SAMMinistries’ Post

Yesterday, I proposed (via a letter to the editor) that we House homeless in our mostly unused Convention Center. "As Orlando weighs more shelters for our homeless (“Ahead of new Florida homelessness law, Orlando area weighs more shelters,” July 5), I have a suggestion that would minimize construction or expansion of temporary shelters. The idea was born from the article’s quote about how we should be looking at unused properties already in place. Since the Convention Center has significant unused capacity and is expanding anyway, why not take that unused capacity and turn it into a homeless shelter? It’s already air-conditioned and cleaned regularly (even when not used). It has large multi-stall bathrooms. The meeting rooms could easily be fitted with beds, while the larger rooms could serve as feeding, sitting, and working rooms. Some rooms can provide the required sobriety and substance-abuse treatment. The convention center is networked, so some rooms could be used for skills training to help people find employment, and to help them with life skills like budgeting and planning. Those who are able could serve as staff — from cooking, cleaning, and repairing, to teaching skills to others — so everyone contributes and gets a sense of accomplishment (instead of the failure they likely feel). Maybe they’re even trained to work in the tourist industry. It seems to be a common-sense solution to a complex problem." What do you think?

Effective solutions to homelessness require collaboration and input from a wide range of stakeholders, including Continuums of Care (CoCs) and homeless service providers. Their firsthand experience and expertise are invaluable in crafting legislation that truly addresses the needs of those experiencing homelessness. This bill carries amendments with deep implications for our communities: Reduced Funding: The cut from $40M to $20M over two years challenges the resource needs for effective shelter operations, especially when cities like Wichita alone require substantial amounts for new shelters. Restrictions on Shelter Access: Notably, the bill seeks to limit emergency shelter access to exclude non-U.S. citizens, raising serious ethical questions. Increased Liability Risks: New liabilities for shelters and local governments could deter the operation of critically needed shelters, impacting our ability to provide a safe haven during extreme weather conditions or emergencies. Mandates on Public Spaces: The requirement for cities and counties to adopt ordinances banning camping, sleeping, or obstruction of sidewalks without exceptions (other than temporary permits) overlooks the necessity for local autonomy and the need for compassionate, practical solutions to homelessness. Legal Liability for Local Governments: The potential for increased legal challenges against cities and counties not enforcing these bans could lead to significant taxpayer expense and distract from more effective homelessness interventions. Restrictions on Transporting Individuals: Limiting the ability to transport individuals experiencing homelessness across city or county lines complicates service delivery and fails to recognize the fluid nature of service needs and availability. We encourage community members to review the bill, consider its implications, and communicate with legislators. Your voice is essential in shaping policies that reflect our values and commitment to supporting every Kansan. You can review the bill at www.kslegislature.org #KansasLegislation #SB542 #CommunityAwareness #HomelessnessSupport

As cities begin to clear encampments following Governor Newsom’s recent decision, it is important to recognize that this is not a comprehensive solution to Los Angeles' homelessness crisis. Homelessness in LA is a complex, multifaceted issue that demands an approach sensitive to the unique circumstances of each individual and family in need of immediate support. We created Better Angels to solve LA’s homelessness epidemic through a holistic approach that includes: Prevention, Sanitation, Services, Shelter and Housing. https://lnkd.in/gPuvhwFa

I’d like to know what you all think about this article. Are tiny homes a viable solution to communities permanent housing needs? Or, more of stopgap/intermediary until permanent housing solutions can be developed?

Every Angeleno knows that homelessness is our number one issue. While Governor Newsom’s executive order might seem satisfying to some, the fact is that it fails to address the core issues that have caused the homelessness crisis to grow in the first place. Research shows that solutions like this don't reduce the overall number of unhoused people. This is exactly why we created Better Angels. Our mission is to solve LA’s homelessness epidemic by harnessing the power of the entire LA community. Executive fiats are not going to accomplish that. We need programs—at scale—that: 1) Prevent people from becoming unhoused in the first place 2) Provide temporary shelter to help people get off the streets 3) Create tens of thousands of affordable housing units to provide more permanent housing 4) Offer services and housing navigation support to those in need Become part of our movement and let’s solve this crisis together. https://lnkd.in/gCvwdrkb

The recent 6-3 #GrantsPass decision allows cities to enforce bans on sleeping in public places, even when there aren't enough shelter beds. This ruling, one of the most significant on #homelessness in decades, risks diverting attention from more productive solutions. To effectively address homelessness, it's crucial that people first understand what the problem of chronic homelessness is: the result of a broken #housing system. “The research is quite clear on this: Homelessness reaches epidemic levels in communities where housing is far too expensive and there is not enough of it. Let’s unpack this a little. There are individual determinants of homelessness, and there are societal determinants of homelessness. The former are factors in someone’s life that might explain why an individual becomes unhoused. The latter are the reasons the rate of chronic homelessness varies dramatically from one city or region to another.” Learn more: https://bit.ly/4cBaqPU

The PIT (Point-in-time count of homelessness) has been done in LA for 20 years, with the first being in 2005. The effect it’s had over that time is a public perception that a whole Culver City’s population worth of people are sleeping in tents within the City of LA. That’s not true. USC has counted physical dwellings since 2017 but last year USC told LAHSA not to release their Dwellings Count to the public. I viewed it via CPRA and it was in line with 2022’s and several before it. There were roughly 3k tents, 3k makeshift shelters and 7k vehicles. 2024’s dwellings may show a decrease in the number of tents because Inside Safe has been very particular about collecting tents in exchange for motel rooms, and they were already decreasing slightly for several years, probably because of sweeps. The Dwellings Count is basically the most legit part of the PIT Count besides the shelter beds count because it counts physical dwellings. The rest of the number is a projection. Will the 2024 Dwellings Count be released?

Muizenberg is a seaside, windy little town south of Cape Town and a place I call home. It's got lots of open spaces, a beach, a mountain and lots of shops and restaurants in a compact area. Like most suburbs in Cape Town, there are housed people and unhoused people that form part of the community. News landed today from our City of Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis: "...Geordin Hill-Lewis has announced the City’s approval of funding for another new Safe Space [homeless] shelter. The facility will serve the broader Muizenberg area..." https://lnkd.in/driycHKv Back in 2022 I was part of the Muizenberg Improvement District (MID) team that advocated to get the City of Cape Town to open up a Safe Space in Muizenberg. We negotiated for two potential city-owned sites to be considered for a 40 - 60 person safe space. A safe space is where an unhoused person can sleep a night inside a secure area, with food, water and access to ablution facilities. The MID had access to some funding and worked with both Mould Empower Serve and U-turn Homeless Ministries to establish how we'd get this thing off the ground followed by a operations plan to keep it sustainable and well managed. We finally got an offer for one of those sites and we begun the process of getting the residents of Muizenberg (both the housed and unhoused) informed so that they could have their say on how we should proceed. It was super early days in the whole process. Before we started the official public participation process we thought we'd start by having a public meeting to get a sense of what people were feeling as news had already begun to spread. These two articles sum it up: "Upset at site visits" https://lnkd.in/dTSAj4N3 and "Residents reject proposed site for homeless safe space" https://lnkd.in/dbmnR6jD. There was so much heat already and we hadn't really even begun. It had taken us almost two years just for the City of Cape Town to give us the green light on a piece of land and there were now lawsuits being prepared, threats I received on email and whatsapp and about 100 official email complaints sent to the ward counselor and this wasn't even in the public participation phase yet. The brakes were pulled, we lost momentum, the legal threats and personal threats put a significant halt on my enthusiasm and eventually the offer seemed to be withdrawn. We were back to square one! So this news that's come out today is a pleasant surprise that things are picking up again. I am no longer part of the MID and it seems that uTurn have managed to work directly with the City this time around which ultimately is a good thing. Lets hope the unhoused community finally get their safe space.

The Supreme Court's decision is a setback for compassion and humanity. Criminalizing homelessness is not a solution; it only exacerbates the crisis that has deepened under Mayor Todd Gloria's failed leadership. Under Mayor Gloria, San Diego has witnessed a 45% increase in homelessness. His decisions, including the mismanagement of over $200 million on ineffective strategies, have failed to address the root causes of homelessness. This administration has wasted taxpayer money without using metrics of success to evaluate the effectiveness of their plans. My plan focuses on investing in permanent supportive and affordable housing. We need a comprehensive strategy that provides long-term stability and support for homeless individuals to rebuild their lives. I will provide detailed reports on our progress, ensuring that resources are effectively utilized. Through community engagement and stakeholder collaboration, we will develop strategies that address homelessness while upholding our values of compassion and justice. Together, we will continue to fight for a city where every individual has the opportunity to thrive. Let us stand united in creating a safer and more compassionate San Diego. https://lnkd.in/extyqDhk

Another step in a proactive, multipronged approach to local homelessness response. https://lnkd.in/ga2ib2T3