That's a link to an RSS feed of all the "action" in a particular area of the site, including ideas and comments, etc. To learn more about what RSS is and how you can use it, How can we prevent and end homelessness for families with children?
The following are questions USICH has broadly discussed in its stakeholder meetings. These are just suggested questions for you to think about:
- What do we need to understand about the scope, costs, and causes of homelessness among families with children?
- What should be the key goals and strategies of the plan that will take us toward the vision “no one should experience homelessness"?
- How could the plan address the need to transform sheltering systems to crisis response systems that include prevention, emergency shelter, and re-housing?
- What community and program evidence-based and best practices should be incorporated in the plan?
- Where has your community experienced the most success in preventing and ending homelessness for families? What elements have been key to successful efforts?
- How could alignment between federal funding/policies and effective practices for families be improved? How can federal resources and practices be wisely-aligned and cost-effectively applied to amplify your state/local work?
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403 votes
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Address issues of mental illness, life skills, and budgeting with family units.
Plans need to include the parents and children. Parents need access to medication, support and skill enhancement. Children are exposed to these problems and need skills to end the cycle.
373 votes -
367 votes
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Must Address Domestic Violence to end Family Homlessness
Any plan that aims to end or prevent family homelessness must take Domestic Violence seriously. Domestic Violence coalitions and advocates need to be at the table to design programs that will make a lasting impact. Also, because domestic violence programs are forbidden to enter data into HMIS by VAWA - there seems to be a federal data gap regarding this population that minimizes the role domestic violence has in family homelessness.
298 votes -
Affordable Childcare cost guidelines
Much like the guidelines for affordable housing states that affordable housing is 33% of someone's income, there need to be guidelines for how affordable childcare is in a community. This should be linked to income earned -- and possibly be linked to subsidies as well.
292 votes -
Childcare and job training
Returning funding for Homelessness child-care vouchers (DTA) and Career Center programs, such as CNA
259 votes -
The federal gov't needs to stop state gov'ts from reducing funding for these programs.
State governements trying to balance their budgets are doing so on the backs of the most vunerable members of our society. These include families in need, children, aged, disabled, and homeless. The federal government should step in and stop this. A federal mandate - and funding - to keep programs open and operating is desperately needed.
179 votes -
171 votes
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Mc Kinney-vento homeless education funding
needs to increase to match the reported needs among schools
144 votes -
138 votes
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mass transit system
provide a national transit authority to make services, employment, etc. accessible to all
129 votes -
Leverage faith community resources to rapid rehousing & mentoring as implemented in Denver/Boise/etc
With 350,000 congregations nationally, a targeted invitation to faith communities for 1st month's rent and deposit along with mentoring would have an enormous national impact on ending family homelessness. Denver has already assisted nearly 700 homeless families successfully with this approach with 89% of families maintaining permanent housing one year later in 2008! Boise has helped over 100 families. LA is joining the effort, along with Sacramento, Knoxville, Norfolk, to name a few.
117 votes -
Link employment, housing, and educational resources for homeless prevention and rapid rehousing.
Homelessness is at a basic level, and income problem. LInking employment services and job coaching with transitional, housing first, and rapid-rehousing models will help familes stabilize more quickly.
116 votes -
Provide Access to Permanent Solutions By Funding the Solutions University Model
The Solutions University is a new model, ten years in the making, funded by six California Cities and supported by all sectors (faith, civic and business) serving a community of over one million in population. Homeless families live in apartments (not shelter) "on-campus" for about 500 days, are equipped with the skills, knowledge and resources needed to solve the root causes of homelessness and then move "off-campus" for an additional 500 days. At the end of 1000 day Solutions University, families have permanently solved homelessness. The model uses a blending of affordable housing, educational opportunities and health related solutions within… more
105 votes -
Actually address the reasons for homelessness. Better Mental health coverage/decent wages 4 housing!
Address mental health issues seriously, not treating it like it isn't one of the biggest reasons for homelessness. Mental health must come out of the shadows and put on the front lines of our health care plan. If families/ individuals had a decent wage to live on, this would not drive so many to such dispair and mental stress.
103 votes -
aggressive funding and policies for education
What is the root of homelessness? what are the common denominators? I see a poorly educated generation being raised by a poorly educated generation and so on. Many homeless adults can not even read, or read beyond a very basic level.
Life skills are completely absent. Teach life skills in school to stop the cycle of parents only passing on their subsidized housing voucher. Kids in the inner city are not raised with the hope of achieving success, they have no tools: no education no life skills, no idea how to budget, save, dress for work, or what their opportunities… more95 votes -
Tapering government aid rather than abrupt termination of assistance (Cliff Effect
Cliff Effect: Small increases in earnings cause struggling families to immediately lose all aid in programs like the federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), food stamps, the Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP), and Child Care Assistance. This leads to workers turning down raises and promotions for fear of losing assistance and thus damning their families to a life of dependence.
93 votes -
Vocational Training for Ex-Offenders is key to the prevention of poverty and homelessness.
90% of all incarcerated persons will be reentering the community. Without a job, many will become homeless. Having a criminal background is one of the leading causes of poverty and homelessness and the justice system is full of youth, veterans, single adults, and adults with children who do not have the certifications, work skills or experience needed to successfully reenter society. Unfortunately, children who have a parent who has been incarcerated are 75% more likely to enter the justice system. Offender Workforce Development and Vocational Training for Ex-Offenders are both key to the prevention of poverty and homelessness. Offender Workforce… more
86 votes -
Flexible Funds for Outcomes Based Awards
There is a need for sufficient funding for both housing and services. The ideal overarching strategy would include outcomes-based funding awards with FLEXIBLE funds to be used for services, housing, deposits, identification, application fees, deposits, etc as the provider sees fit. The extreme regulations limiting funding to short time frames, limiting usage of funds, capping % of funds to be used in certain areas, etc. all serve to provide administrative headaches (and costs) for providers and interfere with their ability to use their expertise to provide a household with what is needed to find and maintain housing. If the focus… more
81 votes -
Employment policies including flex time and job sharing
A child who runs a fever cannot be put into daycare. Allowing parents to work a set number of hours in a flexible schedule, or for the creation of part-time roles will allow parents to both care for their children and earn an income.
80 votes
