Pedro Perez’s Post

In the midst of Pgh's broader housing crisis, here is an article of efforts across the country to address older adults' particular needs in an effort to prevent eviction: https://lnkd.in/e5rBEjH7

"If you live in one of America’s cities, you probably see homeless people all the time. You might pass them on your way to work. Maybe you avoid eye contact. If they ask you for money, maybe you pretend you didn’t hear, and walk on by. But what if you stopped and listened to what they have to say?" A staggering 70% of all extremely low-income families today pay more than half their income on rent, becoming homeless is easier than we’d like to think. These stories are even more important today, as a record number of people experience #homelessness and face increasing threats from the law. The Supreme Court is set to hear the case of Johnson v. Grants Pass, the most significant case in decades about homeless people’s rights. The case will determine whether cities can arrest or fine the #homeless — even if there’s no other shelter. As the homeless plaintiffs wrote, this would be “punishing the city’s involuntarily homeless residents for their existence.” Learn more: https://bit.ly/3JvxRgl

Repost from the National Homelessness Law Center: In a profoundly disappointing ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court today decided that the US Constitution does not protect homeless people against cruel and unusual punishment, even when they have no choice to sleep in public using things like blankets or pillows. Arresting or fining people for trying to survive is expensive, counterproductive, and cruel. This inhumane ruling, which goes against the values of nearly three-quarters of Americans, will make homelessness worse in Grants Pass and nationwide. Cities are now even more empowered to neglect proven housing-based solutions and to arrest or fine those with no choice but to sleep outdoors. While we are disappointed, we are not surprised that this Supreme Court ruled against the interests of our poorest neighbors. In addition, as quoted today by the National Health Care for the Homeless Council, we know this ruling "will not fall on unhoused people equally: Black, Brown, and Indigenous people experience homelessness in disproportionately high numbers, and they are also targeted, fined, and arrested for being present in public spaces at higher rates. Racism is a driving force in who experiences homelessness in this country, and how people of color interact with police and the courts. Forcing more stigmatized, vulnerable people into the criminal justice system compounds the deep racial injustices connected with homelessness."  National Harm Reduction Coalition joins the National Homelessness Law Center, National Health Care for the Homeless Council and the hundredths of advocacy and services organizations, and unhoused people across the country that mobilized against this landmark case to state that "no one should be punished for sleeping outside, especially when they have no other options." We also demand the Biden administration and Congress to invest at least $356 billion in the next year with continued funding in future years to ensure that everybody has safe, decent housing that they can afford. #housingnothandcuff #supportdontpunish #nooneshouldbepunishedforsleepingoutside ❤️

Criminalizing homelessness IS criminal. Homelessness is a symptom of failure in leadership. Housing is the foundation for stability, good health, education, and true equity. During this escalation of the housing crisis and cost of living, housing should be first priority. After all, when people have housing, job retention increases, it supports the local economy, and strengthens communities. #affordablehousing #housingcrisis

Supreme Court Ruling and Homelessness in Texas The Supreme Court ruled that states have the right to uphold homeless encampment bans and fine violators. I don’t disagree that this is a state issue, but my issue is that the states and the people of the state (citizens, not politicians alone) don’t seem to be doing what’s necessary for their most vulnerable citizens. If you vote for this to be enforced then I expect that you are going to take some time to go help make a difference and solve the problem…. In Texas alone, the number of Texans experiencing homelessness returned to pre-pandemic levels last year, growing by more than 12% in 2023. Some 27,377 Texans were homeless last year, according to federal estimates. Of those, about 11,700 people were living outside, in their cars or in other places not fit for human habitation. Take that down a level to just the veteran population of 1,426,641 people, with a median household income of $78,498. 🚨 31.2% have service connected disabilities 🚨 4.8% of the 5.3% of total unemployment are veterans 🚨 6.6% live in poverty 🚨23.5% have repair issues or are overpaying housing 🚨1,117 are homeless (seems low, but we’ll go with it) 🚨 $1,968/month is the average rent in Texas When I read those stats above, my question is how do we solve those problems, not how do we punish and fine people who are already struggling in a broken system? 💫 United we stand, together we rise! Be the change! 💫

📢 Dive into the realities of homelessness💡This piece by @homeless_loki sheds light on the struggles faced by seniors and disabled individuals, the challenges of understaffed agencies, and the urgent need for compassionate solutions: https://lnkd.in/gYdBM9mQ

When I learned to drive, a family member instructed me on what they coined “roll room:” leaving about six feet of space in front of my car at a stoplight so I could “roll” forward in case the homeless person on the corner tried to approach my window. There are constant narratives behind this reasoning, a self-comforting blanket we can throw over why we might cross the street to avoid walking too close to someone living on it, why we might avert eye contact or sit blankly as a person with a grocery cart of their belongings screams into the air, fighting a battle only visible to them. Stereotypes and stigma around homelessness often encompass drugs, PTSD and other mental illnesses, and systemic factors within the economy, government and society. “They’re just going to use the money for drugs;” “If they wanted to get help, they would;” these phrases might sound familiar to some. Passersby might contribute a smile, some food, a conversation and a few dollars, and some might devote their lives and careers to advocacy and activism for people experiencing homelessness. No matter the effort, however, one fact remains: the homeless population is growing. And while there is plenty of ongoing research as to why and what can be done to amend it, I feel as though sometimes the humanity can get lost in analytics and politics. Did anyone who was counted in the Point in Time Count ever play in AYSO? Did anyone of the 1,887 homeless individuals ever fall in love? Did the person who screams in the street ever race down them with their childhood friends? Turns out, some did. https://lnkd.in/gRDY3nSP

With more than a quarter of a million people living unsheltered on any given night, the Supreme Court’s Grants Pass v Johnson decision, released today, will have an outsized impact on homelessness policy going forward. Homelessness is a complex issue largely driven by the growing scarcity of affordable housing, widening wage gaps, and deeply entrenched inequities across mainstream systems. With a shortage of 7.3 million affordable rental units and ballooning housing costs, 17,000 people become homeless for the first time each week, struggling to find a job, maintain basic hygiene, and secure housing. It is imperative that we reduce barriers faced by people experiencing homelessness - people who are effectively houseless - and not add to them. Instead of fighting the unhoused, we must fight the forces that deprive people of housing.   LeSar works closely with communities to implement solutions proven to address unsheltered homelessness, such as those that keep people housed, create permanent housing, and provide low-barrier services. Our staff has seen firsthand that when someone has a roof over their head and is given support to address mental, physical, and social determinants of health, they can heal and thrive. We will continue to work with communities on these solutions especially. #housingfirst #grantspass #housingcrisis #homelessness These proven solutions require long-term sustained investments and the political will that prioritizes them. Shifting the burden to law enforcement will not address the homelessness crisis; it will only further exacerbate the situation. Criminalization is especially pernicious in its impact on people of color, who are disproportionately represented among the homeless population. Black Americans, already bearing the brunt of systemic inequities, will continue to bear the unequal impact of citations, fines, and arrests. Where criminalization has been attempted as a potential solution, it has only led to temporary displacement of those in need to neighboring communities, increased policing and court costs, difficulties in providing the above-mentioned interventions to those who desperately need them, expanded trauma to those already suffering and ultimately increases in homelessness.   Homelessness requires multi-faceted, structural solutions.  We applaud communities that continue to invest in proven solutions and eschew tactics aimed at quick fixes that ultimately are not effective, and we will continue to facilitate cross-sector collaboration to address this challenge. It has been a privilege to support these approaches for the last two decades, and we will continue to do so with renewed commitment.       

Think about the top causes of homelessness and housing insecurity. Here are some eye-opening truths: 🔸Don’t grow up below the poverty line. 🔸Don’t experience family violence or emotional abuse. 🔸Don’t end up in foster care. 🔸Don’t suffer a serious accident, disability, or chronic illness. 🔸Don’t get made redundant. Homelessness is not a choice. It happens when you run out of choices, faced with challenges beyond your control. This insightful piece by Melbourne Zero sheds light on the harsh realities. 👉 https://loom.ly/JJk0kys

As many communities prepare to participate in the annual 2024 Point-in-Time count this week, the National Alliance to End Homelessness looks ahead on what we think 2024 will bring for homelessness and housing issues, and how we as a field can best position ourselves to be successful across a number of priorities. Here are some key things to look out for in the upcoming year: 🏘 Responding to New and Existing Challenges: homelessness is up across the board this year, especially unsheltered homelessness. It is imperative that we work together to let our local, state, and national leaders know what works and what investments are needed to turn the tide. 🏘 Homelessness as an Election Issue: We all have to step up to educate elected officials and the public so that we are actively working towards solutions. We must all challenge and name when tactics are advanced in the name of political opportunists, or as a means of dividing voters: because our communities are safer and stronger when everyone has a home, and this benefits us all. 🏘 Homelessness and the Supreme Court: The Supreme Court will decide if localities can ban involuntary unsheltered homelessness within their borders, or if doing so when no shelter is available constitutes cruel and unusual punishment under the Eighth Amendment. 🏘 Anticipating Progress in 2024: Among all of these hard things, there are bright spots. Such as affordable housing is already winning on the ballot, several states have fought back against criminalization efforts, programs are using their funds to innovate, and the Alliance’s work is helping people in our sector to do their jobs better. 2024 will be a big year for #homelessness and we need each and every person to stand with us. Read more: #endhomelessness https://lnkd.in/eYuPTeTZ