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.
National Coalition for the Homeless Announces Strategic Alliance with the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless in Call to Double Federal Investment to End Homelessness
Washington DC --- The National Coalition for the Homeless (NCH) announced today that it has entered into a strategic alliance with the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless (CCH). The alliance was formed to leverage the strengths of each organization towards a renewed focus on elevating the crisis of homelessness being experienced in communities across the United States and to increase organizing and advocacy for immediate action at the Federal level to prevent and end homelessness. The alliance also aims to reduce trauma on the millions of individuals and families experiencing homelessness and those at imminent risk of losing their homes.
The organizations signed a management services agreement that will allow the National Coalition to build its capacity to focus on its strength of bringing together those experiencing homelessness to share their experiences with our nation’s leaders in a call for immediate action to end homelessness. The Colorado Coalition for the Homeless will bring its administrative, financial and policy capacity to support NCH’s renewed efforts in this time of critical need.
The National Coalition for the Homeless (NCH), founded in 1981, is the oldest national organization focused on ending homelessness in America. It is a national network of people currently experiencing or who have experienced homelessness, activists and advocates, community-based and faith-based service providers, and others committed to the NCH mission: To end and prevent homelessness while ensuring the immediate needs of those experiencing homelessness are met and their civil rights protected. Over the last 38 years through advocacy efforts addressing the root causes of homelessness including lack of affordable housing, and partnering to write landmark legislation including the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act of 1987, the NCH has worked actively worked to fufill this mission.
The Colorado Coalition for the Homeless is the nation’s largest state coalition addressing homeless, founded in 1984 to create lasting solutions to homelessness. Since that time, CCH has advocated for national, state and local policies to end homeless while implementing innovative and sustainable programs to create integrated health care and housing for more than 18,000 individuals.
As part of this strategic alliance, John Parvensky, current CEO of the Colorado Coalition, will serve as the Interim Executive Director of National Coalition to help rebuild and reengage communities across the country to address the failed federal system accountable for widespread homelessness. Through 35 years of expertise, advocacy, and creative vision at the Colorado Coalition, he is pleased to bring his experience to the national stage. He will continue his role as President and CEO of the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless.
Megan Hustings, who has served as the acting executive director of NCH since the passing of its long-term leader Michael Stoops in 2017, will continue to serve NCH as its Director of Operations in the Washington D.C. office.
“It is critical that the federal government immediately double its funding to support local and state efforts to end homelessness” said John Parvensky. “Many communities across the nation are facing a state of emergency as more people are suffering and losing their homes. While cities and states are increasing their efforts to address this crisis, the federal government’s investment is not keeping pace with this increased need.”
Donald Whitehead, President of the National Coalition for the Homeless’ board of directors called this agreement a great opportunity for reenergizing the Coalition’s historic and critical role of lifting the voices of those experiencing homeless to achieve immediate action to end the trauma of homelessness. “This alliance could not have come at a more critical time. We are experiencing the longest unabated homeless crisis in this country’s history. Our goal is that our combined voices can drown out the disinformation emanating from an administration that proves daily that it is ill-equipped to provide the leadership and resources necessary to end the suffering of those experiencing homelessness” The current Executive Board is the most diverse it has been in the history of NCH. Along with Donald serving as President, the board consists of passionate, dedicated experts including the Executive Director of Metrpolitan Interfaith Council on Affordable Housing Sue Watlov Phillips as Vice-President, Stetson University’s Jessie Ball duPont Chair of Social Justice Education Dr. Rajni Shankar-Brown as Secretary, and long-time Member of People for Fairness Coalition Albert Townsend as Treasurer.
John Parvensky has served as President and CEO of the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless since 1985. Under his leadership, the Coalition, which began as a single health center, has grown to serve over 20,000 people experiencing homelessness per year through comprehensive housing and healthcare in Colorado. John has been a leader in developing integrated housing and health care for people experiencing homelessness and low-income families and individuals, developing the state-of-the-art Stout Street Health Center, and bringing the Housing First approach for those who chronically experience homelessness to Colorado. During his tenure, John has received local and national recognition for his work. Most recently, John was awarded the 2018 Philip W. Brickner National Leadership Award from the National Healthcare for the Homeless. In 2016, the ACLU of Colorado presented him with the Carle Whitehead Memorial Award for 30 years of dedication to furthering civil liberties and social justice for Colorado’s homeless population. John received the 2012 Be More Award from Rocky
The National Coalition for the Homneless (NCH) has recieved over $5,900 + for the Comprehensive Plan to End Homelessness. NCH presented it's first annual " Briniging America Benefit Concert". The concert raised approxiamately $5,000. NCH partnered with many state and local organizations during Hunger and Homeless Awareness Week". NCH has recently completed a strategic plan to support the Comprehensive Plan to End Homeless. NCH is in negotiations to partner with state and local coalitions to enhance the ability to organize groups to mobilze around the central tenet of ending homelessness. The House Keys Not Handcuffs Campaign is working extremely hard to combat unfair pratices in many communities throughout the nation.
NCH is also working to implement the National Center for Training and Technical Assitance for Peer Mentorship. Planning has been completred and we are now in the implementation phase. We are putting the fininishingtouches on the cirriculum for the " Home Conecctions Corps" . We also continue work on the " You Don't Need A Home To Vote campaign. We are in the process of producing the manual that guides local and state organizations in the development of plans to assist people experiencing homelessness to exercise thier constitutional right to join vote.
The Criminalization of Homelessness Report documenting the growing number of state and local ordances that make life sustaining activities of people experiencing homelessness illegal. NCH is planning a teach-in to assist providers with an understanding of the history of homeless. Planning and site selection is currently underway. NCH participate in the 1st Povert Summit to address strategies to end homelessness that brought together advocates from across the country.
NCH is working with the Administration to address the growing homeless numbers in the United States. Support is extremely important now more than ever.
Links:
The National Coalition for the Homneless (NCH) has recieved over $5,000.00 in our initial phase of fundraising for the Comprehensive Plan to End Homelessness. NCH will be presenting it's first annual " Briniging America Benefit Concert". The concert has raised approxiamately $5,000.NCH partnered with many state and local organizations during Hunger and Homeless Awareness Week". NCH has recently completed a strategic plan to support the Comprehensive Plan to End Homeless. NCH is in negotiations to partner with state and local coalitions to enhance the ability to organize groups to mobilze around the central tenet of ending homelessness. The House Keys Not Handcuffs Campaign is working extremely hard to combat unfair pratices in many communities throughout the nation.
NCH is also working to implement the National Center for Training and Technical Assitance for Peer Mentorship. Planning has been in process for the last ten months. We also continue work on the " You Don't Need A Home To Vote campaign. We are in the process of producing the manual that guides local and state organizations in the development of plans to assist people experiencing homelessness to exercise thier constitutional right to join vote.
The Criminalization of Homelessness Report documenting the growing number of state and local ordances that make life sustaining activities of people experiencing homelessness illegal.
NCH is working with the Administration to address the growing homeless numbers in the United States. Support is extremely important now more than ever.
Links:
The National Coalition for the Homneless (NCH) recieved over $5,000.00 in our initial phase of fundraising for the Comprehensive Plan to End Homelessness. NCH has recently completed a strategic plan to support the Comprehensive Plan to End Homeless. NCH is in negotiations to partner with state and local coalitions to enhance the ability to organize groups to mobilze around the central tenet of ending homelessness. The House Keys Not Handcuffs Campaign is working extremely hard to combat unfair pratices in many communities throughout the nation.
NCH is also working to implement the National Center for Training and Technical Assitance for Peer Mentorship. Planning has been in process for the last ten months. We also continue work on the " You Don't Need A Home To Vote campaign. We are in the process of producing the manual that guides local and state organizations in the development of plans to assist people experiencing homelessness to exercise thier constitutional right to join vote.
NCH is working to complete the Criminalization of Homelessness Report documenting the growing number of state and local ordances that make life sustaining activities of people experiencing homelessness illegal. Recent activities by communities in like Cincinnati and Maimi have enacted extremely troublesome ordances.
NCH is working with the Administration to address the growing homeless numbers in the United States. Support is extremely important now more than ever.
Links:
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