Street Law Centre WA ’s Post

"The National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) strongly condemns the Supreme Court’s decision in City of Grants Pass, Oregon v. Johnson to allow jurisdictions to arrest and ticket unhoused people for sleeping outside, even when adequate shelter or housing is not available. 'This cruel, misguided ruling will only worsen homelessness,' said NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel. 'It gives cover to elected officials who choose political expediency over real solutions by merely moving unhoused people out of public view rather than working to solve their homelessness. These ineffective and inhumane tactics exacerbate homelessness by saddling unhoused people with debt they can’t pay, while further isolating them from the services and support they need to become stably housed. To truly address and solve homelessness, policymakers must instead work with urgency to scale up proven solutions, starting with greater investments in affordable housing and supportive services.'” Read more: https://lnkd.in/g7b4mR6r 

A national strategy for homelessness : this updated “ Homes for All” strategy from Church of England and Nationwide ( I seem to remember that the Bishop of Chelmsford was charged some years ago with implementing the first draft of this strategy but could be mistaken- not sure how much actual progress was made on that although number of young homeless in 2019 was 85000 now it’s 130000 so presume not much) would seem to fit the bill for a National Strategy as called for in the Houses of Parliament on 1st May 2024 perfectly. I’ll share the Hansard debate on the National Strategy again…. Perhaps Paula Barker and the 6 or so MPs who attended the House to debate this issue for the first time in 40 years could each confirm whether “ Homes for all” is a “ hit “ or a “ miss” and then we can all support it with any changes that the great and the good advise. I’m pulling together my QuAlms Haus strategy so that this is ready as a first step towards a retrofitting and modular construction strategy from 5/7/2024. I know I know INW (“ it’ll never work”) but something needs to pdq as there are only 10 winters between now and 2034. If we sit on our hands and take no action the official young homeless figure will then be 200,000. A figure that cannot be allowed to happen

State and territory ministers are scheduled to meet with new Federal Housing & Homelessness Minister Clare O'Neil in Western Sydney next week. You would have to assume that the National Housing and Homelessness Plan will be included in that agenda. So far, we've had a shortened consultation process that concluded at the end of last year. A funding package has been agreed upon with the state and territories, essentially matching the funding level of the previous five years, with a few exceptions including the Northern Territory. The new Minister has a significant opportunity to work together with the states and territories, as well as the broader housing and homelessness sector, signifying a pivotal moment in the development of the first national plan ever. It is important to have an opportunity to reconnect with the industry before finalising the plan. We need to see and review a draft and fully recognise the crucial role of partnership in delivering a national housing and homelessness plan. Doing so would greatly demonstrate a genuine interest in successful working relationships in the future to prevent and end homelessness and deliver enough homes for all Australians. #NationalPlan #Housing #Homelessness #Partnerships #BetterTogether

Volunteers of America-Greater New York (VOA-GNY) condemns in the strongest possible terms last week’s Supreme Court ruling upholding the constitutionality of laws that criminalize sleeping in public spaces even when there is a lack of shelter. Policies that criminalize poverty and homelessness do nothing to prevent poverty or homelessness. Instead, they make it even harder for individuals and families to break the cycle of poverty by negatively impacting their freedom, mental and physical health, and ability to work and find housing. Housing is a human right. VOA-GNY is proud to be a provider of both temporary and affordable housing in New York City, where people have a right to shelter. In our 128 years working with individuals and families in need, we’ve seen the life-changing, life-saving impact of access to safe shelter and affordable housing. More than half of Americans are just one missed paycheck from homelessness. This looming crisis is especially dire in areas like New York, where the cost of living is skyrocketing, the cost of housing is increasing more rapidly than inflation, and the housing vacancy rate is just 1.4 percent. This ruling serves as a wake-up call for New York, which must fulfill its commitments to building affordable housing and aggressively defend its right to shelter. It is our moral obligation—and VOA-GNY’s mission—to continue to provide support to those in our communities who are experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness. Read the statement on our website here: https://lnkd.in/eEvj4Mmw #JohnsonVGrantsPass #HousingNotHandcuffs #HousingIsAHumanRight

Earlier this week, we headed to Lambeth Town Hall with other homelessness organisations and local authority representatives to share our solutions to the housing crisis that’s leaving young people unable to escape homelessness. The current housing system is broken, and our new research sheds a light on how government support simply doesn’t reflect the realities of finding a home if you’re a young person who has experienced homelessness. It’s time to act. Young people need housing security – and they need it now. That means more affordable homes, Local Housing Allowance that actually matches rising rents, and laws that protect vulnerable young people from discrimination by landlords and deal with the scourge of unsafe and unliveable homes. Read our new research: https://bit.ly/42pKAd3

A key feature of the 24/25 Federal budget was increased spending on affordable & social housing and crisis shelters. However, when you really look at the numbers – the hard truth is it’s simply not enough to address the huge demand for social housing and the massive strain Specialist Homelessness Services are currently experiencing. With 57,904 families on the social housing waitlist in NSW*, the Federal Government’s budget will not nearly meet our state’s urgent housing needs, and SHSs will be forced to continue attempting to carry out their essential work with extremely limited resources. This state budget, the NSW Government MUST step up where the Federal Government has chosen not to. Urgent action on the homelessness crisis is needed, and the State Government needs to be the adults in the room and make the correct decisions to ensure SHSs can help the people who need it most. ✔ To join us in the fight to make homelessness rare, brief and non-recurring, consider becoming a Homelessness NSW member: https://lnkd.in/gNHeXjZx #homelessness #homelessnessnsw #statebudget #NSWGovernment Community Housing Industry Association NSW, 23 March 2024.  

This morning, the Supreme Court ruled to uphold the anti-camping laws of the City of Grants Pass, Oregon. The decision made in Grants Pass, Oregon v. Johnson allows civil punishments to be imposed on individuals sleeping outside and on public property. Unsheltered individuals may be fined, ticketed, and arrested even if their local governments are unable to produce enough shelter or affordable housing. This ruling sets a dangerous precedent for the criminalization of homelessness, poses a risk to public health, and ignores the root cause of homelessness: the lack of affordable housing. MHSA believes in models that work. We believe in Housing First, and in prioritizing affordable, dignified, and permanent supportive housing. Stable housing allows individuals to access and sustain basic needs. Punitive, cruel, and discriminatory policies like the ones upheld in the decision on Grants Pass, Oregon v. Johnson only prolong homelessness. MHSA is learning more about the implications of the decision for Massachusetts. Please read the full decision from the United States Supreme Court (https://lnkd.in/eA38zjKX), as well as statements from the National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH) (https://lnkd.in/g-xmTJz2) and the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) (https://lnkd.in/g7b4mR6r)

Addressing homelessness requires compassionate and practical solutions, not criminalization. It's crucial to recognize that homelessness is a systemic issue, rooted in the lack of affordable housing. Policies that fail to provide alternative shelters only prolong street living and worsen the crisis. We need to invest in affordable housing and support services to truly end homelessness. Let's work towards real solutions that uplift our communities rather than penalize those in need. #EndHomelessness #AffordableHousing #CompassionateSolutions

#SCOTUS' decision on #JohnsonVGrantsPass allows local governments to punish people for sleeping outside when they have nowhere else to go, even though experts agree that criminalizing homelessness only makes it harder to solve. Luckily, the rest of this week’s news has the Bay Area poised to double down on proven solutions to homelessness. ✔ On Tuesday, we released our Regional Action Plan that serves as a roadmap to making homelessness rare, brief and one-time. ✔ On Wednesday, MTC voted to put a $20 billion affordable housing bond measure on the November ballot of all Bay Area counties. ✔ On Thursday, the Legislature voted to put structural change to enable housing solutions on the ballot statewide through ACA 10. Despite the disappointing ruling made earlier today, we cannot afford to let it distract us from the proven solutions right in front of us. Let’s come together and choose a better future for the Bay Area, where everyone in our region can stay here and thrive. https://lnkd.in/gz9ZDqKP

Addressing homelessness requires compassionate and practical solutions, not criminalization. It's crucial to recognize that homelessness is a systemic issue, rooted in the lack of affordable housing. Policies that fail to provide alternative shelters only prolong street living and worsen the crisis. We need to invest in affordable housing and support services to truly end homelessness. Let's work towards real solutions that uplift our communities rather than penalize those in need. #EndHomelessness #AffordableHousing #CompassionateSolutions