Understanding Houston’s Post

Providing a safe, secure roof overhead immediately, then addressing other social service needs, is the most humane response to the needs of both our clients and the unhoused whose struggles play out in our cities’ streets. It is also the most effective response, as Housing First’s success in venues from Houston to Helsinki shows. Housing First sharply reduces the number of people who are unhoused and cuts the high cost of government interventions connected to homelessness. Housing First also reflects the moral viewpoint that Americans have repeatedly expressed in surveys and is central to all religious and moral traditions: housing is a human right, and it is inhumane to place conditions on any person’s access to a safe, secure roof over their head. -The Hill Housing First is a proven solution to homelessness in America

A few U.S. cities (NYC, SF, Boston) now have the most expensive average apartment monthly rental rates on the planet. To address homelessness, workforce recruitment, and a host of other issues including long-term economic viability, increased housing density is going to have to be a part of the equation. Check out this insightful article by @jburnmurdoch for more information. #housing #affordablehousing #homelessness #density #recruitment

The historic and continuing effects of colonisation have led to systemic inequalities in access to capital and land among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Home ownership rates are significantly below those of other Australians, and twice as many are renters. Housing security is foundational to social and emotional well-being, and an enabler of economic inclusion. The gap in housing outcomes represents and perpetuates the relative disadvantages experienced by First Nations people. Meet Anne. Family is the most important thing in Anne's life. She lives in public housing and has cultivated a small but welcoming space that she shares with her husband and four children.  She regularly hosts her extended family during important times and never turns away a family member in need. Though Anne would love more room to support their fluctuating family, she doesn’t want to leave her local Aboriginal community – here, she is connected, and the feeling of belonging keeps her healthy and happy. The many different strengths, needs, and living situations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples means that the National Housing and Homelessness Plan requires a nuanced approach. The government should prioritise equity for First Nations People through a separate but linked co-designed plan.   A partnered approach and shared decision making is key to supporting the prosperity of First Nations people. We enliven this across all levels of our work, through policy, design, and delivery.  To read more of our thoughts around the housing crisis and our recommendations to government, visit here: https://lnkd.in/gxaFR5gZ Sam Allsop, Julian Thomas, Murray Donaldson, Dr Kali Marnane #cityshaper #housingcrisis 

Why is Affordable Housing Month Important to Chloe's House? It is important to us because we believe everyone deserves a home to live in. Housing is the key to reduce homelessness and poverty. Research shows that having access to affordable housing is the most effective strategy for limiting children and adults in poverty. Not having a stable home can affect communities, harming people's physical and mental health, it limits education and limits people from access to getting jobs. Affordable housing overall helps the economy and environment we live in!

Kelly Young and Mandy Chapman Semple have done something utterly amazing in Houston. 63% reduction in homelessness is just astounding! Finally, an organization that gets it! "Housing First" is such a no-brainer that it's baffling that some organizations haven't caught on yet. The idea is simple: get the unhoused into their own apartments, subsidize their rent, and provide the necessary services to stabilize their lives. It's not exactly rocket science, right? Instead of trying to "fix" people first or just adding more shelter beds, ensure they have a roof over their heads and some stability in their lives. Then, they can look at what may have led to the situation to begin with and begin the process of healing/change. This aligns perfectly with Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs—basic needs must be met before anything else. It's almost like stable housing is crucial for personal development—who would've thought? Bravo, Ms. Young, Ms. Champan, and all the people at The Way Home organization for making such an enormous impact. 👏 https://lnkd.in/gUai9tiZ

“When you’re tired of saying it, they are only just starting to hear it” - Jeff Weiner, former CEO and now Exec Chairman of LinkedIn (and every politician as well 😬). So it’s just under 120 days now until the Queensland State Election. You’ll hear us talking a lot about these six priorities over the next few months. 1️⃣🏡 Addressing immediate challenges to achieve more homes, quickly 2️⃣🏠 Ensuring a clear focus on preventing homelessness, as well as responding to the current crisis 3️⃣🏡 Supercharging the community housing sector for growth 4️⃣🏠 Further planning reforms that enable sensible infill development opportunities and unblock a pipeline of Affordable Housing, in-perpetuity 5️⃣🏡 Amplifying and embedding the voice of lived experience and expertise in decision making 6️⃣🏠 A better functioning private housing system. More to come on key policy and investment positions in these areas, including our full State Election platform 🙌 🏡 Q Shelter #Queensland #HomeMatters #Housing #Homelessness #BetterTogether

According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition, over the past few years, the COVID-19 pandemic, record-high inflation, significant job losses, and rising rent prices have shaped the affordable housing landscape. Between 2019 and 2021, the shortage of homes affordable and available to renters with extremely low incomes worsened by more than 500,000 units, increasing from a shortage of 6.8 million to 7.3 million, and continuing a long-term trend of diminishing supply. Addressing the shortage of affordable and available housing is vital to ensuring families across the US experience financial security, improved health, educational opportunities, and greater economic mobility. Homelessness is more common than you think. #winterwalk #homelessness #endhomelessness #boston #nyc #neighbors #community #endthestigma #morecommonthanyouthink #dontwalkby

The Denver Basic Income Project provided some insightful reporting on the outcomes from their program. Overall? It "helped participants secure housing and full-time jobs." Isn't that a significant WIN?! By providing that basic income, they were able to: - Reduce homelessness and vagrancy rates (and associated public health issues) - Increase employment (and therefore contributions to income taxes) - Reduce public service costs That's not even reviewing the qualitative WINS, like providing peace of mind, freeing people from poverty, reducing stress and improving mental health of people and their families, and more. People don't choose poverty - but we can choose to help lift them out of poverty. From where I stand, we either pay for it in public services as a response, or we can be proactive and help when and where it is needed. Solve "smaller" problems so they don't turn into bigger ones. #povertysolutions #safetynet #compassionatecare #proactiveallocations