Jeffrey Palmer’s Post

California is home to nearly one-third of those experiencing homelessness in the United States. Rather than moving aggressively to house these individuals, Gov. Gavin Newsome is choosing cruelty. Clearing encampments and criminalizing those without shelter does nothing to address the root causes of the problem. It inevitably compounds the problem by making it even harder for those without shelter to meet their basic needs in a humane and sustanable way. When moves like this make an already bad situation worse, the nearly certain next steps are detention camps far outside cities, where the problem will be less visible but no less real to those caught in its web. The criminalization of poverty for political gain is bad public policy. But it works for elected officials because voters want to see them doing something (anything?) and don't want to see people sleeping in public spaces. We need to start seeing the crisis of homelessness for what it is: Evidence our economy and society are failing people. And policies that fail to address the skyrocketing cost of housing in America make it more likely the problem will keep getting worse no matter how cruely we respond to those experiencing its effects.

The supreme court heard arguments (Grants Pass V. Johnson) this week regarding a cities authority to regulate homelessness and sleeping in public. This is a ruling that is going to directly affect the City of Boise and their attempts to regulate homeless encampments in the city. Homelessness is a continued issue that we as a community have to work to try to better. It will be interesting to see how the supreme court rules and how that hampers or allows cities to expand on an authority to try to regulate homelessness in the community. https://lnkd.in/g6ZfXSfh #propertymanagement #business #boiserealestate #idahorealestate #idahorealtor #idahohomes #boiserealestate #boiserentals #narpm #idaholegislature #Idaholaw #landlordtenantlaws

#KeelyWebster and #CaitlinDewitt do a terrific job outlining the successes and challenges of accessing bond financing in connection with homelessness reduction programs making this article a “must read.” Addressing homelessness is a Herculean challenge and new approaches are needed. These include, among other things, increasing the use of modular housing and revising public procurement requirements so impact investors and smaller companies can more easily particpate in bringing projects to fruition. #TeamSPB is working on any number of housing projects and structuring them in a variety of ways. Feel free to reach out to explore the “art of the possible”. #infrastructurehousing #infrastructure #socialinfrastructure Impact investors are particularly well suited as investors in housing projects because they are focused on delivering value for money and are particularly adept at building consensus across large groups of project participants. But, many such investors will tell you they don’t work on public projects because of the cost of the procurement process and the lost investment opportunity costs when procurements fail or they are not selected. These investors are required to make meaningful investments and investing in procurement does not qualify. This seems to be an opportunity looking for a sponsor. We need to consider what statutory and regulatory changes we can make to procurement to attract more investors. Developers in San Francisco and in 18 other Bay Area jurisdictions have failed to submit and implement state-approved housing plans and meet production goals. This failure brings SB 432 into play which elminates discretionary review for most residential projects that include a minimum of 10% affordable, on-site units or comply with local inclusionary requirements - which ever is higher. When SB 423 took effect in San Francisco it shortened the housing approval process from what was one of the longest and most arduous processes in the California to one of the shortest. Improving the approval process is one thing, creating an environment that expands the investor base and considers options other than new construction is another. There are many different road to Rome and finding solutions for housing is not that different. We need to find or make some new roads.

🚨 A small Oregon town’s homeless crisis is front and center in a landmark Supreme Court case. The ruling, set for April 22, could reshape how cities across the U.S. handle homelessness. This isn’t just a legal debate—it’s about protecting the constitutional rights of those without shelter. Pathways to Housing PA and 36 other organizations have signed onto an amicus brief filed by CSH, the Source for Housing Solutions, supporting the Ninth Circuit's decision to uphold the U.S. Constitution by prohibiting communities from fining or arresting people for merely sleeping outside when they have no access to shelter. The decision will have ripple effects nationwide, impacting thousands who struggle with homelessness. Read the full story: https://lnkd.in/eunfNesp

Addressing homelessness requires compassionate and practical solutions, not criminalization. It's crucial to recognize that homelessness is a systemic issue, rooted in the lack of affordable housing. Policies that fail to provide alternative shelters only prolong street living and worsen the crisis. We need to invest in affordable housing and support services to truly end homelessness. Let's work towards real solutions that uplift our communities rather than penalize those in need. #EndHomelessness #AffordableHousing #CompassionateSolutions

Yet another act of shameful political theatre, and once again it comes at the expense of our most vulnerable neighbours. Clearing (i.e. moving) camps doesn't solve homelessness--it amplifies trauma and thus worsens the problem. Forcing people into human warehouses (i.e. mass congregate shelters) doesn't solve homelessness--it amplifies trauma and thus worsens the problem. Dignified housing options solve homelessness, and we should be spending our time producing more dignified housing options rather than increasing the force of the cycle of trauma that our unhoused neighbours are already living in through trying to hide the problem behind locked doors. https://lnkd.in/gyybJfqA

With limited to no housing resources, inflation of rent and home loans coupled with salaries that do not reflect the rate of inflation to meet basic needs, the unhoused community is growing exponentially. Not to mention, we can no longer walk into an establishment and request to fill out a job application DURING the time the manager is onsite to have that impromptu conversation. Long gone are the days like we could do that. The only way to navigate a job application is to "pass" the algorithm test for your application to even meet the hiring managers platform. Though I see "please be patient with us, the whole nation is experiencing a shortage" signs at many establishments, the algorithm is still in place limiting those who WANT to work. Make it make sense. And challenging biases not everyone unhoused is uneducated. Not everyone who is unhoused has a diagnoses. YET, these factors should not and do not disqualify individuals from being treated with human decency or with accessing housing. Should the unhoused be reprimanded for the negative impact of, in my opinion, are multiple broken systems?

Addressing homelessness requires compassionate and practical solutions, not criminalization. It's crucial to recognize that homelessness is a systemic issue, rooted in the lack of affordable housing. Policies that fail to provide alternative shelters only prolong street living and worsen the crisis. We need to invest in affordable housing and support services to truly end homelessness. Let's work towards real solutions that uplift our communities rather than penalize those in need. #EndHomelessness #AffordableHousing #CompassionateSolutions

Homelessness is a housing problem. Housing prices are the #1 indicator for homelessness — so it's no surprise that in California, with the highest median home prices in the country, would have a significant unhoused population. According to a University of California, San Francisco study 90% of unhoused individuals in California were Californians, and 75% lived in the same county where they were last housed. Without adequate affordable housing in Marin and across California, more and more of our population will become unhoused. To solve homelessness, we need affordable housing. #AffordableHousing #California #BAHFA #RegionalMeasure4 #HousingForAllMarin #Housing #Homelessness #Marin #BayArea Sources: https://lnkd.in/g8mmb65h https://lnkd.in/e9PCjeEz https://lnkd.in/gXd9kHqA.

"A strong body of evidence shows that when people are housed stably, they commit fewer survival crimes like theft, robbery, trespassing, loitering, and prostitution. Increasing access to rental housing in low-income neighborhoods has also been found to significantly reduce violent crime, and providing permanent housing subsidies is correlated with reduced rates of intimate partner violence." Check out this insightful piece from The Brookings Institution on creating safe places and safe sleeping for people experiencing homelessness. In light of the recent Grants Pass decision, the article highlights the importance of cost-effective and humane solutions to address homelessness without resorting to criminalization. https://hubs.la/Q02HR0cR0