Homelessness news covering housing-first programs, encampments, shelter capacity, policy responses, and urban poverty.
German Lopez contends that Denver Mayor Mike Johnston’s integrated homelessness strategy offers a viable national model for Democrats. The commentary highlights the program's significant reduction in unsheltered populations as evidence that combining enforcement with robust social services can effectively address public disorder and housing crises.
The Los Angeles Continuum of Care approved the county's bid to manage the annual homeless count without opposition, sidestepping disputes over LAHSA's database. This transition follows the Board of Supervisors taking control of over $300 million in local sales taxes from LAHSA last year, following federal concerns about financial mismanagement.
Cincinnati Public Schools has launched the first school-operated safe sleep lot in the US for homeless families at Taft Elementary. Over 300 people have used the facility since April, addressing rising student homelessness rates that reached nearly 8% of the district.
The article highlights the UK-based SASH charity's host family scheme, where couples like Mike and Beth Edwards in York provide accommodation for homeless youth. It details the mutual benefits of this arrangement, emphasizing how it offers safety for guests while providing hosts with a sense of reward despite logistical challenges.
Jeanie Barbagiovanni argues that poverty in Western Australia extends beyond financial lack, emphasizing the critical need for stable housing and community support to rebuild lives after escaping abuse. She contends that practical assistance and human kindness are foundational to recovery.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz announced that the state has effectively ended veteran homelessness, citing data that over 5,000 veterans have been housed since 2019. The assertion was made in a statement from the governor's office regarding the achievements of the Walz-Flanagan administration.
The Los Angeles Times reports that Carol Adelkoff, CEO of the 1736 Family Crisis Center, lived in Hawaii for a decade while the nonprofit covered luxury expenses including a Santa Monica apartment and a BMW. Adelkoff earned $1.6 million, making her the highest-paid homeless services executive in the city. Three senior staffers raised concerns about improper use of charitable funds in 2019.
San Diego City Council members expressed concern after learning that 21 people have died in city-run safe sleeping sites since their opening in 2023. Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera criticized the regularity of these deaths during a Monday meeting on the Community Action Plan on Homelessness. The city currently spends $280 million annually on homelessness efforts but faces a shortage of over 6,000 shelter beds needed to meet 2029 goals.
A letter argues that Irish society suffers from 'shame fatigue,' turning a blind eye to homelessness and housing crises much like past failures with mother-and-baby homes. The author contends that political discourse reduces vulnerable families to meaningless statistics rather than addressing systemic compassion deficits.