As someone who worked on this issue for the better part of 3 years, this is tough news. The tough part is not the data but the lack of support for solutions that work. I would like to share some resources through USICH on how to think about homelessness. (1/n) - ThreadSky

gbenga-ajilore.bsky.social • 60 days ago

As someone who worked on this issue for the better part of 3 years, this is tough news.

The tough part is not the data but the lack of support for solutions that work. I would like to share some resources through USICH on how to think about homelessness. (1/n)

Comments

chkaloon.bsky.social•60 days ago

Any metrics on efforts that actually made a difference? Looking through this I see lots of initiatives, grants and other $ being spent. Any numbers on whether it made a difference?

chkaloon.bsky.social•60 days ago

Having been part of state-level initiatives like this, I saw lots of money passed around between non-profits and agencies, lots of time spent by consultants on PPTs and "frameworks", and at the end of the day, no real results. Made good careers for the consultants and non-profits, though.

chkaloon.bsky.social•60 days ago

I got out of it, I got too cynical about the whole business.

marthagrant.bsky.social•60 days ago

I've long wanted someone to tally up all the funding a particular state has given to consultants/nonprofits to 'tackle homelessness' and what it would look like to just cut a check to every homeless person instead...

thisisbenphelps.bsky.social•59 days ago

Can’t give people checks out of a housing shortage

johngordon.bsky.social•60 days ago

👆

thisisbenphelps.bsky.social•59 days ago

The only thing that works is building housing

gbenga-ajilore.bsky.social•60 days ago

There is the first question of whether we are gathering the right metrics and whether we can even collect the right metrics, but here is a good link where a difference is being made: https://community.solutions/built-for-zero/the-movement/

mgins.bsky.social•60 days ago

📌

gbenga-ajilore.bsky.social•60 days ago

First, there is a federal agency dedicated to tackling homelessness. U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH), an interagency council comprised of 19 member agencies.

HHS Secretary Becerra served as Chair & USDA Secretary Vilsack served as Vice Chair in 2024. https://usich.gov
(2/n)

gbenga-ajilore.bsky.social•60 days ago

USICH developed a homelessness prevention framework which outlined several steps & provided resources. (3/n) https://usich.gov/news-events/news/usich-releases-first-ever-federal-homelessness-prevention-framework

gbenga-ajilore.bsky.social•60 days ago

USICH put together a workgroup (USDA FS, DOI, GSA, HUD...) to create a playbook for addressing encampments on federal lands WITHOUT criminalization. (4/n) https://usich.gov/guidance-reports-data/federal-guidance-resources/19-strategies-communities-address-encampments

gbenga-ajilore.bsky.social•60 days ago

In 2023, the Biden-Harris administration created All: Inside a place-based approach to addressing unsheltered homelessness in 6 cities & California.

Some efforts were successful, some were not but there were important lessons learned. (5/n) https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/05/18/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-announces-new-initiative-to-tackle-unsheltered-homelessness/

gbenga-ajilore.bsky.social•60 days ago

P.S. One thing that I did not mention that is important not to lose sight of is that homelessness not only an urban issue.

Rural homelessness is a problem and must be accounted for in these solutions. It looks different but solutions mentioned above apply.

energetic-nova.bsky.social•59 days ago

One solution is allowing agencies to bill state medicaid directly for housing.

gbenga-ajilore.bsky.social•60 days ago

Finally, in 2022, USICH along with the federal partners developed All:In, the Federal Strategic Plan that was the guiding document for all the actions taken to reduce homelessness & prevent homelessness. (6/n) https://usich.gov/federal-strategic-plan/overview

gbenga-ajilore.bsky.social•60 days ago

To sum up, homelessness is a difficult issue to tackle but it is not without solutions.

Housing supply is key, robust safety nets are key, affordability is key, MH/SU support is key. Sustaining all these supports are key.

ALL these working together is concert is key. (/end)

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