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:
- Housing First resources (NLIHC)
- Housing First fact sheet and tools (NAEH)
- August Recess 2022 Toolkit
- Sign a national letter to support the highest funding possible for affordable housing programs.
- HoUSed campaign (NLIHC)
- Arizona Senate Bill 1581
- Fact sheet on Housing First & Veteran Homelessness (NLIHC)
ICYMI
Did you miss our previous webinars? Check out the summary from our August 29 webinar “Homelessness is a Housing Problem,” including links to the recording and presentation slides. Use this summary of the August 15 webinar on “Emerging Threats Facing People Experiencing Homelessness” to find links to the recording and presentation slides.
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Decades of learning, experience, and research have proven that Housing First is the most effective approach 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.
Urgent action is needed at all levels of government to end America’s housing and homelessness crisis. 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, skyrocketing 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.