple 🤝 Say YES on A to prevent homelessness and build more housing people can afford. Learn more: https://yesona.la/

#SCOTUS' decision on #JohnsonVGrantsPass allows local governments to punish people for sleeping outside when they have nowhere else to go, even though experts agree that criminalizing homelessness only makes it harder to solve. Luckily, the rest of this week’s news has the Bay Area poised to double down on proven solutions to homelessness. ✔ On Tuesday, we released our Regional Action Plan that serves as a roadmap to making homelessness rare, brief and one-time. ✔ On Wednesday, MTC voted to put a $20 billion affordable housing bond measure on the November ballot of all Bay Area counties. ✔ On Thursday, the Legislature voted to put structural change to enable housing solutions on the ballot statewide through ACA 10. Despite the disappointing ruling made earlier today, we cannot afford to let it distract us from the proven solutions right in front of us. Let’s come together and choose a better future for the Bay Area, where everyone in our region can stay here and thrive. https://lnkd.in/gz9ZDqKP