Ontario Municipal Social Services Association’s Post

The clinical and financial cost of homelessness is high. We partnered with a managed care organization to identify potential cost reductions and build a homelessness program that helps high-risk members find housing and receive essential care, resulting in a first-year return of $2.4 million. Learn more about how we’re making a difference: https://bit.ly/3UjbiRS

One of the best ways to reduce adult homelessness is to prevent young people from experiencing it in the first place. In Washington, a strategic focus on early intervention and data-driven policies led to a 40 percent reduction in youth and young adult homelessness. Learn more about how collaboration between young people, advocates, policymakers, and funders helped make this possible: https://lnkd.in/ePXGyXnZ

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

Housing First “… providing unhoused people with housing stability alongside intensive case management” … “requires coordination across multiple stakeholders, evidence-based action, and a willingness to make the issue a core priority at the local level … (integrated “command center,” “brute force”) … to achieve success” ... which should be measured as “… importance of long-term individual outcomes rather than just the number of people served by a program” 👇

Veteran Housing Corp reminds you that #HOMELESSNESS IS THE RESULT OF DECADES OF THE FAILURE TO BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR ALL. THE HISTORY AND PRESENT STATE OF THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX IN AMERICA CAN BE SUMMED UP IN ONE WORD: BROKEN DON'T BE FOOLED BY SLICK PROMOTIONAL POSTS THAT MAKE IT SEEM LIKE YOUR LOCAL, STATE OR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ELECTED AND APPOINTED OFFICIALS ARE SOLVING THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING CRISIS. WHEN IT COMES TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING, THE PUBLIC AND TAXPAYERS MUST ASK: AT WHAT COST TO THE TAXPAYERS AND HOW LONG IS THE AFFORDABILITY PERIOD? EVERY TAXPAYER SHOULD BE ASKING THEIR ELECTED AND APPOINTED OFFICIALS THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS: 1. How much local, state, and federal funding, tax credits, density bonus increase, waivers of impact fees, or other government benefit or incentive did the project receive? 2. What is the affordability period for each project and, if the affordability period is not in perpetuity or permanent, WHY NOT? 3. What guarantees exist that tenants in the affordable housing units will not be displaced after an "affordability period expires? Any LOCAL, STATE or FEDERAL official that does not MANDATE "permanent" affordability periods or affordability "IN PERPETUITY" for any project receiving some government benefit is commiting MALFEASANCE and should quit, be removed from office or be terminated. IN MOST CASES WHEN IT COMES TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING, the public and taxpayer are being fooled into thinking their elected and appointed officials are solving problems, when in fact, all hey have done is "KICK THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD" to burden a future generation with the same problem or crisis!

📣As a organisation working on the frontline of the rough sleeping crisis, we need your voice. Let’s make ending homelessness a key focus this General Election. Together, we've seen that with the right solutions can not only manage but prevent and homelessness for good. Now, let's urge future leaders to implement these solutions across the country, and speak up for those who need us most. In the lead up to this election, make this the conversation - with friends, family, or in your community, so that we can finally address rising street homelessness. #MakethistheConvo. Find out more👇 https://lnkd.in/euvRf8Wc

Homelessness>> In the UK, policies must draw upon the successes from elsewhere, derive from clear, non-judgmental understanding, and enable the implementation of evidence-based guidelines, as a matter of urgency.   At an international level there is also an urgent need for our leaders to rise to the challenges and find peaceful solutions to the many armed conflicts that are promoting homelessness and having devastating effects on individuals’ lives. https://lnkd.in/d_XFGbY

Challenge perspectives on homelessness by supporting Invisible People’s work. With your help, our journalists uncover the true causes of homelessness to grow support for policies that will end this crisis. Help end homelessness today: https://lnkd.in/eUPeX5ge

🔍 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

This week’s City of Grants Pass, Oregon v. Johnson hearing marked the beginning of Supreme Court case proceedings with life-changing consequences for those we serve—by potentially allowing for unhoused people to be fined or arrested for sleeping outside. We must stand firm in our commitment to protecting our vulnerable unhoused neighbors. Research shows that the solution to the homelessness crisis is creating more affordable housing, not criminalizing homelessness. As we wait for an official ruling to be issued, be sure to read National Alliance to End Homelessness’ brief comparing criminalization as an approach to the homeless crisis with increased investment in homelessness services. Spoiler alert: strengthening homelessness services is the best path towards reaching functional zero on homelessness.