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carbonfiberx t1_iu7tijl wrote

Structural problems require structural solutions. I'm not gonna shame you for pulling back on your compassionate policy now that it's become unfeasible for you, but even that was a stop-gap.

Charity will not solve houselessness, or the multitude of other issues that afflict the unhoused. Richmond (like pretty much every other city in America) needs a comprehensive approach centering on housing-first.

For whatever it's worth, I hope those reading this recognize that point, rather than attributing this behavior to a simple moral failing and getting entrenched in resentment and dismissal of actual humans who exist day-to-day in some of the worst conditions imaginable in the developed world.

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Newyew22 t1_iu8fmz2 wrote

You’re 100% right on a few important points: homelessness says way more about larger society than the morality of the individuals who are experiencing it, and that about structural problems require structural solutions. But, I think it’s important to point out that Richmond does have a comprehensive approach to homelessness that prioritizes housing first. In fact, in a metropolitan area with pretty abysmal regional cooperation, homelessness is one area where the system works exceptionally well — so well that just last week, HUD just awarded the system an annual grant of $4.7M to address youth homelessness on top of its usual allocation.

The main driver of increasing homelessness here and elsewhere is the accelerating unavailability of affordable housing. In Virginia, it’s estimated there’s a shortage of 200,000 affordable units to meet the needs of its residents, so you can imagine the pressure that puts on systems meant to make homelessness “brief, rare, and non-recurring.” So, here are structural solutions I recommend advocating for: (1) Right to Counsel for people facing eviction. Most evictions here are pushed through by landlords uncontested, and right to counsel in other jurisdictions has slowed the number of evictions filed and executed, keeping people where they live. (2) At the Richmond City Council level, support the movement to assess affordable housing properties at a lower tax rate, so that affordable housing providers can continue developing new properties and supporting people with low incomes. (3) At the counties level, push for zoning changes that allow for denser development, including in some cases, more affordable housing being brought online. We can’t have a scalable solution to housing affordability one single family lot at a time. (4) Tell your state GA representatives you want increased allocation to the state’s affordable housing trust fund. This is the pot of state money that for- and non-profit developers draw from to build affordable housing, and the current annual budget line is $75M. Sounds good, but when, say, it costs ~$300,000 to bring online a single new unit of permanent supportive housing for people who’ve experienced chronic homelessness, you see how millions only get you so far. We should be talking billions in that trust fund.

In conclusion, Richmond’s homelessness services system does a truly amazing job, and it’s our responsibility to come alongside them with structural solutions that help reduce the volume of clientele they serve to more reasonable levels

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Charlesinrichmond t1_iu9wu8u wrote

what homeless housing does the funding provide? I know a homeless woman who could use it.

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Newyew22 t1_iua0833 wrote

Broadly speaking, the funding provides support for the programming and operations of organizations that provide shelter and supportive housing.

For people who are currently experiencing homelessness or within three days of losing their housing, they can enter with the system — though not necessarily a shelter — through the Housing Crisis Line at 804-972-0813. If not within three days of becoming homeless but still struggling, the Housing Resource Line is the one, at 804-422-5061. Both lines are experiencing more call volume than ever before, but they’re staffed by outstanding people working in coordinated ways on behalf of the system.

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Charlesinrichmond t1_iua67nu wrote

yeah, she's been in touch but no luck, still only sleeping indoors when I give her money for a hotel. She's not a perfect person, but she's a good person

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Newyew22 t1_iuao13i wrote

I’m so sorry to hear this about your acquaintance; I know it can be really tough to see people struggle this way.

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Charlesinrichmond t1_iudrurc wrote

not so much an aquaintance, more a homeless woman who has become kind of my charity. I dunno, maybe that makes her an aquaintance.

She'd really benefit from an SRO.

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Newyew22 t1_iudt93f wrote

If she’s been entered into the database through an outreach worker or the phone number I mentioned above, unfortunately, it’s a bit of a waiting game. Clients are prioritized for movement into shelter openings according to their relative likelihood to die without shelter. It’s a macabre way of prioritizing, but it’s more equitable than taking the next number up.

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RefrigeratorRater t1_iu8gsdv wrote

What would a housing-first approach look like and how does it differ from present day? I’m not familiar with this stuff but am curious.

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nitsual912 t1_iu8o0h8 wrote

Essentially it means low barrier to entry - a person who has been chronically houseless, who may have ongoing substance abuse or mental illness concerns, gets to access housing before they have to be completely sober or fully in treatment and stable (like holding down a full time job, or having completed all of the paperwork to obtain disability).
Give them a roof over their head, in the form of permanent supportive housing, and the costs to the system overall go down — hospitals, jails, etc. It can be controversial because of society’s view that people should have to “earn” certain things, but it’s effective. There’s now decades of published research on it. There’s just not enough political will to support enough of it.

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Newyew22 t1_iu8pbyd wrote

Great summary of the housing first philosophy. Permanent supportive housing is where the rubber meets the road for many people who experience chronic homelessness, and as you say, there’s little political will to deal with the real cost of providing these housing services at scale.

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Charlesinrichmond t1_iu9wxe3 wrote

we need to bring SROs back. They were ugly for a reason, but they served a needed role

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