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Housing Not Handcuffs: Ending Homelessness Through Law and Support

Join the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty in their campaign to end and prevent homelessness in America. Learn about the growing issue of homelessness, the affordable housing crisis, lack of emergency shelter, and the increasing criminalization of homelessness. Discover successful strategies in litigation, policy advocacy, organizing, and communications. Help promote the Housing Not Handcuffs campaign and advocate for better solutions.

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Housing Not Handcuffs: Ending Homelessness Through Law and Support

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  1. @nlchphomeless @HNHCampaign #HNHNow THE 2018 FLORIDA INSTITUTE ON HOMELESSNESS AND SUPPORTIVE HOUSING November 1, 2018 Maria Foscarinis, Esq. Founder & Executive Director

  2. @nlchphomeless @HNHCampaign #HNHNow NLCHP • Only national organization dedicated to using the power of the law to end and prevent homelessness in America • Visit our website: www.nlchp.org • Follow us on Facebook: National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty @homelessnesslaw • Follow us on Twitter: @NLCHPHomeless w.nlADDAchp.org

  3. Homelessness is Growing (But Solvable) • 2017 HUD Point-in-Time: • 553,742 • 65% unsheltered, up 9% • 1.36 mil school children • 70% increase since 2007 • 7 mil “doubled up” • 52% increase since 2007 • 36% college students housing insecure, 9% homeless

  4. @nlchphomeless @HNHCampaign #HNHNow Affordable Housing Crisis HUD budget cut 50% in 1980, never replaced. Now only 1 in 4 eligible low income renters receives federal housing assistance. Mortgage interest tax deduction is an entitlement, costs twice as much as the entire HUD budget, and benefits only those in the top income brackets.

  5. @nlchphomeless @HNHCampaign #HNHNow Emergency Shelter is also Lacking • Emergency shelter is not a permanent solution to homelessness • Shelters across the country are at (or over) capacity • Shelter may not be truly available • Shelter not always a good option

  6. @nlchphomeless #TentCityUSA Encampments are growing rapidly

  7. @nlchphomeless #TentCityUSA ..…as are “sweeps”

  8. @nlchphomeless @HNHCampaign #HNHNow Criminalization of Homelessness is Increasing • Tracked 187 cities across the country since 2006 • Urban and rural communities • Only national data on prevalence of laws punishing homelessness • Dramatic increase in over past 10 years

  9. @nlchphomeless @HNHCampaign #HNHNow

  10. @nlchphomeless @HNHCampaign #HNHNow Criminalization makes everything worse “I’m just simply baffled by the idea that people can be without shelter in a country, and then be treated as criminals for being without shelter...” --Sir Nigel Rodley, Chair of the UN Human Rights Committee and Former U.N. Special Rapporteur on Torture

  11. @nlchphomeless @HNHCampaign #HNHNow Housing Not Handcuffs Campaign • 760+ Endorsements to Date Including: • Former Attorney General Eric Holder • Former USICH ED Barbara Poppe • 7 City Councilors • 18 Law Enforcement Officials • Tallahassee Commissioner Gil Ziffer • Strategies: • Litigation • Policy Advocacy • Organizing • Communications

  12. @nlchphomeless @HNHCampaign #HNHNow HNH Successes – Litigation

  13. @nlchphomeless @HNHCampaign #HNHNow HNH Successes – Policy Advocacy

  14. @nlchphomeless @HNHCampaign #HNHNow HNH Successes - Incentives Outreach. Up to 2 points to CoCs that demonstrate recipients have implemented specific strategies that prevent criminalization of homelessness….Applicants must describe how they are reducing criminalization of homelessness … Competition for HUD funding is so fierce that “half a point or a point can make a difference between being funded or not funded” -HUD Dep. Sec. Ann Oliva, Think Progress, Aug. 18, 2015

  15. @nlchphomeless @HNHCampaign #HNHNow Criminalization is expensive • Creative Housing Solutions 2014 study on cost of homelessness in Central Florida: permanent housing & services for chronically homeless people would save $149 million over next decade in law enforcement & medical costs • University of Denver 2016 study: conservatively estimated enforcement of 14 criminalization ordinances in six Colorado cities cost at least $5 million • Two Dallas City Councilmembers just on Monday estimated Dallas’ jail costs of only criminal trespass arrests at $11 million, not even accounting for court or enforcement costs, noting this could have provided shelter or housing

  16. @nlchphomeless @HNHCampaign #HNHNow There is a better way • A dd a few examples

  17. @nlchphomeless @HNHCampaign #HNHNow Join the Campaign! • Endorse • Speak out • Advocate

  18. nlchp.org @nlchphomeless @HNHCampaign #HNHNow Thank you! Maria Foscarinis, Esq. Founder & Executive Director National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty Mfoscarinis@nlchp.org 202-638-2535 www.nlchp.org www.housingnothandcuffs.org

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