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

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)

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.

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.

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 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.