SDS Capital Group’s Post

The new Regional Action Plan Solutions Dashboard from All Home shows what it will take to dramatically reduce homelessness in each Bay Area county, and the region as a whole. The good news is ✨ that it’s doable ✨, but it’s also going to take more resources, commitment, and coordination than we’ve brought to bear before. The Solutions Dashboard also shows how important it is to prevent homelessness. It models how preventing homelessness reduces the amount of new affordable housing necessary, and the total cost. So when we increase the % of homelessness prevented, we watch the cost go down (imagine that 😉)! 👏 Read the report - https://lnkd.in/gXnxGvCG

We know what works to prevent and end homelessness. Spoiler alert: it is not to criminalize and arrest people for sleeping, resting, eating or living on the street when they have nowhere else to go. Effective strategies are to prevent homelessness by proving shallow rent subsidies, provide interim and permanent housing with needed supports, and to greatly increase the supply of affordable and accessible housing.

While we encourage new funding mechanisms and an increased response to homelessness in Missouri, we know that the failed suggestions within SB 1336 will only increase the difficulties faced by our houseless neighbors. People who live outdoors are the poorest in our communities, with the fewest resources. They are often pushed to the periphery of society and struggle to find accepting communities. Last year, Missouri’s homeless rate increased 12%, and it is clear that more must be done to address this crisis. (For more information about the lack of affordable housing, we recommend the newest annual report from the National Low Income Housing Coalition, "The Gap: A Shortage of Affordable Homes" - nlihc.org/gap.) Housing First is an evidence-based set of principles that acknowledge basic human needs. Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) is also one of the most effective strategies we’ve ever used to end homelessness. You can learn more about PSH through the recording of our March Friday Forum on this topic, available on our YouTube channel here: https://lnkd.in/g5B4pQnm Our full recent testimony in opposition to SB 1336 can be found here: https://lnkd.in/gntGFznn Image description: a quote from Empower Missouri's testimony in opposition to SB 1336 in white text reading "According to a 2020 study by the National Institute of Health, 86% of Permanent Supportive Housing participants were successful in maintaining their housing for the long term" with a photo of a person sitting with packed cardboard boxes #EmpowerMOAHC #Homelessness #Housing #HousingCrisis #HousingFirst #PermanentSupportiveHousing #HousingIsAHumanRight #MOleg #Missouri #Testimony #Advocacy

In 2023, 32 communities across the country won significant funding from HUD to respond to unsheltered #homelessness. A new report from the National Alliance to End Homelessness examines how communities will use these funds to expand their unsheltered homelessness response. Homelessness is solvable and these communities are examples of how with the right funding innovation can happen to meet the needs. https://lnkd.in/g76GVxhY

PLEASE SHARE! We at SOS Richmond are stunned by Governor Gavin Newsom's order calling for the removal of homeless encampments across California. While encampments may be moved, human beings cannot be removed from our cities and towns. By criminalizing our most vulnerable neighbors, the governor is pursuing a misguided and cruel policy. Forcing the unhoused community out of encampments does not address the root causes of homelessness; it further marginalizes vulnerable individuals, pushing them into more dangerous and unstable situations by uprooting their tenuous stability and their connection with supportive organizations like SOS. The most effective way to respond to homelessness is through comprehensive, caring support that includes unhoused and recently housed neighbors through peer-to-peer support. This helps people on their journey from tent to home. Sweeping away encampments without providing community and essential services fails to offer a real solution and merely shifts the problem to the next encampment location. The order does not consider the voices and experiences of those who are directly affected and are most able to support their peers. Our unhoused neighbors have valuable insights and the interpersonal relationships to best address people’s needs. Any policy aimed at resolving homelessness must include their input and prioritize their dignity and humanity. We urge Governor Newsom and state officials to reconsider this order and focus on long-term, compassionate solutions. By investing in affordable housing and robust social services we create a more just and equitable society where everyone has the opportunity to survive and thrive. SOS Richmond remains committed to working with our community – housed and unhoused – to find sustainable and humane solutions to homelessness that scale to address this crisis. We stand in solidarity with our unhoused neighbors and advocate for their rights and well-being. Photo: Staff member Leyla connecting with an unhoused neighbor through street-level outreach. Photo credit: Maurice Tierney #bayarea #cahousingcrisis #housing #GavinNewsom #eastbay #contraconstacounty #fightforthebay #housingjustice

In light of recent government announcements to address housing need and homelessness -- including the Queensland Government's Homes for Queenslanders Plan and the Housing Summit Outcomes Report -- Q Shelter has assessed the progress and alignment of our policy and investment recommendations. We've seen progress in many of the areas that Q Shelter, on behalf of the housing and homelessness sector, has been calling for, and we believe it's important to acknowledge the forward progress that has been made to-date. There is, of course, more to do, and Q Shelter will continue to call for further progress, especially in these four areas: 1. Address immediate challenges to achieve more homes quickly 2. Achieve genuine prevention of complex homelessness 3. Build capacity in the community housing industry 4. Amplify and embed the voices of people with lived experience of unmet housing needs and homelessness. You can read our full assessment on our website: https://bit.ly/3Uxk7s2 #homematters #bettertogether #homesforqueenslanders

Rob’s story from Hamden is a powerful reminder that homelessness can happen to anyone. Once a healthcare worker with a stable home, Rob is now navigating life without a permanent place to stay. Like many in Connecticut, he faces challenges in securing stable housing while balancing health issues and financial hardships. Homelessness in Connecticut has risen by 13% since last year, and there are currently 3,410 unhoused individuals across the state. Various factors, including a lack of affordable housing and support services, drive this crisis. Rob says, “They might hire me to help, so I can have a couple of hours to earn some money and actually feel like something.” It’s essential to understand that homelessness stems from many contributing factors, both large and small, and requires a compassionate response from our communities. Read more about Rob's journey and the rising issue of homelessness in Connecticut:

In 2024, 3,280 people were experiencing homelessness across Harris, Fort Bend, and Montgomery counties. Since 2020, we've seen a 17% decrease in overall homelessness and a 33% drop in unsheltered homelessness. Thanks to Houston's Housing First model, homelessness has been reduced by an incredible 60% since 2011! But as COVID-19 relief funding comes to an end, we need $50 million annually to sustain this progress. Without continued funding, homelessness could rise by 60% again by 2026. 😟 Houston's success has been built on strong collaboration with local leaders, public-private partnerships, and a commitment to permanent housing solutions. Let's keep pushing forward to ensure everyone has a safe place to call home. 🔗 Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gsDYq27h #HoustonStrong #HousingFirst #EndHomelessness #SupportOurCommunity #PublicPrivatePartnerships #TogetherWeCan

Not enough homes... The rise in homelessness by 12% in 2023 emphasizes the critical need for increased affordable housing. Here's a look at how Burlington, VT, and Bakersfield, CA, are tackling this challenge. #HomelessnessResponse #CommunityEngagement #AffordableHousing #HereAndNow

Affordable Housing is necessary across all sectors.