Justice and Human Rights United States Project #33658

Bring America Home Now

by The National Coalition for the Homeless

Project Report | Mar 30, 2020
NCH March Report

By NCH Administration | NCH Administration

We applaud Congress for passing the Families First CoronaVirus Response Act, which will provide immediate paid sick leave and paid family leave to millions of people, expanded unemployment insurance, vital nutrition aid, more Medicaid funds for states, and free COVID-19 testing.

But they left out critical resources for people experiencing homelessness!!

Our unhoused neighbors are more likely to have underlying health conditions, use spaces with congregate settings (public transportation, shelters, soup kitchens), have already diminished life-expectancy, have limited ability to follow public health advice, or suffer from stigma and discrimination in accessing basic services. (Read more in the National Health Care for the Homeless Council‘s issue brief)

It is imperative that services, medical care, resources, and support for people experiencing homelessness is included in any further Federal Coronavirus response.

We are all in this together – we must act now!

We are asking for lawmakers to:

Provide $15.5 billion specifically targeted to people who are currently homeless. This should include language that adds “medical respite care” services into allowable/prioritized uses for emergency CoC funding.
Cancel the 2020 NOFA: Direct HUD to automatically renew Continuum of Care Homeless Assistance Funding in 2020 to programs that were recently renewed through the 2019 renewal process, as currently allowed in the HEARTH Act, so long as the Continuum of Care Entity documents that a) there is a continuing demonstrated need for the project and b) that the project continues to comply with CoC program requirements. Use the 2020 CoC NOFA process to competitively award only additionally appropriated funding for New Projects to meet the needs of those currently on the streets, in shelters, or the newly homeless.
Require HUD to increase flexibility to allow communities to utilize CoC Homeless Assistance Funding to meet local needs and local priorities.
Call for a moratorium on all homeless encampments sweeps during the pandemic. The CDC has released guidelines saying encampments should not be displaced unless housing is available
Provide $50 Billion of new funding for expansion of Low Income Housing Tax Credits targeted to housing for homeless families and individuals, expansion of the National Affordable Housing Trust Fund, and expansion of Project Based Section 8 funding for permanent supportive housing and housing for families experiencing homelessness.

These demands are absolutely imperative to the safety, wellbeing, and care of people experiencing homelessness, and we cannot wait. Contact your Legislator below!

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Jan 2, 2020
Housing NOW 2020

By Donald Whitehead | President of the Board of Directors

Oct 3, 2019
NCH 2019 Progress Report III

By Donald Whitehead | Board President

HOUSING NOW

HOUSING NOW 20/20

Coordinated by the National Coalition for the Homeless in collaboration with the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, National Health Care for the Homeless Council, National Low Income Housing Coalition, Sacramento Coalition to End Homelessness, and a growing list of other partners.

A NATIONAL CALL TO ACTION TO END HOMELESSNESS NOW!
Thirty years ago, one hundred fifty thousand people marched on Washington as part of the Housing NOW! March for Affordable Housing to demand action to address the growing homelessness and affordable housing crisis at that time. This led to the passage of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act in 1990, which created among other things the HOME program. Housing NOW! followed the successful organizing and mobilization led by activists in DC and across the nation that resulted in the passage of the McKinney Homeless Assistance Act in 1987.
THE PROBLEM:    Unfortunately, the promises resulting from the activism of the 1980s were not adequately sustained, and federal investments in homelessness, affordable housing and other initiatives to address the causes of homelessness have failed to keep pace with increasing homelessness in communities throughout our nation. Due to inadequate federal funding and budget cuts, HUD policy has moved from a focus on ending homelessness to one that manages and rations limited resources through initiatives such as:
• Phasing out Federal funding for Emergency Shelter and Transitional Housing • Time-limited Rapid Re-housing that often leads to eviction and new homelessness • A focus on one-size fits all solutions that deny flexibility to address local needs • Prioritization policies that pit individuals vs. families, youth vs. veterans, and leave too many without access to housing and services • Limited eligibility criteria that results in too many families and individuals without housing
SOLUTIONS:   To truly end homelessness we need to re-energize and organize a movement to demand a significant increase in federal funding that keeps pace with rising local need. We need a national HUMAN RIGHT TO HOUSING! We need to Re-Build the Movement to End Homelessness NOW! This will only happen with renewed organizing and mobilization to demand that Congress and presidential candidates:
• Immediately restore Federal funding to pre-1980 funding levels – prior to the advent of the current mass homelessness crisis • At least double the funding for McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance immediately • Increase funding for community-based residential treatment for mental health and addictions • Expand eligibility for assistance so that doubled-up families, non-“chronically homeless” individuals and those at risk of homeless have access to needed housing and services
WHAT YOU CAN DO:   Join the Housing NOW! 2020 National Call to Action Campaign today.
• Sign up to obtain ongoing information and provide input to the Housing Now! 2020 Campaign. • Reach out to people experiencing homelessness, local organizations, faith communities, cities and others to urge them to join in the Housing Now! 2020 Campaign. • Participate in the Housing Now! 2020 organizing webinar series scheduled this fall. • Join us for the Housing Now! 2020 Summit planned for April 2020 in Washington DC.
For more Information visit www.NationalHomeless.org or call (202) 462-4822. #Housing NOW! 2020.

HOUSING NOW

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