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Recap of 4/17 Homelessness and Housing First Webinar

More than 10,600 people registered for the Homelessness and Housing First webinar hosted by NLIHC, the National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH), and the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) on April 17. The webinar, “Housing First Supports Income Security,” examined the ways Housing First supports income security, including cash assistance and employment. The speakers shared strategies for leveraging community resources to increase program participants’ incomes in ways that are tailored to each individual’s goals. 

Peggy Bailey, vice president for housing and income security at CBPP, moderated the webinar. In her opening remarks, Peggy addressed the false narratives about people who are unhoused and reminded advocates that the root cause of homelessness is the inability to afford housing. “Oftentimes, people who are unhoused get blamed for being unhoused because of their mental health condition, substance use challenge, or other issues, when really, not having a place to live is an income issue to begin with,” stated Peggy.

Erik Gartland, research analyst at CBPP, provided an overview of research on the housing affordability crisis in the U.S. He presented data demonstrating the widening gap between renters’ incomes and housing costs, the severe housing cost burdens faced by low-income renters, and homelessness trends. Erik explained that the unprecedented resources and protections enacted in federal COVID-19 relief legislation played a critical role in keeping millions of families housed during the pandemic, underscoring the importance of increasing renters’ incomes and expanding rental assistance to help close the gap between housing costs and what people can afford. In response to a question from Peggy, Erik discussed how HUD’s new Fair Market Rent policy can better reflect housing costs in local communities, making it easier for families to find housing with their vouchers.

Hannah Maharrey, executive director of the Mississippi Balance of State Continuum of Care (CoC), spoke about the range of strategies her CoC deploys to increase earned and unearned income among people experiencing homelessness in rural communities. She emphasized that Housing First is not “housing only”; instead, Housing First includes a range of supportive services, including those related to workforce and income. Hannah discussed the importance of housing in helping individuals increase their income and enter the workforce, emphasizing “it is much easier to get someone back into the workforce from a housed situation.”

Kelly Green-Bloomfield, director of program operations at Flagler Housing and Homeless Services, discussed how her organization uses the Housing First model to quickly get individuals into housing and then provide services to help address each person’s needs and goals. “Once you get people into housing and take care of that basic need, you can take a deep breath and work on the other barriers that are stopping them from increasing their income or being successful in their housing endeavors,” explained Kelly. She emphasized that her organization operates from the core principle that every member of their community deserves a safe and stable place to call home.

Aubrey Wilde, advocacy program director at the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, spoke about the Denver Basic Income Project, which provides direct cash payments to individuals experiencing homelessness. “This program is based in trust, strong partnerships, and the belief that people know how to take care of themselves and their families, and if we give them the opportunity to do that in the form of direct, unrestricted cash, they will make those smart choices for themselves,” explained Aubrey. She emphasized the importance of helping individuals understand the potential impacts of the direct cash assistance program on other public benefits and giving them the agency to decide if they want to participate in the program.

During the moderated Q&A discussion, the panelists addressed the importance of community partnerships in the successful implementation of Housing First and discussed the role of choice in their programs as it relates to income and employment.

We have uploaded a recording of the call, as well as the presentation slides.

Resources Discussed on the Webinar:

Upcoming Webinar:

Register for the next Homelessness and Housing First webinar, which will take place on Monday, May 15, from 2:30 to 4 pm ET. Register at: https://bit.ly/3vIbn5o

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Homelessness is a crisis in many communities – one that demands urgent action. To end homelessness once and for all, federal, state, and local governments must invest in proven solutions at the scale necessary to address the problem. The Housing First model is one of the best strategies for ending homelessness. Housing First recognizes that affordable and accessible homes are the foundation on which people thrive, and by combining housing with access to supportive services, Housing First can help people exit homelessness and live stably in their communities. 

In communities across the nation, however, some misguided policymakers are responding to this crisis by advancing dangerous rhetoric and harmful, dehumanizing measures that will make it even harder for people to exit homelessness. It is critical that advocates nationwide are unified in pushing back against stigmatizing and counterproductive efforts that seek to criminalize homelessness, impose punitive requirements, and even prevent the development of affordable housing.

As our communities struggle with soaring inflation, high rents, increased evictions, and, in many cases, more homelessness, it is more important than ever that advocates work together to advance the bold policies and anti-racist reforms needed to ensure stable, affordable, and accessible homes for all people experiencing and at risk of homelessness.

Learn more about Housing First at: https://bit.ly/3ViLyU6

Homelessness and Housing First Webinar Recap: 3/20

More than 10,000 people registered for the Homelessness and Housing First webinar hosted by NLIHC, the National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH), and the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) on March 20! The webinar, “Housing First Serves Veterans and Promotes Recovery,” provided an overview of how the Housing First approach has resulted in deep reductions in the number of veterans experiencing homelessness across our nation and how Recovery Housing fits into the Housing First approach. NAEH CEO Ann Oliva moderated the webinar.

Senator Jon Tester (D-MT), chairman of the U.S. Senate’s Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, expressed his support for the Housing First approach, which has been credited with reducing veteran homelessness by 11% since 2020 and by over 55% since 2010. “We have had a lot of success getting more veterans into permanent housing over the last decade, and these numbers make clear the Housing First approach works,” said Chairman Tester. “Veterans have the best chance of getting back on their feet when they have a safe place to call home.”

Representative Mike Bost (R-IL), chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives’ Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, highlighted the success of federal veteran homelessness programs, including HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) and Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF), which are based on the Housing First model. These programs have been instrumental in reducing veteran homelessness over the past decade. “This Congress, we will continue working to not only get veterans housed but keep them housed and provide them with the support they need to keep them from falling back into homelessness,” said Chairman Bost.

Representative Mark Takano (D-CA), ranking member of the House’s Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, stated that committee Democrats are committed to protecting U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs (VA) resources and services. “This includes taking the necessary steps to preserve evidence-based Housing First principles, a key tool in the fight to prevent and end veteran homelessness,” said Ranking Member Takano. He noted that Housing First does not mean “housing only.” Rather, Housing First empowers the VA and its partners to quickly house veterans experiencing homelessness and then provide the wraparound services they need to remain housed.

Ann Oliva noted that, as evidenced by the recorded remarks from members of Congress, support for the Housing First approach in veterans’ programs is strong and bipartisan. She encouraged advocates to remind lawmakers that Housing First has been critical to reducing veteran homelessness over the last decade when speaking with them about the need to preserve Housing First.

Monica Diaz, executive director of the VA’s Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Homeless Programs Office, highlighted the department’s success in reducing veteran homelessness over the last decade and described the key components that have led to this success: Housing First, federal resources, and the VA’s comprehensive portfolio of services. “We practice, believe, reinforce, advocate and say proudly that Housing First is at the cornerstone of every action, program, and initiative because we know that it works,” said Monica Diaz.

Shawn Liu, director of communications for the VHA Homeless Programs Office, defined Housing First and explained the guiding principles of the approach. He emphasized that Housing First includes wraparound services but does not determine who is “housing ready” or demand treatment prior to housing. He discussed the VA’s 2023 goals for preventing and ending homelessness and highlighted how 83 communities and three states have achieved an effective end to veteran homelessness.

Ann Oliva commented on the lessons learned from the successes in reducing veteran homelessness. “This shows that when we have leadership at the federal level, leadership at the state and local level, resources to scale, and good policy and program design, we can actually make the progress that we need to make on veterans, and take what we’ve learned with veterans and apply that to other groups,” she said.

William E. Higgins, Jr. – executive director of Homeless Advocacy for All, at-large officer with lived experience on the Maine Continuum of Care (CoC) Board, and board member of the National Coalition for the Homeless – shared his experience as a veteran who was formerly unhoused. He described how Housing First helped him obtain and maintain housing, emphasized the importance of robust funding for supportive services, and discussed his homeless advocacy work.

Dr. LaMont Green – director of diversity, equity, and inclusion at the Technical Assistance Collaborative (TAC) – shared his personal story of being a veteran who experienced homelessness and addressed how Housing First combined with culturally responsive interventions can help support people experiencing homelessness with substance use disorders. Dr. Green spoke about the effectiveness of the Housing First model and how combining the approach with interventions like supportive housing, harm reduction, recovery supports, and on-demand substance use disorder treatment can help address overdose deaths.

“Often, critics of Housing First complain that it does not accommodate people who want to pursue recovery from substance use, but in fact, as an approach, Housing First is usually tailored to the needs and choices of people who are experiencing homelessness, so it does in fact support the choice to pursue recovery,” explained Ann Oliva. “Housing First supports choice, and choice is incredibly important for folks who are in recovery from homelessness or want to be in recovery from substance use or other challenges in their life.” The Housing First model is premised on choice and provides people in recovery with several options – including supportive housing and recovery housing – to address their health and housing needs. When recovery housing is operated to center individual choice, Housing First and recovery housing can be complementary, not in conflict.

NAEH Chief Policy Officer Steve Berg wrapped up the call by sharing how advocates can take action in support of Housing First and against criminalization. Steve encouraged advocates to urge their members of Congress to support robust homelessness funding, Housing First, and a cost-of-living pay increase for frontline homeless service workers.

We have uploaded a recording of the call, as well as the presentation slides.

Resources Discussed on the Webinar:

Homelessness and Housing First Webinar Recap: 2/21

More than 9,700 people registered for the Homelessness and Housing First webinar hosted by NLIHC, the National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH), and the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) on February 21! The webinar, “Housing First Promotes Health,” provided an overview of the research on Housing First and health, the important role state governments can have in bringing housing and supportive services together, and the opportunities and challenges for implementing Housing First for people with significant health challenges. The next webinar will be held on Monday, March 20, from 2:30 to 4 pm ET. Register for the series at: https://bit.ly/3vIbn5o

CBPP Vice President for Housing and Income Security Peggy Bailey provided opening remarks, stating that the webinar aims to reset the narrative about housing and health improvements for people who are unhoused. She noted that the webinar will provide advocates with tools to explain how any intervention strategy that perpetuates barriers to housing further harms people physically and mentally, making it even harder for them to exit homelessness. “Housing First, when done properly, which means centering the person who is unhoused and their ability to self-determine their own needs, is a first step towards improving people’s health and stabilizing their lives,” said Peggy.

Dr. Margot Kushel, director of the University of California San Francisco Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative, described how housing is foundational to good health and outlined evidence demonstrating that Housing First effectively keeps people housed. She explained that pushbacks against Housing First tend to blame the approach for the root cause of the homelessness crisis: the extreme shortage of homes affordable to people with the lowest incomes. She urged advocates, providers, policymakers, and other stakeholders to be clear about the comparison between Housing First – an evidence-based approach – and the alternative approach, Treatment First, which provides neither housing nor treatment. Dr. Kushel discussed the substantial evidence base supporting the Housing First approach, highlighting the fact that all rigorous studies favor Housing First over alternative strategies.

Whitney Joy Howard, housing team unit manager with the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services, spoke about the implementation of the state’s Medicaid coverage of supportive housing services. She discussed Washington State’s Housing First programs, including the supportive housing services provided by the Aging and Long-Term Support Administration (ALTSA). Whitney shared how ALTSA has developed a collaborative relationship among community partners, providers, and state funders to administer Housing First programs and support service providers.

Christy Respress, president and CEO of Pathways to Housing DC, shared how her organization leverages Housing First to provide housing and services to people with significant health challenges. Sharing her critical perspective as a provider, Christy emphasized that Housing First without services is not Housing First. Christy discussed how Pathways to Housing DC provides customized services based on what people need and what they are asking for, and she described how Pathways layers primary physical health and mental health care into their services.

During a discussion following the presentations, the panelists elaborated on the importance of collaboration among the healthcare, homeless services, and housing systems. Whitney shared how Washington State officials have broken down silos among these systems by building relationships and working together more intentionally to identify how to “consciously couple” resources. She stressed the need to work across federal, state, and local partners and funding resources to ensure there are robust funding streams for housing and services. Whitney added that systems must ensure that the people who are providing services – the people who are making Housing First a reality – are compensated fairly and supported by their supervisors.

Dr. Kushel emphasized earlier points that Housing First is not housing only, and she urged providers to leverage all resources, including Medicaid and other sources of funding, to provide personalized services that match an individual’s needs. She further addressed critiques against Housing First, explaining that while we desperately need to increase the supply of affordable housing for the lowest-income renters, our failure to do so does not suggest that we should revert to ineffective, high-barrier strategies. “Housing First is the best way to use the units that we have while we fight to increase the availability of those units to decrease the insidious effects of racism, income inequality, and the lack of planning and building of affordable housing,” said Dr. Kushel.

Christy acknowledged that services are not funded in many communities, and while this is a challenge, it does not mean that these communities cannot implement Housing First. Instead, they must work harder and more closely with their cross-sector partners to develop creative solutions to serve people who are unhoused. She emphasized the importance of working for long-term policy change to ensure that every community has access to resources while ensuring that every available resource is leveraged to support individuals in need of housing and services. She added that a focus on prevention is key to stopping the pipeline of people entering the homeless system.

Peggy shared how state and local officials, providers, and advocates can make the case for Medicaid expansion by highlighting how Medicaid can cover housing-related services to support people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. She encouraged advocates to educate stakeholders about how Housing First supports health, including by building alliances with state and local health care providers and leaders, advocating for and helping implement Medicaid coverage of housing-related services, and educating local officials on homelessness and Housing First.

Peggy wrapped up the webinar by inviting attendees to share stories they have collected about how Housing First is benefiting the people they serve. We are hearing more and more from policymakers about the importance of uplifting positive stories about how Housing First is helping people obtain and maintain housing. Please share these stories with NLIHC Senior Policy Analyst Alayna Calabro by emailing [email protected]!

We have uploaded a recording of the call, as well as the presentation slides.

Homelessness & Housing First Webinar Recap: 1/9

More than 9,040 people registered for the Homelessness and Housing First webinar hosted by NLIHC, the National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH), and the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) on January 9!

The webinar, “A World without Housing First,” addressed what life was like for people experiencing homelessness and homelessness programs before Housing First was widely adopted and what it would mean if our efforts to defend Housing First are unsuccessful. NAEH CEO Ann Oliva began the webinar by addressing anti-Housing First legislation introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives during the last Congress, noting that the legislation’s sponsor will likely seek new opportunities to move the legislation forward during the next two years. She discussed how the rise in the criminalization of homelessness across the country is tied to the anti-Housing First approach and to the flawed assumption that homelessness is the result of personal failures and bad decisions. “We know that the roots of homelessness are systemic and not personal. The truth is that mandating participation in recovery programs or other types of services does not end a person’s homelessness – housing does. Passing a law that forbids someone from being unsheltered and outdoors does not solve homelessness – housing does,” explained Ann.

Representative Maxine Waters (D-CA), the ranking member on the U.S. House Financial Services Committee, thanked advocates for their commitment to ending homelessness and urged attendees to educate their members of Congress about the real solutions to homelessness and the importance of Housing First. “As the homelessness crisis continues to rise in our nation, it is more important than ever that we use our collective power to fight for affordable housing and promote the importance of Housing First policies. The simple truth is that the Housing First approach is a proven, bipartisan, and evidence-based solution to addressing homelessness,” said Ranking Member Waters.

Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), the vice chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, thanked attendees for their dedication to addressing the needs of individuals and families experiencing homelessness, noting that their “focus on Housing First is helping to reduce the number of people who are homeless.” Vice Chair Collins addressed the affordable housing crisis and urged advocates to take action. “The shortage of affordable housing is a growing crisis nationwide. No single entity can successfully resolve this challenge. It requires both commitment and collaboration at the federal, state, and local levels. It also requires strong partnerships between housing and service providers. Your engagement with your elected officials is critical to promoting better understanding of effective approaches, like Housing First,” said Vice Chair Collins.

Kelly King Horne, executive director of Homeward in Richmond, Virginia – one of the nation’s most successful homeless service programs – described what homeless services were like before Housing First and what would be lost if anti-Housing First legislation were enacted into law. Kelly shared how her organization embraced Housing First and shifted from a “first-come, first-served” approach to serving the individuals most in need of assistance. “When we adopted Housing First, the biggest impact that we saw was community clarity and accountability. We really began to understand that we could end homelessness. It didn’t mean that we had solved all of the world’s problems, but that more limited and more targeted goal had a huge impact on our community, on all of us, and on the neighbors we were working with to get into housing,” explained Kelly.

Dr. Sam Tsemberis, founder of the Housing First model and CEO of the Pathways Housing First Institute, addressed what homelessness was like before Housing First and explained how the implementation of Housing First has shifted the overall system of homeless services. Dr. Tsemberis described the world before Housing First as a world of homeless services that did not offer a direct exit out of homelessness, especially for people struggling with addiction or mental health problems. He argued that ending homelessness is an achievable and powerful goal. “I don’t want to improve the homeless service system; I want to end homelessness,” said Dr. Tsemberis.

Crissy Canganelli, executive director of Shelter House in Iowa City, shared how her organization shifted from a focus on transitional housing to fully embracing Housing First. She spoke about the paradigm shift that occurred as Shelter House undertook the “hard and necessary work to realign [its] culture, shift from managing homelessness to ending it, build new partnerships, and find new champions.” Crissy emphasized that unsheltered homelessness would increase if the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) were to back away from Housing First.

Donald Whitehead, Jr., executive director of the National Coalition for the Homeless, addressed the impact of criminalization and anti-Housing First legislation on people experiencing homelessness and reminded listeners about the importance of centering the voices of people with lived experience. Donald ended his remarks by emphasizing the underlying causes and solutions to homelessness: “Homelessness is solvable, it is a structural issue, and we need to address those issues. We need to produce more housing, and we can end homelessness in America.”

NAEH Chief Policy Officer Steve Berg wrapped up the call by sharing how advocates can engage with their members of Congress on Housing First and counter efforts to undermine proven solutions to homelessness. Steve encouraged advocates to educate their Congressional delegation on homelessness solutions and build local alliances to promote Housing First in their communities. He invited advocates to sign their organization on to a statement of values opposing criminalization.

We have uploaded a recording of the call, as well as the presentation slides.

Take Action!

We encourage all advocates to educate your elected officials about the importance of Housing First and the need for robust investments in affordable housing and homelessness resources. Use this advocacy toolkit published by NLIHC. The toolkit includes everything you’ll need to engage your elected officials, including talking points, tips for scheduling in-district meetings and tours of affordable housing developments, social media messages, and more.

Resources Discussed on the Webinar:

Homelessness & Housing First Webinar Recap: 12/12

More than 7,800 people registered for the Homelessness and Housing First webinar hosted by NLIHC, the National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH), and the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) on December 12!

The webinar, “Threats to Housing First,” began with opening remarks from Sarah Saadian, NLIHC senior vice president of public policy and field organizing. Sarah provided an overview of federal, state, and local efforts to undermine Housing First and other proven solutions to homelessness. She discussed harmful statewide criminalization legislation promoted by the Cicero Institute and the “Housing PLUS Act” (H.R. 6018), introduced by Representative Andy Barr (R-KY), which would undermine HUD’s ability to prioritize evidence-based solutions like Housing First.

Marc Dones, CEO of the King County Regional Homelessness Authority (KCRHA), addressed the importance of Housing First and why it should be preserved. They highlighted that Housing First is the most effective – and cost-effective – approach to rapidly housing people experiencing homelessness and moving them into permanent housing. Marc noted that because King County’s efforts are oriented towards rapidly housing people, legislation that would divert federal homeless assistance funds to non-Housing First programs would defund most of KCRHA’s portfolio.

George Eklund, director of education and advocacy at the Coalition for the Homeless in Louisville, discussed emerging threats to Housing First in Kentucky. He explained how Representative Barr’s efforts to divert federal homeless assistance funds to high-barrier programs would decrease local homeless assistance funding; limit local innovation, self-control, and flexibility; and fundamentally change how local homelessness programs operate in Louisville.

Marqueia Watson, executive director of the Greater Kansas City Coalition to End Homelessness, addressed the criminalization of homelessness in Missouri, calling attention to a Cicero Institute bill passed in the state legislature this year. She discussed local advocacy efforts to fight back against the bill, including her ongoing conversations with state legislators and the Cicero Institute. Marqueia spoke about her participation in the NAEH-led convening of advocacy groups opposing similar harmful legislation in their states.

Shams DaBaron, a homeless advocate in New York City, shared about the impact of criminalization on people experiencing homelessness. Shams emphasized the role of systemic racism in our country’s homelessness crisis and in the criminalization of homelessness. He highlighted the need to incorporate the voices of people with lived experience in developing solutions.

NLIHC’s Sarah Saadian concluded the meeting by outlining opportunities for advocates to engage their members of Congress on the importance of Housing First. She highlighted resources advocates can use to push back against misguided efforts to undermine Housing First and criminalize homelessness.

We have uploaded the presentation slides from the call.

Take Action:

We encourage all advocates to educate your elected officials about the importance of Housing First and the need for robust investments in affordable housing and homelessness resources. Consider using this advocacy toolkit published by NLIHC. The toolkit includes everything you’ll need to engage your elected officials, including talking points, tips for scheduling in-district meetings and tours of affordable housing developments, social media messages, and more.

Resources Discussed on the Webinar:

Homelessness & Housing First Webinar Recap: 9/28

The fourth Homelessness and Housing First webinar – the last in a four-part series hosted by NLIHC, the National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH), and the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) – took place on September 28.

The webinar, “How to Address Unsheltered Homelessness,” began with opening remarks from Ann Oliva, CEO of NAEH. Debbie Thiele, managing director for the Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH) in the Western U.S., and Marcella Maguire, director for health systems integration at CSH, discussed addressing unsheltered homelessness as a public health issue and provided attendees with examples of how to better connect housing with services.

Jeff Olivet, executive director of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH), provided an overview of USICH’s seven principles for addressing encampments.

Dr. Bambie Hayes-Brown, president and CEO of Georgia ACT, discussed emerging threats to Housing First in Georgia and explained how advocates have pushed back against harmful legislation. Attendees then heard from Marcella Middleton, executive director of A Way Home America, who overviewed how criminalizing homelessness harms youth experiencing homelessness and discussed A Way Home America’s New Deal to End Youth Homelessness.

Sarah Saadian, NLIHC senior vice president for public policy and field organizing, outlined opportunities for advocates to engage their members of Congress on the importance of Housing First and the need for robust investments in affordable housing and homelessness resources.

We have uploaded a recording of the call, as well as the presentation slides.

Take Action:

Resources Discussed on the Webinar:

Homelessness & Housing First Webinar Recap: 9/12

More than 6,300 people registered for the third Homelessness and Housing First webinar hosted by NLIHC, the National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH), and the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) on September 12. Thank you to all who attended!

The webinar, “Long-Term Solutions and Successful Strategies,” began with opening remarks from Peggy Bailey, vice president for housing policy at CBPP. Peggy and NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel provided an overview of long-term solutions to end homelessness and discussed immediate legislative and administrative opportunities to advance these priorities.

Lisa Glow, CEO of the Central Arizona Shelter Services, discussed emerging threats in Arizona, calling attention to a Cicero Institute bill introduced in the state legislature this year. She discussed the importance of building relationships with lawmakers across the aisle and educating elected officials on the importance of Housing First.

Mindy Woods, a leader with the Resident Action Project, discussed the impact of harmful legislation on people with lived experience of homelessness. Mindy emphasized the need to educate the public and elected officials about homelessness and to incorporate the voices of people with lived experience in developing solutions.

Kathryn Monet, CEO of the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, and John Meier, manager of the support services for veteran families program at the West Central Texas Council of Governments, discussed how Housing First has been used to end veteran homelessness.

We have uploaded a recording of the call, as well as the presentation slides.

Take Action:

We encourage all advocates to educate your elected officials about the importance of Housing First and the need for robust investments in affordable housing and homelessness resources. You can take action by:

  • Participating in a Virtual Capitol Hill Day hosted by NAEH today (Wednesday, September 14). Contact Jerry Jones at [email protected] for more details.
  • Using a new advocacy toolkit published by NLIHC. The toolkit includes everything you’ll need to engage your elected officials, including talking points, tips for scheduling in-district meetings and tours of affordable housing developments, social media messages, and more.

Upcoming Webinar:

Register for the final webinar, “How to Address Unsheltered Homelessness,” taking place on Wednesday, September 28, from 2:30 to 4 pm ET. Register at: https://bit.ly/3vIbn5o 

Resources discussed on the call:

Homelessness & Housing First Webinar Recap: 8/29

More than 5,500 people registered for the Homelessness and Housing First webinar hosted by NLIHC, the National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH), and the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) on August 29! Thank you to all who attended!

The webinar, “Homelessness is a Housing Problem,” began with a presentation by Gregg Colburn, a professor at the University of Washington’s College of Built Environments. Professor Colburn shared research he conducted with data journalist Clayton Aldern that found that housing market conditions – not mental illness, drug use, poverty, weather, generosity of public assistance, or low income mobility – explain why some communities have higher rates of homelessness than others.
 
Ana Rausch and Jessica Preheim of the Coalition for the Homeless of Houston/Harris County shared how Houston has used Housing First to successfully house 25,000 people experiencing homelessness.
 
Dora Leong Gallo of A Community of Friends provided an overview of Housing First and explained how the strategy is fundamental to ending homelessness for people with disabilities and substance use disorders.
 
Sarah Owsley of Empower Missouri spoke about harmful legislation recently enacted in her state that criminalizes homelessness, undermines Housing First, and redirects funding that would have been used to address long-term housing needs to instead create encampments.
 
Bonnie Harper of Partners Behavioral Health Management and Michele Knapp of Diakonos/Fifth Street Ministries shared best practices identified during their recent roundtable discussion with elected officials, health experts, and the faith-based community on the importance of Housing First.
 
Steve Berg of NAEH also joined the call to share how advocates can take action to advance the bold policies and anti-racist reforms needed to ensure all people have safe, stable, affordable, and accessible places to call home.
 
We have uploaded a recording of the call, as well as the presentation slides.

Take Action:

Advocates can participate in a Virtual Capitol Hill Day hosted by NAEH on Wednesday, September 14! Use this opportunity to speak with your members of Congress about the importance of Housing First and the need for robust investments in affordable housing and homelessness resources. If you have any questions or would like help setting up virtual meetings, please reach out to Jerry Jones at [email protected].

You can also use a new advocacy toolkit published by NLIHC. The toolkit includes everything you’ll need to engage your elected officials, including talking points, tips for scheduling in-district meetings and tours of affordable housing developments, social media messages, and more.

Upcoming Webinars:

  • Monday, September 12 - “Long-Term Solutions and Successful Strategies”
  • Wednesday, September 28 - “How to Address Unsheltered Homelessness”

Each webinar in the four-part series will take place from 2:30 to 4:00 pm ET. Register for the new series at: https://bit.ly/3vIbn5o

Resources discussed on the call:

Homelessness & Housing First Webinar Recap: 8/15 

Thank you to the over 4500 people who registered for the first Homelessness and Housing First webinar hosted by NLIHC, the National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH), and the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) on August 15!

The webinar, “Emerging Threats Facing People Experiencing Homelessness,” began with remarks from NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel, NAEH CEO Ann Oliva, and CBPP Vice President for Housing Policy Peggy Bailey. Dr. Va Lecia Adams Kellum, president and CEO of the St. Joseph Center in Los Angeles, California, provided an overview of Housing First and explained how its guiding insight – that prioritizing access to permanent, stable, accessible, and affordable housing is a prerequisite for effective psychiatric and substance use treatment and for improving quality of life – is fundamental to ending homelessness. Eric Tars, legal director of the National Homelessness Law Center, discussed emerging threats to Housing First, and Donald Whitehead, executive director of the National Coalition for the Homeless, spoke about the impact of these threats on people experiencing homelessness. NLIHC Senior Vice President of Policy and Field Organizing Sarah Saadian, NAEH Vice President for Programs and Policy Steve Berg, and CBPP Manager of Government Affairs Alex Berger also joined the call to share how advocates can take action to advance the bold policies and anti-racist reforms needed to ensure all people have safe, stable, affordable, and accessible places to call home. We have uploaded a recording of the call, as well as the presentation slides.

We encourage all advocates to participate in a Virtual Capitol Hill Day hosted by NAEH on Wednesday, September 14! Advocates can use this opportunity to speak with their members of Congress about the importance of Housing First and the need for robust investments in affordable housing and homelessness resources. If you have any questions or would like help setting up virtual meetings, please reach out to Jerry Jones at [email protected].

You can also use a new advocacy toolkit published by NLIHC. The toolkit includes everything you’ll need to engage your elected officials, including talking points, tips for scheduling in-district meetings and tours of affordable housing developments, social media messages, and more.

Upcoming Webinars:

  • Monday, August 29 - “Homelessness is a Housing Problem”
  • Monday, September 12 - “Long-Term Solutions and Successful Strategies”
  • Wednesday, September 28 - “How to Address Unsheltered Homelessness”

Each webinar in the four-part series will take place from 2:30 to 4:00 pm ET. Register for the series at: https://bit.ly/3vIbn5o

Resources discussed on the 8/15 call: