National Alliance to End Homelessness

#HomelessPersonsMemorialDay gives us an opportunity to remember the tragedy of people dying while experiencing homelessness - and the tragedy that their deaths are preventable. Read more from the Alliance’s Marcy Thompson: https://lnkd.in/eWRvpaKW

Giving birth is hard. Being homeless is hard. And state camping bans don't make either of those things easier. This woman deserved to be taken to Labor and Delivery - not to be delivered a citation instead.

While the upcoming National Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day gives us an opportunity to mourn those who have been lost, it is also a time to reflect on the lives of our unhoused neighbors who are fighting to survive. https://lnkd.in/eWRvpaKW

Once again, Congress is heading toward a potential government shutdown. Here are the most important ways it may impact homeless services:

Attention all local decision-makers and Continuum of Care planning leads: the Alliance has released new guidance that provides an answer to the question you likely get often: “How do we serve unsheltered people right now, when our community doesn't have enough shelter or permanent housing for everyone who needs it?” This resource – based on evidence and best practices and developed in partnership with lived experience advisors – provides guidance on key elements and considerations that should be incorporated into any interim strategy adopted to address unsheltered homelessness. These strategies may include options that are increasingly popular among elected officials, such as Tiny Homes, Safe Parking, and similar interventions. It does not endorse any specific interim strategy; instead, it seeks to provide a baseline of the components that should be centered during planning, design, and implementation discussions for these types of strategies. Interim strategies are not solutions to homelessness and should never be considered an alternative to permanent housing paired with services and supports tailored to the household – which is a combination proven to end homelessness. But the Alliance recognizes that in the absence of a robust housing supply, a quality healthcare system, and a healthy social safety net, many community leaders are seeking to adopt strategies to immediately respond to unsheltered homelessness. In the absence of other options and guidance, these leaders are instead turning to punitive approaches that create further harm. Through this guidance, the Alliance hopes to provide alternative options that can be considered in the short-term, that do not involve harmful encampment sweeps or other punitive measures, while the community continues to pursue and invest in evidence-based solutions that aim to uphold the dignity of people experiencing unsheltered homelessness.

Doing the work means economic hardship for many people providing services to people experiencing homelessness--and this is especially true for those who are Black and other people of color. https://lnkd.in/eFvgF3Fv

Looking forward to this USAging partnership to help develop of strong, effective partnerships to address older adult homelessness between Area Agencies on Aging and Continuums of Care.  “The National Alliance to End Homelessness is deeply grateful for this opportunity to collaborate with USAging so that our systems can better assist older adults who are unhoused and better prevent older adults from being forced into homelessness," said Alliance CEO, Ann Oliva. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/efyUngfh

You've heard of Spotify Wrapped... but what about Alliance Wrapped? Take a look at what the National Alliance to End Homelessness team has been up to in 2024:

We all want to live in communities that are safe and strong. The best way to do that is to ensure that everyone has access to stable and affordable housing, healthcare, and the supports that people need to stabilize and thrive.    Jordan Neely's death reminds us that people experiencing homelessness are among the most vulnerable members of our society. They are increasingly presumed to be criminals, subject to a rising tide of criminalization, and experience disproportionate rates of physical and sexual violence. Unfortunately, the misguided tolerance for the criminalization of homelessness and vigilante violence does nothing to address the root causes of homelessness: a prolonged, severe affordable housing crisis. If our leaders truly want to create safe communities, they must immediately address decades of underinvestment in affordable housing, homeless services, and wraparound supportive services for those with the greatest needs. https://lnkd.in/eErkKneq

The Alliance's Homelessness Research Institute has released two surveys to gather more information about how people with lived experience are involved and integrated into homeless services systems. Survey responses will close on January 6, 2025. Lived Expert Survey: This survey asks about experiences working or volunteering in the homeless response system as a person with lived expertise of homelessness. Please only complete this survey if you have experienced homelessness and provided homeless services at some point during your life. https://lnkd.in/eAwy8vyK Survey for Directors and Leadership at CoCs and Organizations: This survey aims to better understand how the homeless response system partners with people with lived expertise of homelessness. This survey is intended for leaders and directors that coordinate and/or provide resources to people experiencing homelessness in the United States. To complete the survey, the respondent(s) will need to consider basic information about your organization’s structure, strategy, planning process, staff and budget. You may choose to complete the survey with a colleague. https://lnkd.in/eYYEciZs