People sleeping on park benches and street corners are the most visible reminder of the United States’ continuing struggle with homelessness. On any given night, over 175,000 people are unsheltered, sleeping outside or in places not meant for human habitation. On […]
Category: Crisis Response System
Faith-Based Organizations: Fundamental Partners in Ending Homelessness
Faith-based organizations serve as the backbone of the emergency shelter system in this country – operating at a minimum nearly 30 percent of emergency shelter beds for families and single adults at the national level. They play a critical role […]
Emergency Shelter Learning Series
Emergency shelters play a critical role in ending homelessness. Effective shelters should embrace a Housing First approach, offer immediate and low-barrier access to anyone facing a housing crisis, and measure shelter performance in order to improve results. The Emergency Shelter Learning Series […]
Homelessness as a State of Emergency Webinar
A joint webinar about Homelessness as a State of Emergency (SOE) by the Alliance, the National Health Care for the Homeless Council, and the US Interagency Council on Homelessness. Local decision makers and service providers talk about implementing SOE declarations and the impact on local policies and service delivery.
Homelessness: A State of Emergency
In 2015, largely due to increases in their unsheltered homeless population, three communities, Seattle/King County, WA, Portland, OR, and the State of Hawaii officially declared a homelessness state of emergency (SOE); Los Angeles has also stated its intent to declare. This brief will describe the homelessness SOEs that have been declared since October 2015, note the national implications, and reflect on how other communities should view SOEs.