WR Community Town Halls’ Post

DEVELOPING A STRATEGY TO END HOMELESSNESS: WHY HAS PREVENTION BEEN SO DIFFICULT? The next National Housing and Homelessness Agreement is drawing closer. There will be an accompanying 10-year strategy. What do we need to do to start really making a difference? In an article in the October 2022 issue of the CHP’s Parity magazine we asked Why has prevention been so difficult? After a review of the current Agreement, the Productivity Commission’s August 2022 report, In Need of Repair, issued a strongly expressed critique that it ‘does not foster collaboration between governments or hold government to account … [being] … a funding contract not a blueprint for reform’. The new agreement and the proposed National Housing and Homelessness Plan are proposed as ‘an opportunity for governments to work together on a national reform agenda’. The report argues that, in terms of homelessness, prevention and early intervention are key elements of the reform agenda. #endhomelessness #prevention #earlyintervention #socialhousing #housing #homelessnessweek

People experiencing homelessness are among the most vulnerable in our community. Our upcoming report reviews how the SA Government is managing its provision of homelessness services to help clients obtain sustainable housing audit.sa.gov.au #AuditSA

Could being homeless be a crime? Cost of living continues to rise and cities struggle to provide housing and to effectively handle unhoused populations. In the case of Grants Pass v. Gloria Johnson —heard by the U.S. Supreme Court yesterday — the plaintiffs argued that cities ought to be able to use criminal law to clear out homeless encampments. There’s no easy answer to solving the homelessness crisis in America. But there is good news: evidence strongly suggests that temporary assistance produces long-lasting positive effects. A recent study conducted by Notre Dame’s Lab for Economic Opportunities (LEO) found that persons who received an average of $2,000 in emergency financial assistance were “81 percent less likely to become homeless within six months of enrollment and 73 percent less likely within 12 months.” SVDP puts homelessness prevention into practice in a host of programs in over 1,000 cities around the country. If you agree that we need to find humane, lasting solutions to our homelessness crisis, you’ll be interested in the amazing work our Vincentian volunteers do. Find out more right here: https://ow.ly/hl4J50Rm9Zx #homelessnessprevention #poverty #homelessness

The number of people enduring unsheltered homelessness rose across the U.S. last year. Meanwhile, homelessness response systems are working diligently to rehouse people while facing limited resources. 🤲 The National Alliance to End Homelessness writes that with the proper funding and leadership, communities would have the flexibility to choose strategies that fit their local needs and capacity and #EndHomelessnessOC once and for all! 🔗 Read up on the roadblocks and solutions: https://bit.ly/3J3xBoQ

Homelessness transcends the mere absence of physical shelter; it's a critical human rights issue that demands immediate attention. Astonishingly, the life expectancy of a person experiencing homelessness is curtailed by an average of 25 years compared to those with stable housing.  This startling disparity is not only about exposure to harsh conditions but also the acute shortage of affordable housing and healthcare resources that are accessible to the homeless population. Providing affordable housing becomes a matter not just of restoring individuals' independence, but is necessary to granting them a life-renewing opportunity. It is our collective responsibility to push for solutions that not only put a roof over heads but also promote longevity and human dignity. #homelessoutreach #homelessprevention #affordablehousing

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

📢 As homelessness rates soar in the U.S., the need for a unified, constructive approach intensifies. Did you know that homelessness is being criminalized at a shocking pace? Learn how you can contribute to the solution➡️ https://lnkd.in/eS9Tv6kU

Snapshot of Homelessness In the District of Columbia: The 2024 Point-In-Time Count Results Are In... Since 2023 there has been a 14% increase in homelessness. African American communities in the District are the most cost burdened by rent. Homelessness among families increased by 39%, but remains down, by 30% from 2020. To read the full report: https://lnkd.in/eiSe_zfn

The housing and homelessness crisis in the US is reaching alarming rates with nearly half of all renters paying more than 30% of their income towards rent and utilities, according to a study by the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. A lack of affordable housing, combined with the end of federal pandemic assistance, has contributed to a 2023 record-high of over 650,000 homeless people across the nation, per the National Low Income Housing Coalition. Our Report for America corps members have been on the ground documenting this rise in homelessness, highlighting the individual scope of the crisis, and revealing new solutions that local communities are experimenting with to address the housing epidemic.  Learn more about the housing crisis through the lens of local news and communities by reading the latest edition of GroundTruth Weekly using the link below ⬇ 🔗 https://lnkd.in/e4HxXxRE #homelessnessawareness #affordablehousing #localnews

We strongly object to the recent Supreme Court decision on the case of City of Grants Pass, Oregon v. Gloria Johnson – a #ruling that will make it easier for authorities to punish people for experiencing homelessness, even when there is no adequate #shelter.   The Court’s June 28 decision runs counter to our deeply held belief that this nation’s laws and policies should protect the most vulnerable people in our community – not threaten them.   At Abode, our stance is clear: Homelessness is not a crime, it is a crisis – one that is a result of #systemic failures that have produced fewer than 24 affordable units for every 100 people who need them.   Criminalizing homelessness is wrong – in every way. It is cruel, ineffective, costly, and it creates unnecessary barriers to fighting poverty. Arresting or fining people who don’t have a home worsens cycles of #homelessness and makes it more difficult to find solutions.   We respectfully but wholeheartedly condemn the Supreme Court’s ruling on the case of City of Grants Pass, Oregon v. Gloria Johnson.   Cruelty and craven policies do nothing to solve #poverty and homelessness.   The solution to homelessness is housing, not handcuffs. #HousingFirst #HousingEndsHomelessness #HousingNotHandcuffs