NLIHC, the National Alliance to End Homelessness (The Alliance), and the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) hosted a webinar, “Preventing and Ending Homelessness through Innovative State and Local Legislation,” on October 8. Anna Bailey, senior policy analyst at CBPP, moderated the webinar, which was also joined by Audrea Rease, executive director of Star-C in Atlanta, Georgia, and Leepi Shimkhada, deputy director of the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services Housing for Health division.
Anna opened the webinar by discussing how state and local governments can play a powerful role in preventing and addressing homelessness if they adopt and prioritize the evidence-based approach we know works: affordable housing and voluntary supportive services. However, too many states have introduced laws that punish people experiencing homelessness, particularly after this summer’s Supreme Court decision in Grants Pass v. Johnson. Anna highlighted a new resource for advocates and policymakers that outlines examples of affirmative state and local policies that can help address homelessness and advance housing equity.
Audrea spoke about Star-C’s Eviction Diversion Program, which helps keep families in the Metro Atlanta region stably housed. She provided an overview of the program, including its funding mechanisms, and emphasized the importance of building partnerships and ensuring funders know who you are.
Leepi shared information about the Flexible Housing Subsidy Pool that was launched in 2014 as a public-private partnership led by the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services Housing for Health division and operated by nonprofit partner and supportive housing provider Brilliant Corners. She provided an overview of the Flex Pool, which coordinates available funding sources to house individuals experiencing homelessness.
During the panel discussion, Audrea and Lippi discussed the importance of both long-term rental assistance and short-term eviction prevention assistance, described how a focus on racial equity has informed the need for their programs and how they are being implemented, and shared their thoughts on opportunities to replicate or build on the programs, among other topics.
We have uploaded a recording of the call, as well as the presentation slides.
Resources Discussed on the Webinar:
- State and Local Policy Levers to Prevent and Address Homelessness [Framework Project]
- Policymakers Can Solve Homelessness by Scaling Up Proven Solutions: Rental Assistance and Supportive Services [CBPP]
- States Can Use Medicaid to Address Health-Related Social Needs [CBPP]
- What Communities Need to Know About the Criminalization of Homelessness [Alliance]
- Emerging Strategies to Combat State-Level Punitive Bills [Alliance]
- Unlocking the Full Potential of the Housing First Approach [Alliance]
- Scaling Services to Meet People’s Needs [Alliance]
- Housing Narrative Lab Resources
- Emerging Threats: State Level Homelessness Criminalization [NHLC]
- NLIHC’s Disaster Housing Recovery, Research, & Resilience Coalition
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Last year, more than 13,400 people participated in our monthly Homelessness and Housing First webinar series. Given the tremendous interest among stakeholders and the worsening homelessness and affordable housing crises, we decided to continue and expand the series to focus on the solutions to homelessness. On the webinars, we will share more about proven strategies to successfully end homelessness, best practices for state and local advocacy, and actions advocates can take to advance solutions. Homelessness demands urgent action from all levels of government. We know what works to end homelessness: providing individuals with stable, accessible affordable housing and voluntary supportive services. We hope you will join us in building the political will and congressional support necessary to do so!