Ryan Woods’ Post

If your outside of Boston and wondering what your community can do to stabilize individuals and address homelessness, this article is a must read! Featuring a Workforce Development Grad, Garry!

Having visited Community First Village (CFV) in Austin twice over the last couple of years, I’ve witnessed first-hand how their model is successfully addressing the social crisis impacting their city. In fact, other cities and counties have also taken notice and have replicated, or are in the process of replicating, the same model.   Reducing homelessness requires a mosaic of solutions which, historically, has been heavily weighted towards providing immediate and interim shelter and support services. While interim measures are critical to addressing the needs of those experiencing homelessness, without permanent solutions, the cycle of moving from the street to temporary housing and then back to the street is never ending. The CFV model provides permanent, supportive community and has been tested over time, at scale, with a very low rate of attrition. The CFV model not only provides permanent homes and community, it also provides critical support services and the ability for one to live out their life with dignity and stability. Seeds of Hope Silicon Valley’s mission is to provide permanent, supportive community for the unhoused using the same approach and tenets as Community First Village. Click on the links below to learn more from a recent article in The New York Times and a segment on the Today Show.

As Atlanta's rental market continues to increase, the need for affordable housing has never been more critical. Did you know that the average rent price in Atlanta has increased by 5.3% over the past year alone, far outpacing wage growth? This alarming trend has contributed to a rise in homelessness, with about 7000 individuals experiencing homelessness in our city this year according to a study conducted by https://lnkd.in/e2gaDNw7 At Tapestry Development Group, we understand the profound impact of these challenges on our community. That's why we're dedicated to building affordable housing solutions that empower individuals and families to thrive. By focusing on accessibility and affordability, we're working to ensure that everyone has a place to call home, regardless of their income level. Together, we can make a difference. Join us in our mission to create a more equitable and inclusive Atlanta for all.

🌟 Transforming Lives and Landscapes: Introducing The Other Side Village in Salt Lake City 🌟 📣 Exciting news from Salt Lake City that's redefining our approach to chronic homelessness with a groundbreaking initiative: The Other Side Village. This innovative 56-acre community development is more than a place to live; it's a transformative beacon for over 400 individuals seeking a fresh start. 🏡 Distinctive Features of The Other Side Village: - Permanent, Affordable Housing: Beyond mere shelter, these accessible tiny homes offer safety, comfort, and the dignity every human deserves. - Community and Connection: Embracing the power of community, The Other Side Village nurtures strong social bonds, personal growth, and unwavering support through an integrated living approach. - Comprehensive Support Services: Residents have access to medical care, mental health services, substance abuse support, and employment opportunities right within the village. - Sustainability and Self-Sufficiency: With a goal for operational self-reliance, the village leverages social enterprises, minimizing the need for ongoing external financial support. 🌱 Inspired by Nature: The village's layout mirrors natural ecosystems, with homes organized into pods that balance individuality with community spirit. These pods are surrounded by communal resources and green spaces, prioritizing sustainability through low-water use and native vegetation. 🤝 A Collective Endeavor: Symbolizing unity, The Other Side Village embodies the collaborative effort of the homeless, local residents, and the wider community. It demonstrates the incredible outcomes possible when we join forces to address significant societal issues. This initiative goes beyond constructing houses—it's about forging a new pathway for tackling homelessness with dignity, community, and sustainability at its core. It's an invitation for all of us to reconsider our role in addressing one of today's most critical challenges. Let's step up and contribute to this noble cause. Learn more, offer support, or get involved with The Other Side Village today. #TheOtherSideVillage #CommunityBuilding #HomelessnessSolutions #SustainableLiving #SocialImpact Discover more about The Other Side Village: https://lnkd.in/gA2scgRt

Can affordable housing transform declining neighborhoods? One organization believes it can—and it’s already doing so. Based in San Angelo, Texas, Galilee is a not-for-profit organization providing affordable housing options for residents on low to moderate incomes. Stephanie Hamby, MPA, Executive Director of Galilee CDC, and Carlos Cruz, Rehabilitation Manager, discuss the organization's impact on affordable housing and homelessness, focusing on community engagement and partnerships. "With the category of 18-to-30-year-olds leaving school or the foster care system, these individuals are susceptible to homelessness or ‘couch surfing’, but by thinking upstream, we can provide good quality, affordable apartments to combat these potential issues." Read the full insight into Galilee here: 🔗https://ow.ly/FubU50TE4ct #AffordableHousing #AffordableLiving #GalileeCDC #MHBmagazine

How did Houston go from having the 6th largest homeless population in the country to becoming a model for coordinated service delivery? Governing magazine takes a deep dive into the policy and politics that drove a 64% reduction in the homeless population over the past 12 years, including a 17% drop in the past year. Houston's "The Way Home" focuses on coordination, getting leaders of different organizations working in concert beyond their individual missions. It also emphasizes a housing-first model that gets people into their own apartments without first worrying about whether they meet qualifying criteria. On average, 90% are still in their homes after one year - a lifeline for the residents, but also financially prudent for the city. Development Strategies continues to work to help communities, like City of Wichita Kansas through its HOME-ARP Allocation Plan and City of Tulsa & Housing Solutions through the Citywide Housing Strategy, add safe and decent affordable housing so that more permanent supportive housing is available. #interestingread #housing #unhoused

“Our lived experience is our superpower because we can build connection and trust with people, in a second.” – Betsy Craft, Collaboratory Participant We are deeply grateful to Tatiana Flowers and The Colorado Sun for shining a light on the Neighborhood-Based Resource Hub pilot. This Hub is the result of an incredible collective effort through Elevated Denver’s first Collaboratory, where community members—those with lived experience, service providers, business leaders, and policymakers—came together to co-create solutions. The Collaboratory was instrumental in shaping the Hub by bringing together diverse voices and experiences, including the lived experts who know firsthand the challenges of navigating homelessness. Through research, prototyping, and testing, we refined the model to ensure it truly addresses the needs of individuals newly unhoused or on the cusp of homelessness. This community-driven approach is what makes the Hub so powerful. It’s not just about connecting people to resources, but creating a trusting space for individuals and families to feel supported as they navigate an overly complex system of support, guided by Peer staff who have been there themselves. We want to extend our deepest thanks to all who were part of this process—from the Collaboratory participants to the Champions who have supported us every step of the way. Without your dedication and insights, this solution would not be possible. Read the full article and join us in this movement for meaningful change: https://lnkd.in/gCGSyx_D.

People often talk about the housing crisis in the Bay Area as it’s something that suddenly appeared out of thin air in the last decade. The reality is that what we see today on our streets and in our laws is the result of over a century of policies that slowly got us to this point. To truly understand a crisis, we need to study its history. Our stellar content team at Impact Labs just published the first piece of a 4-part research and analysis series on zoning — 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐖𝐞 𝐆𝐨𝐭 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐎𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐚𝐧 𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨 𝐁𝐚𝐲 𝐀𝐫𝐞𝐚. We spoke with incredible people like Stephen Menendian, Director of Research at Othering & Belonging Institute at UC Berkeley, and Couper Orona, a former firefighter who became unhoused after an injury and turned into a disabled street medic and advocate. In this piece, we looked at: - The rise of the terms “homeless” and “homelessness” in the last 50 years. - Segregation in the Bay Area’s housing practices dating back to the late 1800s. - Berkeley’s introduction of single-family zoning as a policy rooted in racism. - The rise of zoning and the anti-growth crusade of suburban cartels. In upcoming weeks, we’ll continue exploring the consequences of zoning and diving deep into what modern homelessness looks like, the shelter system, and what we need to create a better future for our communities. Check out our article on the origins of the housing crisis in the Bay Area and lmk what you think! https://lnkd.in/gYDVSTdp

As we actively work to close the housing gap in Kent County, we lean on the stories of those experiencing varying degrees of the #housingcrisis. More than 30% of renters use their household budget for housing costs and homelessness rates continue to increase. By amplifying the voices of those with #livedexperiences on the housing continuum we're taking a systemic approach to educating Kent County residents on the realities of the housing crisis. Visit the link below to learn more about the everyday experiences of Kent County residents on the housing continuum. #AffordableHousing #HousingSolutions