First Lady Urges Landlords to Aid Fight to End Veteran Homelessness

Alliance Online News View in browser www.endhomelessness.org Thursday, November 12, 2015 spotlight on... First Lady Urges Landlords to Aid Fight to End Veteran Homelessness First Lady Michelle Obama released a video Thursday, Nov. 5, in which she implored landlords across the country to contribute to the national drive to end veteran homelessness. In a year when communities like Portland and Los Angeles have announced homelessness states of emergency, other communities like New Orleans and Houston have announced an end to veteran homelessness. In the video, the First Lady reminds landlords that they can contribute to the progress while also looking after their bottom line by renting to veterans who have received federal housing vouchers. “You all have the power to open doors for Vets,” she says, “and give them the stability they deserve, and help our country solve an issue that has been swept under the rug for far too long.” Watch the video » HUD Releases Part 2 of 2014 Annual Homeless Assessment Report Last week, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) released Part 2 of its 2014 Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR). The report provides an analysis of data collected from homeless shelters throughout the course of 2014. According to the report: In 2014, 1,488,465 people used homeless shelters in America, a 4.6 percent increase from 2013, but a 6.3 percent decrease from 2007. Nearly 9 percent (131,697 people) who used shelter in 2014 were identified as veterans. 70 percent of people in shelter were in major cities. Read the report » video spotlight Houston Veterans Share Stories About Homeless Experience Technical Assistance Available for States on Health and Housing Collaboration The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced a new initiative aimed at strengthening state-level collaboration between health and housing agencies. The initiative, an intensive six-month action planning process, is intended for governors’ staff and leaders of Medicaid, housing, behavioral health, and human services agencies. The initiative is meant to help participants address two challenges: Increasing the supply and availability of supportive housing stock targeted at low income persons with complex health needs. Determining ways in which states can use Medicaid to fund services that promote stable health and housing outcomes. To apply, state Medicaid, housing, and behavioral health agencies must complete and submit an expression of interest by Tuesday, Dec. 1. More information » video spotlight Webinar Video: Meeting the Needs of Job Seekers Experiencing Homelessness from the blog Ending Homelessness Today the official blog of the national alliance to end homelessness Happy Veterans Day from the Alliance by Kathryn Monet Veteran’s Day is a time to honor the service and sacrifice of the many men and women who served in the United States military. The best way we at the Alliance believe we can do that is by ensuring that every single one of these men and women and their families have a warm and safe place to call home.  Five years ago, the White House and the Department of Veterans Affairs issued a challenge to the nation: end veteran homelessness. Since that day, the Obama administration, Congress, as well as local and community partners, and stakeholders like the Alliance have been hard at work to improve and invest in programs and system changes that will house our heroes. Nationally, we are seeing results. According to the 2014 Point-in-Time Count, the number of homeless veterans has dropped 33 percent since that challenge was issued. Read more » comments » | Here are 10 New Facts About Sheltered Homelessness in America by Liza Doran Every day, homeless service providers across America input a plethora of data into their community’s Homeless Management Information System (HMIS). This information contains a wealth of information on the homeless population who accesses services, and it can answer a lot of questions about our nation’s sheltered homeless population. For example: How many people access shelters during a year? What are the demographic characteristics of this population? How long do people experiencing homelessness tend to stay in shelter or transitional housing? Read more » comments » | Here's Your Chance to Learn Homelessness Best Practices in the UK by Anna Blasco How often do homeless service professionals in the U.S. get the opportunity to travel to a foreign country to learn about best practices? Until recently, the answer to that question was “almost never.” Now, thanks to a partnership between the Alliance, Homeless Link, and the Oak Foundation, five motivated mid-level homeless assistance professionals will get the chance to learn about a practice area in the United Kingdom. Read more » comments » |