Successful and Proven Real-World Solutions to Reduce Homelessness

The Condition of Homelessness Is Very Costly

• Human Tragedy Affecting Many Individuals and Their Families
• Creates Major Drain on Local Government Resources/Hurts and Suppresses Economic Development
• Overwhelms the Criminal Justice System and Emergency Rooms

The Challenges Are Getting Worse for Many Communities

• Sadly the Issue of Homelessness Too Often Is Framed as Far Right vs. Far Left – Extremes Do Not Work, Real Solutions Are in the Middle
• Recovery Does Not Occur in a Jail Cell Floor nor on a Park Bench
• Seven Guiding Principles of Transformation

Good News - Many Communities Have Dramatically Reduced Homelessness

• You Can Get Big Improvements (Reductions in Homelessness) If You Want to Make Big Changes
• You Can Significantly Increase Street Graduation Rates, Decrease Street Level Homelessness, Reduce the Rate of New Homelessness, and Reduce Jail and Emergency Room Overcrowding and Misuse

Local Communities Need to Become Masters of Their Own Destinies

• What Communities Need to Do
• Many Communities Have Made Great Improvements
• Do Not Do Long Studies, Instead Do Action Plans, Then Implement the Action Plans as Fast as You Can

There Are Five Strategic Keys to Success (Think System-Approaches by Peter Drucker)

• In Detail, Understand Your Exact Problems (e.g., Scope, Scale, and Structure)
• Address the Real Root Causes of Homelessness, Not the Symptoms
• To Get Big Changes, You Need to Make Big Changes
• Improve/Change Your Service Delivery System
• Change the Community Culture From Enabling to Engaging

Other Important Issues That Are Often Controversial

• Smart Love, Dignity, and Respect Lead to Higher Graduation Rates
• Housing First
• Street-Feeding Programs/Ordinances Alone Do Not Work