Activism

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Homelessness in the wealthiest country in the world is inexcusable, but it’s a solvable problem. Investing in proven, and cost-effective solutions have made a tremendous impact and has confirmed that the problem of homelessness can be solved. Furthermore, these solutions go beyond providing emergency responses to improving people’s lives.Safe, accessible, decent, and affordable housing is indispensable to fixing the problem of homelessness. As obvious as this may seem, permanent housing is often overlooked in favor of expanding emergency shelters, transitional living programs, or homeless service centers services designed to respond to the needs of people in a housing crisis. While the term “housing crisis” implies a single precipitating event that results in housing loss, for most people a shelter is one stop in a much longer experience of housing uncertainty. This may include stays with family or friends and constant moves. Because housing loss is so interwoven with issues of income, health, safety, and social and family dynamics, the longer-term solution is not as simple as providing someone who is homeless with a place to sleep or an apartment referral.Today there is increasing agreement that a stable housing situation is the first necessary element in addressing these other issues. 
The public sector must lead the way through significant investments in housing and service programs that result in individual and family independence. Ongoing, sustained government funding is essential to long-term housing affordability and the provision of effective support services. Philanthropy can leverage these funds through its own investments in local capital projects and by supporting education and advocacy efforts that underscore the critical importance of government investment in housing stability and wellness.
Developing housing and services is a complicated and expensive process involving many players and interests. How can funders best invest in solutions? The answer depends on the community all housing is fundamentally local but here are some ways that funders have been effective:Leveraging public and private funds.Philanthropy can provide the upfront risk funds needed to get housing projects started or to get people into housing quickly. They can provide program-related investments (PRIs) or grants to fill financing gaps on strategically important housing development projects, or join nonprofit loan pools that provide short-term loans to housing organizations to finance the early stages of a project (e.g., siting surveys, architectural and engineering designs, appraisals, and environmental assessments). HelpFunder in Tacoma, WA is a great example of a collaborative in which private funders combine their resources to develop affordable housing for low-income families.Many states and municipalities also have financial assistance pools attached to homelessness prevention or rapid-re-housing programs that provide small emergency loans or grants to families to address short-term problems such as lack of a security deposit, utility bills, or moving costs.

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