The Black Flag’s Post

Homelessness is not simply a consequence of personal failure but a symptom of a deeply flawed housing system that prioritizes profit over people, resulting in a severe lack of stable, affordable housing that meets people's needs. Black, Indigenous, and Brown communities — along with young people, disabled people, seniors, and LGBTQ+ people — are disproportionately affected by housing insecurity and homelessness. A stark reminder of the historical and structural inequities that underlie our society, the court’s ruling will subject the most burdened among us to further harm and indignity. “Housing is a basic human need and an American civil right. What a shame to relitigate victories already won on behalf of all people. This decision underscores the urgent need for housing policy and strategies to ensure that everyone is safely housed, equally protected, and able to thrive.” Read the full statement here: https://lnkd.in/g5m-TwcT #HousingJustice #SupremeCourtRuling #HousingFutures #Homelessness

I was contemplating the power of SCOTUS with these new decisions to claim themselves the experts on environmental matters and to criminalized poverty, mental illness, physical health bankruptcy, through the decision to allow municipalities to make houselessness and sleeping in public spaces illegal. The more power they have, the more power they take. More municipalities need to find ways to better care for the most marginalized instead of adding insult to injury through fines, fees, and incarceration. When deciders (those in power) use a racial equity analysis (lens) to make decisions, they are better equipped to center the most vulnerable, the ones they listen to least, and the ones most negatively impacted, SOULutions are found for all to benefit. My ask is of elected officials everywhere. Find humane SOULutions to the houselessness crisis. Don't further traumatized and harm those who are already living without safe, affordable, and supportive housing. #findSOULutions #Housingiasbasichumanneed

Plymouth Stories: Sedriece, a queer nonbinary (biracial) person of color, is a learning and development specialist at Plymouth. Sedriece helps to train our employees so that we can support our most vulnerable community members as they exit homelessness. We proudly celebrate Sedriece on International Non-Binary People's Day! "Growing up, I never fit in the box quite right: not white or black enough; never feeling quite right as a girl, while knowing that I wasn't a boy. As I have gotten older, I have grown to become a person younger me never would have dreamed of—but would be in awe of. Am I exactly where I want to be? Of course not. But I can honestly say that I know who I am: I celebrate that I don’t quite fit in those boxes perfectly. It is essential to recognize and address the unique challenges faced by LGBTQIA2+ individuals—especially in housing—both as residents and workers. We have so much to give and to share. We exist and we aren’t going anywhere. I love working for Plymouth Housing because I am passionate about advocating for those who are often seen as less than human. Plymouth’s commitment to affordable housing resonates with my values of equity and social justice. It’s not just about providing a roof over someone’s head. It’s about fostering a sense of community, belonging, and dignity. Working here allows me to be part of a larger mission—a mission that goes beyond the bricks and mortar of housing. We do this work because we care about building a more compassionate, inclusive society where everyone has a place to call home." [ #PlymouthStories: A series that illuminates the shared humanity of people impacted by homelessness. Each story features a Plymouth Housing staff member, resident, or supporter. ]

🏠 Addressing Homelessness in California: Advocating for Vulnerable Communities 🌟 Hello LinkedIn community, I hope this post finds you well. Today, I want to shed light on a pressing issue that affects countless individuals and families in our beloved state of California: homelessness. It is a complex problem that demands our attention and collective action. Homelessness knows no boundaries and impacts a wide range of vulnerable groups, including veterans, youth, families, and the LGBTQ+ community. It is a stark reminder of the systemic challenges we face in providing affordable housing, mental health support, and access to essential services. As we strive for progress, it is crucial to recognize the interconnectedness of these issues and work towards comprehensive solutions. We must advocate for policies that prioritize affordable housing initiatives, increase funding for mental health services, and strengthen support systems for those experiencing homelessness. But it doesn't stop there. We can all make a difference by supporting local organizations and initiatives that provide shelter, food, and resources to those in need. Volunteering our time, donating to relevant causes, or even simply raising awareness can have a profound impact on the lives of individuals experiencing homelessness. Let's come together as a community to address this crisis. By fostering empathy, understanding, and collaboration, we can create a California where everyone has a safe and stable place to call home. If you are passionate about this issue or have ideas to share, I encourage you to comment below and let's start a conversation. Together, we can make a difference and build a brighter future for all. #Homelessness #California #CommunityAction #SocialImpact #AffordableHousing #MentalHealthSupport #TogetherWeCanMakeADifference

Revisiting an older Abt Global discussion that's more relevant today than ever. How is climate change affecting homelessness response systems, and how can we design equitable, intersectional solutions? As Lisa Brooks puts it: “It is absolutely essential, to make space and share power with people with lived experience…when we’re thinking about working with people with lived experience, we’re recognizing that BIPOC folks are the most likely to experience homelessness, particularly Black and brown communities, and LGBTQ+ youth, [it’s] just absolutely essential to be partnering with them” when devising solutions." #Homelessness #ProgramDesign #ClimateResponse

Thank you to the team at Depaul UK for such a thought-provoking lunchtime webinar on 'Preventing Youth Homelessness through the National Schools Programme'. During the webinar we learned that: - The experience of homelessness can disrupt or derail the future of a young person - It's important for young people to understand what homelessness is because if they can't recognise/don't understand it, then they won't be able to seek the appropriate support if they experience homelessness themselves - Films are a great way of helping students to understand the impact of choices that they make and why young people go missing - It's important for young people not to think of homelessness as a 'taboo' topic - Nearly 122,000 young people in the UK approached their local authority in 2020/21 as they were homeless or at risk of homelessness. This equates to 331 young people every day and almost 14 per hour - Cost of living increases; substance misuse; exclusion from school; a lack of support after leaving care; poor physical or mental health and/or crime and gang involvement may cause youth homelessness - Relationship or familial breakdown accounts for 75 per cent of all young people becoming homeless - Some young people view homelessness through the lens of 'escapism' - without understanding the longer term impact/reality of this situation -14-17 year olds are most likely to be exploited by grooming gangs - An estimated 24 per cent of the youth homeless population identifies as LGBTQ+. This is compared to only 2.7 per cent of the general population. A huge thank you to Bidwell Fairlove and Hannah Collins for such an insightful, interactive and engaging session. Sarah Hale Co-op Foundation

LGBTQIA+ youth are 120 percent more likely than non-LGBTQIA+ youth to experience homelessness. What's more, shelters and other services are not often designed to support young people or LGBTQIA+ people, which means LGBTQIA+ youth face unique barriers to getting the support they need when experiencing housing instability. Learn more from National Coalition for the Homeless about solutions to better support these young people. https://lnkd.in/gjHAhGEy

The Home Secretary Suella Braverman continues her pattern of dehumanising the most vulnerable in our society. Her referring to homeless people as "living on the streets as a lifestyle choice" is the latest troubling statement. She needs a lesson in the realities of homelessness: - It is a complex societal issue requiring nuanced solutions, not criminalisation. - The causes are varied and often out of people's control. Blaming issues like crime and drug use solely on the visibility of the homeless ignores broader factors like inequality and lack of healthcare access that drive these problems. - Comparing UK cities to US ones with much larger homeless populations seems hyperbolic and factually incorrect. The scale is vastly different. - Effective solutions require investing in mental health services, affordable housing, addiction treatment, job training programs - not policing. Of course, the Home Secretary knows all this. But she continues to swing at the most vulnerable rather than lead with compassion. Additionally, research shows LGBTQ+ individuals face disproportionately high rates of homelessness. Nearly 1 in 5 LGBTQ+ people experience homelessness at some point, with even higher rates among transgender people. Demonising tents punishes those already suffering. We need policies lifting people up, not criminalisation that kicks them while they're down. The Home Secretary should reflect on how to truly solve this crisis with her cabinet and party colleagues based on expert advice from Homelessness charities.

🚨 Big News! 🚨 We are so excited to share that NPHY has secured an $800,000 federal grant from HUD to create systemic change for young people experiencing homelessness across Nevada. 🎉 This grant will enable NPHY to lead a project focused on elevating youth voices statewide and developing the first-ever NEVADA Plan to End Youth Homelessness. We are the only organization in Nevada to receive part of the $51 million HUD Youth Homelessness System Improvement (YHSI) grants. This significant funding highlights Nevada's growing need for effective solutions to youth homelessness. Through this funding, we will manage and lead the statewide effort to achieve the project’s goals of creating and strengthening Youth Action Boards (YABs) in both Northern and Southern Nevada. Specific activities under the grant include: • Creating a Northern Nevada Youth Action Board in Washoe County, in partnership with Eddy House • Expanding and enhancing the Southern Nevada Youth Action Board in Clark County, in partnership with Nevada Partners • Creating Nevada’s first-ever statewide Movement Youth Action Board • Building the first-ever statewide Nevada Plan to End Youth Homelessness To accomplish these objectives, NPHY will lead a coalition of partners throughout the state. Partners committed to this project include the Southern Nevada Homelessness Continuum of Care, Northern Nevada Continuum of Care, and Clark County Department of Social Service. Other partners include The LGBTQ+ Center of Southern Nevada, Nevada Indian Commission, UNLV Greenspun College of Urban Affairs, and University of Nevada, Reno. Additional partners are Nevada Homeless Alliance, HELP of Southern Nevada, and St. Jude's Ranch for Children. Clark County Social Service has also committed an $80,000 match award for this project. By fostering collaboration and common goals, we aim to continue building a statewide response to youth homelessness, reducing barriers and making a real difference in the lives of Nevada’s most vulnerable young people. #EndYouthHomelessness #NPHY #NevadaStrong

We know it's after the fact but for us it still bears announcing: Sunday was International Non-Binary People’s Day! We at A Way Home America understand the impacts of the gender binary in our societies, and we know that it simply is not an expansive-enough construct to apply to persons/peoples in the world.  Our mission explicitly names LGBTQIA+ folks (among others) as a target audience for which we want to end and prevent homelessness. Additionally, some of our Core Principles are to 1) Recognize and Center Intersectionality & 2) Shift Power to Youth and Young Adults. The intersectional youth we work with deserve to lead the work that impacts them in the Homelessness Movement. Despite which letter in the acronym you feel you fall into (or don’t), we want you to know that we SEE you and we are here to support you in our mission, as a non-binary person. Happy visibility and strength to all of our non-binary neighbors, friends, and co-conspirators! A Way Home America’s mission is to transform systems through public policy to prevent and end homelessness for Black, Indigenous, youth of color, and LGBTQIA+ youth, on a path to housing justice for all. www.AWayHomeAmerica.org #endyouthhomelessness #nonbinary #homeless #homelessyouth #housingisahumanright