Hope Atlanta’s Post

So many of you, the folks I talk to every day, believe *deep in your bones* that everyone deserves a place to call home. And you're working hard in lots of brilliant, tireless, collaborative ways to make it a reality. (I see you and I love you.) But we're facing pretty turbulent head winds right now. With a SCOTUS decision around the corner and elections around the next, now more than ever, we need new and brave skills and strategies to persuade more people to join and stay with us in our work. Not just to end homelessness, but to make sure all of our communities are places where everyone has what they need to feel safe, nourished, healthy and strong. Our playbook (shout out to National Alliance to End Homelessness for their support and partnership), based on Dr. Tiffany Manuel's leadership framework, is a starting place for leaders across the field as you build will for the system changes we need. And my dream team at TheCaseMade is training folks on how to use it. We're offering peer learning cohorts that folks can join individually (https://lnkd.in/g698VrZp) or we can train your community or organization. You can reach out to me or [email protected] to learn more. I believe in what we're doing together and I believe in all of you. Let us help you win. https://lnkd.in/eq7mhnhZ

Hi Morgan No we are not Proud of Mayor Lucas. Repealing NEW ORDINANCE TO CODE BOOKS ORDINANCE NO. 230401 Amending Chapter 3, Code of Ordinances, by repealing Section 3-431, “Setting Goals for Individual Contracts” and enacting in lieu thereof a new section of like number and subject matter regulating the application of numeric MBE/WBE goals on certain projects leased for development or receiving economic development incentives or tax abatement. BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KANSAS CITY: 2. Ignoring the letter from The Kcmo Fairness Board Chairman & Fairness Committee regarding Civil Rights violations ? Harrasment of minority contractors ? inadequate reporting from Kcmo CREO department ? No Disparity report for 9 years and more ? 2016 Disparity Report below: Department of I think 1.2 minority [participation] and 2.5 WBE [participation], when there was adequate availability of minority and women contractors to meet the City’s standard kind of goal of 15 [percent] and 7 [percent]. They’re diluting the opportunity for minority and women contractors when it comes through the statutory business development organizations, all of whom have different sets of rules..… There ought to be a uniform code that is incorporated in all the development agreements which people in our community never see.… There’s a disconnect. And I realize they’re trying to change some of that now but the insulting part of it was there was more money spent through statutory agencies last year for contracting activities than there were through City departments.… It’s obviously developer driven. By the time we see it the development agreement has already been executed. Caused lack of capital for Jackson County schools and libraries. Mayor Lucas and Insult to African Americans everywhere?

Restorative justice is an important pathway to healing. Please check out my blog below to learn more.

"Exciting times ahead! 🌟 Yesterday, we had a productive meeting with Karl Reece GREEN PASTURES Partnership Manager, to plan and implement our Homeless Supported Housing project. We're now gearing up for the launch! 🚀 If you're interested in learning more about the project or referring someone, please email our Project Manager, Frederick “Freddie” Boakye at [email protected]. Let's make a difference together! #HomelessSupport #CommunityInitiative #DiversifyEducation"

.How do you measure homelessness? Measuring homelessness is difficult because of the fluidity of the homeless population. Part of the difficulty stems from varying methodologies used to measure homelessness. Some researchers attempt to count all the people who are literally homeless on a given day or during a given week, called a "point-in-time" count. Critics say this method is likely to overestimate the number of chronically homeless and underestimate the number of people who experience temporary homelessness. A second method of counting homeless people examines the number of people who are homeless over a given period of time, also called a "period prevalence" count. Critics of this method point to the difficulty of standardizing measurements. Other affecting factors in measuring homeless rates include the duration of counting and time of year of counting.

Yesterday I had the opportunity to view the Connecticut Public Documentary Screening of the film, Fighting For Home: How Housing Policy Keeps Connecticut Segregated. I want to thank Story Producer/Moderator Sabrina Buckwalter for the attention and effort put into capturing the stories of those in the film, and for highlighting the many variables contributing to the current housing and homelessness crises. Panelists representing Inspirica Inc., Eviction Lab, Partnership for Strong Communities, and State Sen. Ryan Fazio spoke about a range of topics following the film including Hollywood stereotypes vs the reality of homelessness, zoning regulations, effects of racial misconceptions, and community engagement. Here are some of my key takeaways: 1. There are roughly 3.7 million eviction cases filed every year across the nation. One in four Black children are at risk for eviction, and the % of evictions filed against black households make up more than half of all evictions filed. 2. "Homelessness is not the stereotypical LA neighborhood with homeless people pushing carts down the street. Your coworker could be homeless." A statement made by Nelcia Medley-Avila of Inspirica Inc. 3. Community engagement is critical, especially for Black and Brown families and individuals. An example is to attend open city council meetings. Be in the rooms where decisions are made about where we live. 4. Zoning is an important issue I thought was swept aside by the State Senator in this discussion, maybe partly because it has done its intended job of enforcing racial and income segregation. There is also the possibility that some individuals are unaware of how policy segregates communities, to which I suggest the book, The Color of Law by Richard Rothstein. Although the film was hard to swallow at times, it brings awareness to a serious housing issue in Connecticut and I encourage anyone who either has struggled with homelessness, knows someone who has, or wants to learn more in your advocacy for affordable housing for all to register for the second screening in Harford. #affordablehousing #housingstability #advocacy

🌍 Collaboration Across All Levels of Government 🏡 When federal, state, and local governments come together to discuss best practices on housing and homelessness, it’s a powerful reminder of the impact of collective action. Addressing these complex challenges requires collaboration, innovation, and an unwavering commitment to people who need it most. By sharing insights, coordinating resources, and aligning goals, we can create more effective strategies that lead to sustainable, long-term solutions. It’s inspiring to see these conversations happening, because they bring us one step closer to ensuring that everyone has a place to call home. Let’s keep pushing forward together. #HousingSolutions #EndHomelessness #GovernmentCollaboration #BetterTogether

At Hubbell, our small but mighty team participates in a book club, which allows us to have meaningful conversations about issues we all care about. AND I LOVE IT! Our latest book was "Homelessness is a Housing Problem," and yesterday we concluded our book club with a team discussion with the author. VERY COOL! This book argues that more than mental health and/or substance abuse, the main factor for homelessness is our housing shortage. Simply put, we need to focus on building more housing of all types including rental apartments, duplexes, ADUs, townhouses, condos, subsidized housing, and market-rate housing for people at all income levels. To do this, we need to make it easier and cheaper for home builders to do what they do: build homes. This means upzoning our city and cutting regulations that slow down the rate and increase the price of development. Prioritizing housing and homelessness means that Seattlietes will have to make sacrifices and accept that change is inevitable. We may lose some street parking, and our neighborhoods are going to look different. But that’s what living in a major metropolitan city is all about! What are your thoughts? 3, 2, 1, go!

Use your power with these Practical Steps; 1) Invest in your relationships. 2) Get involved locally. 3) Support community spaces and programs. 4) Be a connector. 5) Promote economic stability. 6) Encourage mentorship and support. #NeighbourhoodNetwork

E Ola 🌿🐋🌊🌀 Trust through Transparency: By modeling humility and radical honesty in our interactions with clients and the larger community, we create psychological safety and foster trust. Progress through Partnership: Working with a network of people not places enables us to prioritize the needs of our clients above the needs of organizations. Change through Community: Through community education and involvement, we can turn adversaries into advocates and reduce hostility between the housed and unhoused.