Faith Based, Non-shelter Responses to Homelessness
Homelessness exists in every community and for a variety of reasons. This session explores contemporary theories and approaches to fighting homelessness, considers spiritual perspectives on homelessness, and proposes solutions faith based organizations and faith communities can take with people who are homeless that don't involve opening a shelter.
Traditional causes of homeless are understood to include lack of affordable housing, homelessness as a lifestyle choice or character defect, a problem of mental health, or a result of addictive behaviors. Homelessness can best be understood not as an absolute condition, but one that exists on a scale of having adequate, secure, and affordable housing on one end of the spectrum, to being completely unsheltered and at risk of exposure. This spectrum of need is better understood as housing security.
There are many who can be classified as homeless who are victims of economic insecurity, domestic violence, are veterans, are elderly, are children, and those who share housing or “couch surf.” Not all homeless or housing insecure individuals are in need of addiction or psychiatric treatment and many have the ability to function independently with rapid housing solutions and appropriate ongoing support.
In most communities, there is an inadequate supply of emergency housing, transitional housing, and affordable housing, and insufficient services to address causes and contributing factors to homelessness. Lack of assets and resiliency can quickly subject people to homelessness or prevent them from obtaining housing security. Churches and human service providers are often the place of last resort to find help for a homeless person. Emergency shelter bed for a single man can be hard to find, but shelters for women, children, and families are often inadequate or completely lacking, especially in rural communities. Homeless programs can also be limited to maximum stays, whether or not a client has achieved their permanency goals, and lack services such as job training, mental health treatment, or ongoing support.
Traditional approaches to responding to homelessness can be extremely costly and have low permanency outcomes for those involved. In addition, extended waits for services, added stress of being in a communal housing program, and family separation and disruption of lives, can exacerbate and prolong conditions that contribute to homelessness.
Housing First is a philosophy that says that the first, best solution to homelessness is permanent housing, followed by supportive services to address. Stabilization of a homeless individual or family can happen in a short amount of time, with lower cost than traditional approaches, and can achieve permanent results.
The presenter is a director of a faith based human service agency that works with homeless and housing insecure population. In addition to providing an overview of the current state of homelessness, the presentation will provide several case studies to further explore the concepts being presented, and provide successful program solutions that can be implemented by communities, agencies, and churches.
The 2018 Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR) to Congress, December 2018. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Community Planning and Development.
The U.S. Conference of Mayors’ Report on Hunger and Homelessness (2016). Available: https://endhomelessness.atavist.com/mayorsreport2016
Johnson, B., Wubben Horst, W.H., Alvarez, A. Assessing the Faith Response to Homelessness in America: Findings from Eleven Cities (2016). Baylor Institute for Studies of Religion.
Levy, J.S. Homeless Outreach & Housing First, Lessons Learned (2012). Ann Arbor, MI: Loving Healing Press.
Padgett, D.K., Henwood, B.F., Tsemberis, S.J. Housing First (2016). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Wagner, D., Gilman, J.B. Confronting Homelessness, Poverty Politics, and the Failure of Social Policy (2012). Boulder CO: Lynne Rienner Publishers, Inc.