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Finland is the only European country where homelessness is decreasing, and it's thanks to the nation's innovative Housing First approach. “There can be a number of reasons as to why someone ends up homeless, including sudden job loss or family breakdown, severe substance abuse or mental health problems,” the World Economic Forum reports. “But most homelessness policies work on the premise that the homeless person has to sort those problems out first before they can get permanent accommodation. Finland does the opposite — it gives them a home first.” The approach was launched in 2007 and has since eradicated the need for homeless shelters in Finland. Finland used its existing social housing and also bought flats from the private market to provide homes. “There is ample evidence from many countries…

To bridge the digital divide, the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) — part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed by Congress in November 2021 — is set to offer free, reliable high-speed internet access to over 40% of households in the United States. This historic $65 billion federal broadband discount program acts as a long-term solution to a previously temporary stimulus initiative that helped low-income households cover internet costs during the pandemic. “High-speed internet service is no longer a luxury — it's a necessity,” President Biden said in a public statement. “But too many families go without high-speed internet because of the cost or have to cut back on other essentials to make their monthly internet service payments.” It was announced in May that the White House reached an agreement with…

Los Angeles County is using a new algorithm that can accurately identify and help prevent homelessness. This tool, called predictive modeling, is a computer program used to forecast events by tracking patterns in current and historical data. Developed by researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), this technology pulls data from eight LA County agencies to help local case workers focus their attention and resources on people at most risk of losing their homes. “That's where our research comes in.” Janey Roundtree, executive director of the California Policy Lab at UCLA, told ABC 7, Los Angeles. ”It's designed to use advances in data science to help predict who's at the highest risk of this outcome. Predicting factors include emergency room visits, jail time, and psychiatric treatment — among…

GOOD Learn about mutual aid. Start with The Cut's “So You Want to Get Involved in Mutual Aid” article, or listening to Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness, “How Can We Show Up For Mutual Aid? With Dean Spade.” BETTER Donate to a mutual aid effort in your area. Mutual Aid Hub offers a directory of networks for you to either offer or request support from all around the country. mutualaidhub.org BEST Start your own mutual aid effort to address a specific local need. Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and organizer Mariame Kaba created a step-by-step toolkit (“Mutual Aid 101”) to help get you started!…

GOOD An action as simple as amplifying videos or photos on social media can lead to an adoption! Follow or engage with shelters or volunteers (like Joe Kay, aka @adoptingdogs on TikTok) on social media. BETTER Volunteer your time by offering to walk, play, or foster shelter animals, take photos or videos, or donate money to help cover the costs of daily operations. Getting shelter animals active helps keep them healthy and happy! BEST If you feel financially capable and can offer a loving home, consider adopting from a local shelter. Project Freedom Ride provides online resources to help connect you to local shelters: projectfreedomride.org/adopt.html…

When folks think of community members facing homelessness, many might jump to stigmatizing conclusions, further dividing people into harmful social categories that keep them from thriving. What people experiencing homelessness need is not pity or judgment, but a safe environment to tap into dignity, resiliency, healing, and joy. Laura Rossbert, COO and Supportive Housing Specialist at Shopworks Architecture, works with a team of 28 to prioritize trauma-informed architecture — not just in affordable housing — but for all. “Trauma-informed design (TID) is about prioritizing the human experience in design. It is understanding that most of us spend the vast majority of our lives inside buildings, and how those buildings are designed is a critically important factor in our mental health and ability to flourish,” Rossbert says. “It's also understanding that…

We've all been there: Your upstairs neighbor seems to be dragging bricks across the floor, jumping on a trampoline, or singing in the shower like they're in the front row of Coachella. While it's fun to poke the ceiling with a broom or tweet a passive aggressive note, what would be even better is if we all worked just a little more to be good neighbors. A 2018 Pew Research study found that roughly a quarter of American adults under 30 didn't know any of their neighbors. It got us wondering: What would those numbers look like if we just reached out a nonjudgmental hand? Neighborhoods are fertile ground for deep, rich communities, where people can count on one another, delight in their shared humanity, and add meaning to what…

GOOD Learn more about the history of the housing crisis in America. We'd recommend reading “Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City” by Matthew Desmond to get started. BETTER Donate to help fund equitable, affordable housing in your area. Check out the National Low lncome Housing Coalition to learn about housing needs by state and find local partners to support. nlihc.org/housing-needs-by-state BEST Perhaps you're a renter who can start a tenant's union, or a contractor who can donate work to various housing proj ects. However, everyone can advocate for legislative action. Visit nlihc.org/take-action to get started.…

You've probably spotted one in a walk in a nearby neighborhood: the adorable, bird house-esque boxes of books, art, or even pantry items. Little Free Libraries and Little Free Pantries have become trendy, tactful tools for community-building in neighborhoods near and far. In Centralia, Illinois, for example, SSM Health, No Kid Hungry, The United Way, and the University of Illinois Extension all worked together to construct a Little Free Food Pantry outside an area library — the first of a dozen to be placed in low-income neighborhoods in the area. The pantry's motto, developed by nonprofit Little Free Pantry, is “take what you need, leave what you can,” and local 4-H clubs will conduct food drives to help stock the pantries. Similarly, Little Free Library (the organization behind this movement)…

A December 2021 report conducted by national housing and homeless organization Shelter, found that over 274,000 individuals are homeless across England alone. These figures include rough sleeping (those who typically sleep on the street), people living in cars, hostels, and other temporary accommodations. Many, unfortunately, become subject to abuse, exploitation, and are much more likely to die prematurely due to health disparities, according to a January 2022 analysis by the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. An innovative pop-up container program being piloted in York seeks to offer a solution to this problem. The project, called NAPpad, is a collaboration between The Salvation Army and Protectal Ltd — who helped design and develop the pads. Each energy-efficient room has a bed, toilet, sink, and charging stations. It also…

Roman McConn was just four years old when — while visiting a Texas animal shelter — he learned about the heartbreaking fate many unadopted pets go through: euthanization. While some parents may shield their kids from this kind of harsh reality, McConn was encouraged to channel his concern into action. Since 2016, the now 10-year-old has launched Project Freedom Ride. This nonprofit transports unwanted or abandoned dogs from Texas and Georgia (where survival rates are often low) to northern states and British Columbia (where adoption rates are much higher). With the help of his mom, McConn started sharing videos on social media to garner attention. Instead of his subjects being the cute, fluffy puppies that are often the first to get adopted, he chooses to focus on the underdogs. “We…

A January 2020 nationwide point-in-time (PIT) count conducted by Continuums of Care — a program under the U.S Housing and Urban Development (HUD) department — found that on any given night, there are 580,466 people experiencing homelessness in America. Although the most recent 2021 PIT count showed over 326,000 people were experiencing homelessness (a sizable decrease), organizations like Lotus Campaign, reported inaccuracies due to the ongoing impacts of COVID-19 — citing that some areas across the U.S. were unable to capture this critical information. “We know the pandemic has only made the homelessness crisis worse,” HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge shared in a video message accompanying the report. She called the numbers “devastating” and said the nation has a “moral responsibility to end homelessness.” Though it's important that those with power…

As the baby boomer generation ages, demographers project significant increases in the proportion of the American population age 65 and older. In fact, the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies (JCHS) estimates that the number of U.S. adults age 65 and older will grow from 48 to 79 million over the next two decades. However, according to a 2017 HUD User report, the U.S. is not equipped to meet the housing needs of an increasingly older population who overwhelmingly wish to age in place. Those a part of this demographic are often on fixed incomes. When housing costs rise, so too do the limitations to accessing affordable housing that offer modifications to age safely and comfortably. As always, however, there are helpers stepping up to address the growing senior affordable…

1 Introduce yourself (and even create a neighborhood directory) Whether it's a note in a mailbox, a hand-delivered treat, or a simple shout across the yard, introducing yourself to your neighbors is the first step. Go even further and create a directory with contact information and special skills! (You can even use the excuse of it being “in case of emergencies” if you're nervous to ask). 2 Respect the rules of community living The golden rule of community: be kind. It's important to share the same courtesies, like keeping quiet hours or shared laundry room expectations. If there is a conflict, learn to resolve it in a restorative, helpful way (ahem, don't call the cops). 3 Set up systems to share & support Little free libraries, tool lending systems, communal…

We all have inherent biases when it comes to the stories of others. However, it's not just those biases that impact who we are, but how we respond to them and hold ourselves accountable. The Housing Narrative Lab (HNL) is one organization that is taking our preconceived notions about housing and homelessness and changing the narrative. Natali Fani-González, Communications Director for HNL, said that homelessness is an issue countless communities face, yet there is very little guidance on how advocates and policymakers can use these experiences to create meaningful solutions. “As communicators, we know that in order to win housing justice for everyone, we must build narrative power,” Fani-González said. “That means challenging the status quo about people experiencing homelessness with the real, nuanced stories about who is homeless and…

GOOD Need a little inspiration to connect with others? Listen to NPR's “Neighbors” podcast for a glimpse into the little interactions that connect us each day. neighborspodcast.com BETTER Are there mutual aid networks in your community? A neighborhood association that works to provide meaningful action opportunities in your area? Donate your funds, resources, and time to support these missions! BEST Create your own Free Little Library or Free Little Pantry. Rally your neighbors around this shared project! Visit littlefreepantry.org or littlefreelibrary.org to learn more and start your own build.…

Everyone deserves a wagging tail at the door when they get home. But what happens to pets when their human counterparts need inpatient care, move into a rehabilitation facility, are hospitalized, or face homelessness? In Utah, the Ruff Haven Crisis Center provides free, short-term emergency foster care for pets as their humans undergo anything from substance abuse treatment, to homelessness, or leaving a domestic violence environment. According to the Salt Lake Tribune, in May 2022, Ruff Haven partnered with Odyssey House, Utah's largest comprehensive addiction program, to provide three months of free pet boarding to those in substance abuse treatment. After paperwork, vet appointments, and an organized intake process, pets are matched with fosters, and the client can check in on their pet regularly via text. In some cases, clients…

For decades, affluent homeowners opposing development —and ultimately leading to housing segregation in communities across the country — have been referred to as NIMBYs (an acronym for “Not In My Backyard”). Although the NIMBY attitude began from a desire to keep property values up, it has since contributed to the housing crisis that keeps low-income and minority families from high-quality housing, schools, jobs, and opportunities. Flip the coin, however, and you'll find a growing movement of YIMBYs (the “Yes In My Backyard” camp), who welcome inclusive, intentional neighborhood development to provide more housing nationwide. It's a fine line to walk in progressive communities, however, as the same folks who want equitable housing for all are also ready to impose a wealth tax on the rich developers in their areas. But…

In February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine. Approximately 12 million people fled their homes, the world was painted blue and yellow, and large organizations rallied to feed, house, and care for those displaced by the war. Eight months later, the global blue and yellow stripes have faded, the mainstream news coverage was replaced with other crises — and still, Ukraine is under siege. With the support of the United Nations and other global agencies, refugees have found safety across the globe. But for the 8.5 million Ukrainians who decided to move to safer parts of the country rather than fleeing across the border — the Internally Displaced Populations (IDPs) — international aid is not nearly as accessible. John Shmorhun and his wife Tuscia Shmorhun Hawrylyshyn, both residents of Ukraine for over…