Michael Eaton, J.D., Ph.D.’s Post

Homeless Trust may build tiny homes in Miami-Dade As Miami strives to achieve functional zero homelessness, the city is increasing its shelter bed capacity with a $2 million funding boost while revisiting tiny homes as a possible long-term housing solution. https://lnkd.in/emxxWUCB #MiamiTodayNews #HomelessTrust #MiamiToday #housing

Babergh and Mid Suffolk: Redefining Affordable Housing to Tackle Homelessness My reflections on 2023-2024 As the cost-of-living crisis continues to deepen, Babergh and Mid Suffolk face increasing pressure to address homelessness and provide truly affordable housing. It’s time for the government to step up and deliver real solutions for our communities. In 2023-24, Babergh and Mid Suffolk saw a 40% increase in demand for temporary accommodation, with 525 placements made, highlighting the growing need for secure, affordable homes . Rural areas, like ours, are struggling to keep up with this demand, with infrastructure lagging behind and costs rising. These pressures are reflected in the 55% increase in housing applications, driven largely by the instability of the private rental sector . We need to redefine “affordable housing” to reflect the current reality. The traditional measures of affordability no longer apply when so many households are being priced out of both the rental and housing markets. Babergh and Mid Suffolk require guaranteed, long-term funding to not only meet the current demand for temporary accommodation but also to provide sustainable, affordable housing solutions. Our rural areas need tailored support that goes beyond crisis management. With 179 rough sleeping referrals and a 29% increase in securing accommodation for rough sleepers, it’s clear that we are seeing success with the resources we have, but this progress will stall without adequate funding . The government must prioritize rural communities like Babergh and Mid Suffolk in its homelessness and housing strategies, ensuring that no one is left behind. For Chancellor Rachel Reeves and government ministers, the time for action is now. Let’s secure long term ring-fenced funding for homelessness and housing, and make sure we redefine affordability to support real, lasting change. #Babergh #MidSuffolk #Homelessness #AffordableHousing #HousingCrisis #RuralHousing #CostOfLivingCrisis #RachelReeves #UKGovernment

Housing costs are soaring, and safety nets are disappearing. “As the pandemic ended, the stimulus money, the rental assistance and all of that extra funding went away, [but] housing costs continue to rise,” says BHHI Director Dr. Margot Kushel MD. Many were left with no safety net and became homeless. Dr. Kushel points to evidence-based approaches—like building affordable housing and reforming zoning laws—that have proven effective in addressing the crisis and reducing homelessness. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gGt4M8w7. #EndHomelessness #AffordableHousing

NeighborWorks Housing Solutions is set to construct a 24-unit apartment complex in Quincy to provide housing for low-income individuals transitioning out of homelessness. https://lnkd.in/eKYWR-zu

This article about Evans Lane interim housing in San Jose has me thinking about three things: 1. Homelessness is not a "one solution fixes all" challenge and takes time to resolve. For some it's 3 months, for others it can be years. 2. Dignity and accessible support services are key to success. 3. We need MORE permanent affordable housing units that people can move into after an interim housing stay to truly address homelessness. An interim stay alone is not the answer.

This excellent report on the role of rent subsidies/ basic income in preventing and resolving homelessness addresses the elephant in rooms where homelessness policy conversations are taking place—poverty. "Put simply, many unhoused people in Los Angeles—about 32,000, disproportionately people of color —have a central problem much more easily addressed than SMI or SUD: They are extremely poor. Public policy in Los Angeles regarding homelessness has long been blind to this fact. For many years, public policy has focused almost entirely on short-term responses that still leave people homeless and on the shortage of affordable housing, with virtually no attention given to income—the factor that determines the meaning of affordable. The consequence of this focus on only half the problem is that Los Angeles has created a very complex, bureaucratic, and expensive system that struggles to find even “interim” housing for those who are unhoused. That system ignores the potential of many unhoused people to solve their housing problems if they had a little more money." This study has important implications for homelessness response systems across the Bay Area, particularly in transforming the system to meet the needs of older adults and people with disabilities who are unhoused or precariously housed. The solution is simple! If people are becoming homeless because they cannot afford rent, then we need to provide income support/ rent subsidies so that they can afford rent. Its both more ethical and more cost effective to #KeepPeopleHoused. #HomeMatch #ShallowSubsidies #AgingEquity #Prevention Front Porch Communities & Services https://lnkd.in/gmDEYMbq

There is no “one size fits all” solution to homelessness. But there are proven models that work. And a housing-first approach, lead by an integrated housing & homelessness agency, in collaboration with a network of trusted local partners, experts in their respective areas, is a surely a recipe for success. Do yourself a favour: take a minute to follow the links below & read about our latest initiative in Shepparton. It’s an absolute cracker!

Construction has started on eight SoloHaus homes in Harlow to support individuals facing homelessness, in partnership with Harlow Council. #HarlowHomes #SoloHaus #HomelessnessSupport #NewHousing #CommunityRegeneration #TheHillGroup #HarlowCouncil #SafeShelter #HousingInitiative #UrbanDevelopment #europere #topstory #property #story #news #Europe #europerealestate https://lnkd.in/e_zM-4cw

What We're Reading 📰 Tim Moore is among several individuals previously experiencing chronic homelessness who recently moved from an island in the middle of the San Diego River into housing. With the help of state and federal funding, Tim has been placed in permanent supportive housing in Grantville. Permanent supportive housing combines affordability with wraparound services including case management, employment assistance, access to treatment, and financial literacy training. As noted in this inewsource article, people who manage to end their homelessness after moving into permanent supportive housing have a 96 percent success rate of staying housed over the long term. (Translation: 96 out of 100 people who enter permanent supportive housing do not return to homelessness or the shelter system!) https://lnkd.in/gTpDrJ2T #housingendshomelessness #housingsolveshomelessness #homelessnessissolvable #sandiego #homeless #permanentsupportivehousing PATH

Look around Cape Cod, opposition to multi-family housing in Falmouth, Sandwich and Barnstable. Higher density zoning put on hold to "study the need" even with recently adopted Housing Production Plans. Opposition to housing in village centers. The Cape Cod Commission has identified the current and projected housing shortfall, towns must be made to meet their fair share of this need. State and federal funding needs to be both a carrot and stick to get this done. Cape Cod Times: Experts tackle housing crisis at Homeless Summit in Worcester Comprehensive approach needed to solve local, regional and federal housing crisis https://lnkd.in/gQgDfMWR