Category: Global homelessness

Canada Has a New Homelessness Strategy; Dame Louise Casey Discusses Hopes for Ending Rough Sleeping in the United Kingdom; and More

Posted on by ighome

Canada’s New Homelessness Strategy

According to the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, the government of Canada plans to make bold changes to the federal strategy to prevent and end homelessness. Through the Reaching Home strategy, Canada will reinforce its community-based approach to address homelessness – funding municipalities and local service providers directly. This includes helping communities develop and deliver data-driven plans with clear outcomes. The strategy will also be expanded to new communities. Participating communities will work toward a 50% homelessness reduction goal over the next 10 years. Over that 10-year span, the government will invest over $2 billion to carry out the new strategy.

Read the blog here.

Dame Louise Casey: Ending Homelessness in the United Kingdom

The Institute of Global Homelessness’s Advisory Committee Dame Louise Casey discusses a new report by Crisis UK, Everybody In: How to end homelessness in Great Britain, in The Times UK. The report presents an ambitious plan for the United Kingdom (UK) government to end homelessness over the next decade. Crisis research has reported that there are currently 236,000 people experiencing the most severe forms of homelessness in the UK. Dame Louise Casey reflects on her role in ending rough sleeping in England a year earlier than the country’s 2002 target, when she served as the lead of the government’s newly established rough sleepers unit. According to Dame Louise, history shows that with adequate political support and effective policies in place, that same goal can be achieved again.

Dame Louise says that the report “provides politicians not only with the challenge to take action, but the solutions to make lasting change.”

Read the article here.

Los Angeles County, California, USA Sees Decline in Veteran Homelessness

According to Los Angeles County, California, USA’s annual homelessness count, homelessness among veterans has declined by 18%. The announcement came at The National Coalition for Homeless Veterans conference, where hundreds of veteran advocates from across the United States convened to collaborate on ways to improve assistance to veterans experiencing homelessness. L.A. County officials give credit to work with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ National Homeless Program Office for some of this success. Over 2,100 veterans in the county were placed into permanent housing in 2017 and more than 13,000 others received some housing assistance. Local organizers say that the decrease is a positive sign for their region and the nation as a whole.

Read the article here.

Citizen Group Undertakes Street Homelessness Count in Tokyo

Data collected from a Street Homelessness Count conducted in Tokyo, Japan by Advocacy and Research Centre for Homelessness (ARCH) at the Tokyo Institute of Technology estimate that over 500 people were sleeping on the street on one night in January in 4 of 23 wards in the city. Volunteers took record of the various demographics of the people found sleeping on the streets of Tokyo, such as gender and age. The survey has been conducted by Arch for several years, with more comprehensive counts in August, across a greater number of wards.

Read the article here. (This article’s original text is in Japanese)

If there is news you would like to include in a future update, contact us here: http://www.ighomelessness.org/contact

CAEH’s National Conference; Real-time Data in Ending Homelessness; and More

Posted on by ighome

CAEH National Conference on Ending Homelessness

The Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness (CAEH) invites policy makers, funders, researchers, advocates, community leaders and front line workers to the National Conference on Ending Homelessness on November 5, 6, and 7, 2018. The conference will be organized into six streams of focus: Leadership, Planning and Practice; Indigenous Homelessness; Women’s Homelessness; Housing First; A Way Home – Youth Homelessness; and Canadian Observatory on Homelessness – Research and Policy. Through this conference, CAEH aims to provide participants with the inspiration, information, tools and training they need to end homelessness.

Register here.

Human Trafficking Prevalence and Child Welfare Risk Factors Among Homeless Youth

As part of Covenant House International’s initiative to research human trafficking among youth experiencing homelessness, The Field Center for Children’s Policy, Practice & Research collected data from 270 youth across three U.S. cities – Philadelphia, Phoenix, and Washington D.C. Of those interviewed, 20% reported being victims of human trafficking. The Center found that several populations, including transgender youth, appear to be particularly vulnerable to the crime. The study includes recommendations for improving research, policy, and practice. They suggest conducting longitudinal work; incorporating administrative data and standardized measures of health and well-being; utilizing such data to identify populations at highest risk; and supporting funding for programming for youth experiencing homelessness at state and federal levels.

Read the report on the IGH Hub.

CAEH_Photo

Supporting Citizenship Among People with Mental Illness or Experiencing Homelessness

CanadaStrategy_Header

According to Abe Oudshoorn of Western University, research conducted by Allison Ponce and Michael Rowe shows that active promotion of citizenship is an important aspect of responding to people with mental illness and/or who are experiencing homelessness. Some ways that Oudshoorn suggests the homelessness service sector can support citizenship include: engaging those who have or are experiencing homelessness into councils, committees, etc.; educating the community about mental health and homelessness through the voices of those with lived experience; supporting those who are newly independent in the community to identify an explicit community based task; and more.

Oudshoorn concludes by reinforcing the idea that “citizenship is not just for those who have reached some pre-determined or culturally conceived level of stability, but is for all people”.

Read the blog post here.

Real-time Data in Ending Homelessness

“We can’t gather the necessary information to house our homeless neighbors solely by counting them anonymously once every two years”, said the Canadian Alliance on Ending Homelessness (CAEH).

In a recent blog post, the Alliance discusses the significance in actionable, real-time, person-specific data within the homelessness service sector. According to CAEH, this kind of data helps communities house people, in the most strategic and effective way. This means finding and prioritizing those in greatest need first and matching each person’s unique needs in a timely manner. In the process, data is maintained as a real-time By-Name List, which is categorized by three inflow measures and two outflow measures. CAEH also suggests that having the most sufficient data collection can help service providers confidently advocate for other necessary resources to reduce or end homelessness.

Read the blog post here.

CAEH_Header
If there is news you would like to include in a future update, contact us here: http://www.ighomelessness.org/contact

FEANTSA’s 2018 Policy Conference; Homelessness Among Transgender People in South Africa; and More

Posted on by ighome

2018 FEANTSA Policy Conference: Future Challenges for the Homeless Sector in Europe

The European Federation of National Organisations Working with the Homeless (FEANTSA)’s 2018 Policy Conference will be held on June 15, 2018 in Berlin, Germany. A pre-conference program, featuring a series of site visits and opportunities to network on various topics, will take place on June 14, 2018. The keynote address by Professor Eoin O’Sullivan will be followed by a panel on the theme of this year’s convening – Future Challenges for the Homeless Sector in Europe. Topics will include transitional housing, street homelessness outreach, healthcare for people experiencing homelessness, and more. The deadline to register is May 31, 2018.

Register here.

USC and United Way L.A. Form Research Institute on Homelessness

The University of Southern California’s (USC) Price Center for Social Innovation and the United Way of Greater Los Angeles Home for Good Initiative have announced the creation of a collaborative Homelessness Policy Research Institute. According to Gary Painter, director of the Health Policy Research Institute and USC Price Center for Social Innovation, the region’s top scholars, with expertise in housing and real estate, economics, behavioral and primary healthcare, social services and social network theory, will embody the Institute. Through research, they will aim to directly inform policymaking at all levels of government.

The L.A. County saw a 23% increase in homelessness in 2017 – reaching over 58,000 people. “The urgent need to reduce the number of individuals experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles County requires a new model of collaboration between researchers and policymakers,” said Painter.

Read the article here.

Challenges among Transgender People Experiencing Homelessness in South Africa

Carl Collison of Mail & Guardian shares the story of Siya Hlongwa – a 32-year-old transgender woman experiencing street homelessness in Johannesburg, South Africa (S.A.). Like Siya, many transgender women and men in S.A. are forced to flee their homes due to rejection, sometimes accompanied by the threat of violence, from their families, then struggle to find stable accommodation due to discrimination. In Siya’s case, she found temporary housing in a shelter for women and children of domestic violence, but was forced to leave once the shelter learned of her gender identity. According to Joshua Sehoole of Iranti – an organization that advocates for transgender and intersex rights – there are a multitude of factors that make transgender women and men vulnerable to homelessness, such as the lack of trans-friendly accommodation. Agencies and facilities like Iranti and Ithemba Lam safe house in Thambo Village township are working to help transgender-women and men in S.A. and hope to expand their capacity to offer a safe space to a greater number of people.

Read the article here.

Extreme Poverty Among Senior Women in Hong Kong

Feantsa2018_Header

Matthew Keegan of The Guardian explores the growing issue of extreme poverty among older-aged women in Hong Kong. “I ended up homeless because I didn’t have enough money to pay the rent. Even a sub-divided flat costs around HK$4,000 per month and I didn’t have the money for that,” said 65-year-old Miss Wong, who is one of a reported 1,000 senior citizen women nicknamed “cardboard grannies” because they collect and sell discarded boxes and other scrap to earn a living.

The city has the longest life expectancy in the world, according to researchers of the Chinese University of Hong Kong. However, aside from a small Old Age Living Allowance, the government struggles to provide adequate financial support to the reported 478,400 seniors living in poverty. Agencies are advocating for a universal pension that would be offered to the elderly, regardless of their income, to reduce and prevent homelessness and financial strain among Hong Kong’s older-aged population.

Read the article here.

If there is news you would like to include in a future update, contact us here: http://www.ighomelessness.org/contact

Auckland, New Zealand Provides Permanent Housing; Bogotá, Colombia Shares Data on Local Street Homelessness, and More

Posted on by ighome

Program to Help People Transition into Permanent Housing in Auckland, New Zealand

A two-year pilot study has secured permanent housing for nearly 40 individuals experiencing chronic street homelessness in Auckland, New Zealand. Moira Lawler, CEO of Lifewise, explained that the program aimed at placing individuals into permanent housing first, then providing the necessary support to address their co-occurring issues. The organizations behind the program hope to end homelessness for about 472 individuals living on the streets of Auckland.

“Many of our rough sleepers experience mental health issues, substance use and physical health challenges. To focus on recovery and self-sufficiency within a safe environment is a crucial first step,” said Lawler.

Read the article here.

The National Symposium on Solutions to End Youth Homelessness

In collaboration with the New York University’s McSilver Institute for Poverty and Research, Point Source Youth will be hosting their second annual National Symposium on Solutions to End Youth Homelessness on April 30 and May 1, 2018. Featured panel discussions include: Rapid Rehousing for Youth, Intersections of Health, Structural Barriers to Ending the Youth Homelessness Crisis, and more. There is expected to be over 120 speakers from the U.S. and Canada, such as the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness, the Center for Social Innovation, and the National Alliance to End Homelessness.

Register here.

Street Homelessness in Bogotá

According to the Seventh Census for Street Homelessness conducted by the city’s District Department of Social Integration (SDIS), about 9,538 people are experiencing street homelessness in Bogotá, Colombia. Martyrs, Santa Fe, and Kennedy were the areas reported to have the most people living on the street. Figures show that nearly 9,000 of the population utilized support services, provided by the SDIS, at some point in 2017. Bogotá predicts that a budget increase with allow for expansion of homelessness prevention measures.

Read the article here.

USICH: Housing First Must Underpin Our Work System-wide

Auckland_Header

Policy Director at the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH), Lindsay Knotts, reflects on the 2018 Housing First Partners Conference, hosted by the Downtown Emergency Service Center (DESC) and the Pathways Housing First Institute. According to Knotts, rather than debate the merits of housing first strategies to ending homelessness, people with lived experiences of homelessness, peers, service providers, researchers, advocates, experts, and federal and state partners, focused on gaining a better understanding of the approach and learning how to strengthen implementation. She highlighted a few key messages from the conference that examined benefits of housing first as a cost-efficient system orientation, response, and solution to homelessness.

Read the blog here.

If there is news you would like to include in a future update, contact us here: http://www.ighomelessness.org/contact

Typology of Homelessness Prevention; Domestic Abuse and Housing; and More

Posted on by ighome

Homeless Link’s Transatlantic Practice Exchange 2018

The Transatlantic Practice Exchange 2018, a partnership between Homeless Link in the United Kingdom (U.K.) and the National Alliance to End Homelessness in the United States (U.S.), features a group of front line staff from the U.S.) and U.K.) homelessness sector. This year, co-production and performing arts are particular areas of focus. Some topics from the U.K. include responding to long-term street homelessness; peer support and community involvement in rural homelessness settings; and using theatre to involve people with lived experience. U.S. participants will explore coordination and multi-agency working for better outcomes in criminal justice; the impact of engaging people experiencing homelessness in the performing arts; and more. Read more on the Homeless Link website, linked below, and stay updated on the Exchange using #homelesslearning.

Read the article here.

A Typology for Homelessness Prevention

On the Canadian Homeless Hub blog, Riana Fisher discusses the typology of homelessness prevention, consisting of five categories aimed at organizing various activities necessary to prevent homelessness. It addresses the legislation, policies, funding, collaborative practices, service delivery, and interventions vital to prevention. Structural prevention reduces systemic factors that contribute to housing instability and social exclusion – focusing on the population at various levels. Systems prevention focuses on the role of public systems, which can be broken down into three components: fixing policy and procedural barriers; enhancing access to public systems, services, and appropriate supports; and reintegration supports. Early prevention consist of policies, practices, and strategies targeted at individuals and families at great risk of, or who have just entered homelessness. Evictions prevention, aimed at protecting those at risk of eviction, begins with landlords-tenant rights and responsibilities. Lastly, housing stability is a tertiary form of prevention that assists people who have experienced homelessness with achieving and maintaining stable housing.

Read the blog here.

The National Conference on Ending Homelessness and Capitol Hill Day

The United States National Alliance on Ending Homelessness expects to gather 2,000 attendees in Washington D.C at the National Conference on Ending Homelessness and Capitol Hill Day. The events will be held Monday, July 23 through Wednesday, July 25, 2018. Participants will have a chance to learn about and discuss topics such as housing programs and support services; system and practice strategies; and Rapid Re-housing. The events will also allow for networking with other attendees and meeting with members of congress and staff to discuss efforts toward ending homelessness. Early registration is now open!

Register here.

Domestic Abuse and Housing: Bringing Together Research and Practice

Dora Welker, postgraduate researcher at Heriot-Watt University in Scotland studying domestic abuse, poverty and homelessness, reflects on the Domestic Abuse and Housing: Bringing Together Research and Practice conference that addressed the relationship between domestic abuse relationships and access to housing. During the conference, convened by the Chartered Institute of Housing and the University of Essex’s Centre for Criminology, she learned the significance of access to suitable housing in facilitating a woman’s decision to leave a domestic-violent relationship. On Heriot-Watt’s I-SPHERE and Urban Institute blog, she discussed the emphasis placed on the role of landlords in supporting tenants seeking to compromise housing agreements in order to flee such relationships. Welker also shares lessons about incorporating housing in a coordinated community response to domestic violence, drawing on interviews with individuals within the housing service sector.

Read the blog here.

If there is news you would like to include in a future update, contact us here: http://www.ighomelessness.org/contact

Cisco and Destination: Home Join Efforts; Homelessness in Austria; and More

Posted on by ighome

Cisco to Provide Destination: Home with Funding to Help End Homelessness in Santa Clara County

Destination: Home has announced that they will be partnering with Cisco – leader in internet technology and networking, to help end homelessness in Santa Clara County, California. Cisco will fund $50 million to leverage existing public resources over a five-year span. The county plans to build more housing for its most vulnerable residents, improve technology capacity throughout the homelessness services sector, and invest in sound, evidence-based practices to help individuals and families in need of support and stability. There are approximately 7,400 people experiencing homelessness across Santa Clara. Destination: Home says that this partnership with Cisco represents a unique opportunity for the community.
“We can put an end to homelessness in Santa Clara County and there is no better partner in this work than Destination: Home”, said Cisco’s Chairman and CEO, Chuck Robbins.

Read the press release here.

Financial Homelessness Prevention

Financial strain often plays a significant role in one’s pathway to homelessness. On the Homeless Hub blog, Abe Oudshoor explores financial support as a primary mode of preventing homelessness. According to an analysis of data from the Homelessness Prevention Call Center, rather than offering an in-house support program, linking callers to funds from different programs and organizations led to a statistically significant reduction in one’s risk of entering emergency shelter at every month across a one-year span. In addition, the cost of homelessness prevention for one person was nearly half of the estimated cost to support someone experiencing homelessness. Overall, the study demonstrates the effectiveness of financial support for primary prevention of homelessness.

Read the blog here.

Homelessness in Austria: A seismograph for inequality

Cisco_Header

In a recent interview, Managing Directors of Neunerhaus, Elisabeth Hammer and Daniela Unterholzner, discuss the state of homelessness across Austria. Over past years, homelessness has increased, especially among individuals 29 years old or younger. There is also a growing risk of homelessness among Austria’s middle class. Hammer and Unterholzner also discuss efforts in place to combat homelessness throughout the country, including Vienna.

Read the interview here. (The original text is in German)

If there is news you would like to include in a future update, contact us here: http://www.ighomelessness.org/contact

FEANTSA and Fondation Abbé Pierre Analyze Housing Exclusion in Europe; Professor Sarah Johnsen Gives Insight on Housing First; and More

Posted on by ighome

FEANTSA and Fondation Abbé Pierre’s Third Overview of Housing Exclusion in Europe

Since 2015, the European Federation of National Organisations Working with the Homeless (FEANTSA) and the Fondation Abbé Pierre have collaborated to produce an annual report that examines the latest Eurostat data and other aspects of housing in Europe. The 2018 Overview of Housing Exclusion in Europe discusses the state of homelessness, particularly among children, women and migrants, including profiles on homelessness in certain European countries. According to the report, housing exclusion is still a fast-growing problem that leads to saturation of support systems, as well as increased pressure on emergency services. The organizations propose that the European Union strengthen their decision-making role in regards to coordination, follow-up and support of Member States in bringing about the right to housing for all to combat such growing issues.

Read the report here.

Why Does Housing First Work?

Professor Sarah Johnsen opens her discussion about the efficiency of Housing first by asking: “what is it about Housing First that fosters such positive housing (and other) outcomes for a group who has traditionally been poorly served by mainstream provision”?

First, she looks at research on the prevalence and nature of adverse childhood experience (ACE) among individuals experiencing homelessness, and how they tend to respond to support services. She suggests that many times, service providers assume that everyone can make use of support in a straightforward, anxiety-free, way; however, people can be quite phobic of it. Housing first is one of a number of approaches that function as a more personalized, psychologically-informed, method of addressing homelessness. Johnsen points to four key components that underpin the success of housing first: 1) the longevity of secure housing and support; 2) flexibility of support; 3) ‘stickability’, which allows for trust and receptivity; and 4) normality of the type of housing participants are matched with.

Read the blog here.

Breaking Barriers: Homelessness and Employment in Calagary, Canada

Nick Falvo of the Calgary Homeless Foundation draws several conclusions about the links between homelessness and employment in Calgary, a city in Alberta, Canada. Inadequate income assistance programs, major health challenges and a lack of subsidized child care all pose as barriers to employment for people experiencing homelessness. According to Stephen W. Hwang’s Homelessness and Health article, referenced in the blog, people without housing develop disabilities more commonly seen among people decades older than them, which can negatively affect their capacity to work. He also mentions employment-readiness programs throughout the city that can help combat the issues mentioned. These programs offer a range of services – interview skills, employment strategies, resume writing, financial literacy, and more.

Read the blog here.

Mayor of Atlanta, Georgia, Keisha Lance Bottoms, has announced her participation in the Mayors and CEOs for U.S. Housing Investment – a first-of-its-kind alliance between local government and business leaders. The initiative currently consists of 16 mayors and CEOs from across the United States, advocating for federal investment in affordable housing and homelessness services. Since 2015, the city has seen a 34% decline in street homelessness and a 44% decline in chronic homelessness.

“With the assistance of our business community, local leaders can speak with a louder voice and discover innovative ways to improve the quality of life for the people we serve,” said Mayor Bottoms.

Read the article here.

Abbe_Header
If there is news you would like to include in a future update, contact us here: http://www.ighomelessness.org/contact

Homeless Link’s 2017 Report; The Public Health Model of Homelessness Prevention; and Australia’s National Homelessness Conference 2018

Posted on by ighome

Homeless Link’s 2017 Report

Homeless Link’s Annual Review of Support for Single Homeless People provides insights into England’s homelessness sector. The report aims to provide a comprehensive picture. The range of activities and interventions that are offered throughout the country, from life skills training, financial advice to substance abuse services. Research shows that despite challenges with resources, services providers continue to respond to people’s needs as best they can. The report also reflects on long-term support provided to individuals, demographics of the populations receiving support, and more.

Read the report here.

Homelessness Prevention: The Public Health Model

Riana Fisher’s blog at the Homeless Hub begins with a quote from Peter Jacobson: “If we want to stop people dying on roads, we invest money in seatbelts, not in the emergency department. In the same way in regards to homelessness, why would we wait to intervene with a young person when they’re in crisis, when we can intervene early and keep them at home, and in school and engaged?”

The blog uses these questions as a jumping off point for a discussion of the Public Health Model of Homelessness Prevention. This model can be helpful in altering the way the service sector can respond to homelessness. Intervening before an individual or family loses housing requires collaborative efforts among several sectors and systems – healthcare, education, justice, etc. Fisher also outlines risk factors of homelessness and levels of prevention, as well as the populations they aim to serve.

Read the blog here.

The National Homelessness Conference 2018 in Australia

HomelessLink_Header

Australia Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI) and Homelessness Australia (HA) have partnered to hold the National Homelessness Conference 2018 — Ending Homelessness Together. It will be held Monday, August 6 through Tuesday, August 7, 2018 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. According to AHURI, this year’s convening will be significant, with the recent release of data from the 2016 census, conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, and the development of a new National Housing and Homelessness Agreement. AHURI and HA aim to bring together policy makers and practitioners from across Australia to learn, engage and network together.

Register here.

If there is news you would like to include in a future update, contact us here: http://www.ighomelessness.org/contact

Homeless Hub Discusses Women and Youth Homelessness; a Recent Census in Bogotá, Colombia; and More

Posted on by ighome

Homeless Hub: The women left behind

On the Homeless Hub blog, Abe Oudshoorn of Western University discusses unique experiences and support needs of women and youth experiencing homelessness in Canada. Many times, women’s pathway to homelessness is unique to that of other groups. With this follows the need for unique support, such as safety measures from gender-based violence and support to address trauma surrounding child apprehension. One unique measure of support needed for mothers experiencing homelessness is assistance with reconnecting with their children. As for youth, according to A Way Home Canada and The Canadian Observatory on Homelessness, nearly 60% have had contact with the child welfare system. Inadequate care within this system can increase their vulnerability to homelessness. Oudshoorn highlights the importance of the consideration of such needs within the homelessness service sector, in regards to both primary prevention and permanent solutions to homelessness.

Read the blog post here.

Declining Homelessness in Lexington, Kentucky

Christy Bollinger of WTVQ reports that homelessness in Lexington, Kentucky is the lowest it has been since 2005. Mayor Jim Gray thanks the great network of local agencies working in the homelessness service sector for the progress made, such as the Office of Homelessness Prevention and Intervention. Since 2014, the city has focused its efforts on more permanent solutions, realigning over $1 million in federal housing funds from transitional housing to permanent housing.

Mayor Gray: “We’ve still got work to do, but we’re making progress. Our work and investments are beginning to pay off.”

Read the article here.

Homelessness in Bogotá, Colombia

HomelessHub_Header

Data from a census conducted in October and November of 2017, suggests that about 9,538 people were experiencing street homelessness in 19 locations across Bogota, Colombia. Mártires, Santa Fe, and Kennedy were there areas found to have the most people living on the streets. The El Espectador reporter states that in comparison to previous years, this number has not changed significantly.

“With the figures obtained, we will be able to focus our attention on this population, because we will know first hand what their needs are and we can act with greater efficiency and opportunity,” said Social Secretary, Cristina Vélez Valencia.

Read the article here. (This article’s original text is in Spanish)

If there is news you would like to include in a future update, contact us here: http://www.ighomelessness.org/contact

Progress in Odense, Denmark; SPARC Report on Race and Homelessness in the US; Free Houses in Kerala, India; and More

Posted on by ighome

Odense, Denmark Credits Housing First for Reduction in Homelessness

Data from a recent survey shows that over the past two years, the number of people experiencing homelessness in Odense, Denmark, decreased from 173 to 113. Tommy Byrne of Dagbladet Holstebro states that of the 317 people who were housed between 2011 and 2017, over 92% sustained permanent housing. Tom Ronning, Odense’s Housing Strategic Consultant, gives credit to the housing first model for the recent reduction. The municipalities allocate vulnerable residents to 25 percent of the vacant leases outside the waiting list for the non-profit housing associations.

Read the article here. (This article’s original text is in Danish)

SPARC Releases Report on Race and Homelessness in the United States

In September 2016, the US-Based Center for Social Innovation launched SPARC (Supporting Partnerships for Anti-Racist Communities) to understand and respond to racial inequities in homelessness in the U.S. SPARC released its Phase One study findings this week, which highlight and suggest responses to racial inequities in homelessness.

Approximately two-thirds of people experiencing homelessness in SPARC communities were Black (64.7%), while 28.0% were White. 6.9% identified as Hispanic/Latinx. In total 78.3% of people experiencing homelessness were people of color. By comparison, the general population of the U.S. was 73.8% White, 12.4% Black, and 17.2% Hispanic/Latinx.

Read the report here.

On the IGH Hub: Toolkit for Pregnant Women Experiencing Homelessness

St. Mungo’s, in collaboration with the City of Westminster, has developed a toolkit to address the needs of women experiencing homelessness. The toolkit discusses improvement of health and development outcomes for women experiencing homelessness and their babies; the promotion of good practices to assist women with complex social needs; and quality service and a consistent approach to all women experiencing homelessness. In addition, increased support and guidance for staff working this population is encouraged. According to St. Mungo’s and the City of Westminster, there is not robust data on the incidence of pregnancy among women experiencing homelessness.

Find the toolkit here.

More Details Revealed in Plan to Provide Free Houses in Kerala, India

Nidheesh M.K. of Live Mint explores the government’s plans in Kerala, India to build small, 500 sq ft houses for the state’s homeless residents. The state plans to accommodate the homelessness population with the use of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) welfare program. As for housing not eligible to be provided under PMAY assistance, the Kerala government and local governments will join efforts to support the plan financially. The government plans to build about 176,000 free homes throughout 2018 and 2019.

Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan told the state assembly that 513,000 people have been identified as beneficiaries of the housing project.

Read the article here.

Orange County United Way Launches Homelessness Initiative

Odense_Header

Orange County United Way launched a new initiative to address homelessness in Orange County, California that will be supported by a leadership council of local business leaders. The effort aims to gather information on the state of county-wide homelessness and identify both short-term and long-term housing solutions. A recent study commissioned by the University of California, Irvine, Orange County United Way and Jamboree Housing Corporation, analyzed homelessness across the county, including contributing factors and cost effectiveness of various solutions to the issue.

“Today in this room, among all of you, is the power to change many lives. I’m just one success story. There are hundreds of others out there waiting to be told” said Robert Morse, a California resident who shared his story of lived experience and recovery from homelessness.

Read the article here.

If there is news you would like to include in a future update, contact us here: http://www.ighomelessness.org/contact