Homelessness
A California medical group treats only homeless patients—and makes money doing it
Since its launch three years ago, Healthcare in Action has cared for about 6,700 homeless patients and has placed about 300 people into permanent or temporary housing.
It’s OK to ban homeless people from camping in public, high court rules
The U.S. Supreme Court sided with states and cities, saying anti-camping laws are not “cruel and unusual punishment” and that the laws of Grants Pass, Oregon, did not punish people for being homeless.
Utah Gov. Cox to homeless providers: Produce results, or you could lose funding
Policymakers need to focus more on accountability—while also not forgetting compassion, the governor said.
Texas schools illegally suspended thousands of homeless students—and nobody stopped them
Hundreds of districts have illegally suspended students over the past five years, according to data obtained from the Texas Education Agency, denying students access to the food, shelter and education often found only on campus.
Amid record high NYC homeless student population, calls grow for laundry machines in schools
More than 1,600 public schools offers on-site laundry services, allowing students who live in temporary housing or who otherwise lack access to such facilities to wash their clothes while at school.
San Francisco tries tough love by tying welfare to drug rehab
Starting in January 2025, public assistance recipients who screen positive for addiction on a 10-question drug abuse test will be referred to treatment. Those who refuse or fail to show up for treatment will lose their benefits.
As cities ban them from public spaces, homeless people scatter in search of refuge
Attorneys say bans could become more common nationwide if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns lower-court rulings in Oregon and Idaho that protect homeless people from being ticketed, charged or arrested for sleeping on public property.
Anxiety over squatters inspires a wave of legislation
Opponents of the bills call the trend a ‘manufactured crisis’ that could affect legitimate tenant protections.
Justices debate whether cities can make sleeping outside a crime
Cities worry they could have to “surrender” public places if an Oregon city’s anti-camping law is struck down by the Supreme Court, while advocates say the city rules criminalize being homeless.
Housing gets big boost in Biden budget
The president is proposing funds to increase tax credits, support construction of affordable housing and reduce homelessness.
Featured eBooks
Mayors, experts discuss the solution and barriers to ending homelessness
Amid a homelessness crisis nationwide, Houston and Los Angeles have housed thousands of people under a “housing first” approach.
Rent growth cools, but affordability is still out of reach
Even though rents aren’t rising as quickly as they were last year, they’re still too damn high for an increasing number of households.
Can cities clear homeless camps without offering an alternative?
The Supreme Court will hear a case on how far local governments can go to enforce bans on sleeping and camping in public spaces.
On the Agenda 2024: State and local issues to watch
Here are the 10 biggest challenges government leaders will confront in the new year.
What HUD’s annual homelessness count misses
Rather than relying on a single metric, communities need to develop a data infrastructure they can use to track, reduce and end homelessness.
Homelessness is increasing nationwide, but some cities see significant declines
Many believe they are seeing more people experiencing homelessness than ever before. But in three major cities, the data contradicts that perception.
For homeless services staff, fulfillment doesn’t pay the bills
A survey of more than 5,000 U.S. homeless services workers found that 12% qualify for food stamps and 9% for housing vouchers.
Maine death certificates don’t track housing status, but other states are starting to
Data on individual's housing status at their time of death can help policymakers better understand and respond to the risks and driving factors of the homelessness crisis.
How the issue of housing and homelessness factored in state and local elections
It impacted mayoral races, and landed on the ballot as communities debated the merits of homeless encampment sweeps, tax hikes and affordable housing developments.
Communities look to end prison-to-homelessness pipeline
Incarceration and homelessness are inextricably linked, each cycling into the other. As the housing crisis drags on, state and local governments are looking to prevent former inmates from becoming homeless in the first place.
