At our 2019 Funders Institute, we started a larger conversation about the role of culturally-specific organizations in ending homelessness by learning about Native homelessness and the work of a Native-led and serving organization in Seattle, WA.

At our 2019 Funders Institute in Washington, D.C., we had a conversation with four foundation leaders to talk about what it means to advance racial equity from the ground up; how funders are centering people with lived expertise; and what funders are doing to support their grantees.

Regardless of the topic, whenever I leave the flurry of work and family life for three days to attend a funder network meeting, I can’t help but find myself wondering “Will it be worth it?” It was much easier to embrace this risk after learning that the 2019 Funders Forum would be held in San Diego at a time of year when my home town, Omaha, Nebraska, has endured a particularly brutal winter including more than 50 inches of snow and -20-degree temperatures.

On February 20, 2019, nearly 50 funders convened in San Diego at the 2019 Funders Forum to learn about unsheltered homelessness and building both public and political will to end it. Held in conjunction with the National Alliance to End Homelessness's Solutions for Individual Homeless Adults national conference, attendees had the opportunity to learn about unsheltered homelessness, responses to address unsheltered homelessness from communities across the country, how funders can support the work to end it, and how to build the public and political will to change the system.

For information and resources on unsheltered homelessness, visit our Unsheltered Homelessness Resource page.

Read more about the 2019 Funders Forum in the convening recap by Kristin Williams of the Sherwood Foundation.

National Data and Resources

Understanding Encampments of People Experiencing Homelessness and Community Responses: Emerging Evidence as of Late 2018

HUD Office of Policy Development and Research

June 20, 2019

This paper documents what is known about homeless encampments as of late 2018, based on a review of the limited literature produced by academic and research institutions and public agencies, supplemented by interviews with key informants. 

Exploring the Crisis of Unsheltered Homelessness
National Alliance to End Homelessness
June 20, 2018

The National Alliance to End Homelessness launched their Unsheltered blog series, which explores trends, data, and interventions related to unsheltered homelessness.

2018 AHAR: Part 1 - PIT Estimates of Homelessness in the U.S.
Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD)
December 2018

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) releases the Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress (AHAR) in two parts. Part 1 provides Point-inTime (PIT) estimates, offering a snapshot of homelessness—both sheltered and unsheltered— on a single night, including breakdowns by age, gender, and race/ethnicity.

Tools, Policies & Templates for Addressing Unsheltered Homelessness
CSH
September 2018

These documents were developed by CSH, based on materials created by Project HOME and the City of Philadelphia, as open source documents for use by any community, agency or organization without attribution to the authors required.

Tent City, USA: The Growth of America’s Homeless Encampments and How Communities are Responding
National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty
2017

This report by the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty (“the Law Center”) documents the apparent rapid growth of encampments of people experiencing homelessness or “tent cities” across the United States and the legal and policy responses to that growth.

Local Resources and Research

Report on City of Seattle and King County Building New Regional Homelessness Response System
Future Laboratories
January 2019

The City of Seattle and King County are committed to ending homelessness. In August of 2018, they partnered with Future Laboratories to launch a community-driven process of listening and, ultimately, designing a stronger regional response.

This website captures the results of this collaborative journey and lays out 10 Actions necessary to move forward. In 2019, dozens of partners across the region will come together to build a regional Homelessness Response System that can achieve greater levels of equity and impact.

California is Moving People into Sheds – But Is It Right?
The Guardian
January 14,2019

This article highlights unsheltered homelessness in Oakland where encampments are being removed by authorities and police. A controversial “tuff shed” experiment, which involves housing homeless people in makeshift structures that resemble basic toolsheds, has taken the place of encampments. Through interviews, this article highlights the flaws in the "Tuff Shed" experiment, while also giving background to encampments in Oakland and to racial inequity's impact on the homeless population.

Principles and Practices for Local Responses to Unsheltered Homelessness: Guidelines for Municipalities
Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA)
October 2018

Street-based homelessness across Los Angeles County creates significant health and safety stressors for the entire community – especially those living on the streets. Strategies to mitigate these stressors must address the concerns of both unsheltered residents and their housed neighbors, as well as share the goal of providing a long-term solution to street-based homelessness. The following policy guidance stems from a recognition of Los Angeles’ unique local context, as well as research into promising practices both locally and nationally.

Lauren Samblanet, FTEH Program and Membership Coordinator, reflects on key takeaways for philanthropy from the 2018 True Colors Fund Summit in October.

In July at the 2018 Funders Institute, attendees gathered to share what they are learning about homelessness prevention, including what it is and how to work effectively with other systems to really end homelessness. The highly interactive day included a panel discussion, speed networking on what we’re each learning in our work, roundtable discussions, and opportunity to connect with multiple national leaders.

At the 2018 Funders Forum, we dove into learning about nation-wide prevention models and pilot programs being launched in communities taking the next step in homelessness prevention.

Passion. Understanding. Curiosity. Intellect. It was all happening in one room during the 2018 Funders Forum. 

The 2018 Funders Forum was held in Los Angeles in conjunction with the National Conference on Ending Family and Youth Homelessness. Seventy individuals representing 34 different foundations and United Ways joined us as we explored philanthropy’s role in preventing and ending family and youth homelessness.