This Week in Homelessness: February 19-25

Tiffany Connolly
Feb 24, 2017
4 min read

Malibu, California: Measure H

This week, Malibu City Council approved a motion in support of Measure H - Los Angeles County's Plan to Prevent and Combat Homelessness. The motion authorized Mayor Lou La Monte of the city of Malibu to send a letter to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors in support of the plan.

Measure H is expected to combat homelessness in several ways. The plan is expected to decrease homelessness by providing essential services to successfully transition approximately 45,000 individuals and families from homelessness to permanent housing within the first five years of the plan and prevent 30,000 more individuals and families from experiencing homelessness. Through a county sales tax, it is also expected to generate millions of dollars each year, over a 10-year span, toward proven efforts of homelessness prevention and reduction. Family Solution Centers, who already successfully move those experiencing homelessness into permanent housing and connect them, as well as those at risk for homelessness, to mental health, substance use and education services, are expected to implement much of the services funded by Measure H. As the city has identified homelessness as a priority issue in Malibu, the city council urges all residents to vote in favor of the plan on March 7 of this year. Read the full article here.

Experiencing Homelessness in Bogotá, Colombia

Gerald Barr of The Bogotá Post set out to speak with the city of Bogotá to learn about the lives of those experiencing homelessness. He gained knowledge about the factors that have led many individuals to a life on the streets of Bogotá, their day-to-day experiences and struggles, as well as their hopes for a better life. Local authorities of Bogotá often refer to individuals experiencing homelessness as "Ciudadanos Habitantes de la Calle" or "CHC" - in English, "Citizens street inhabitants". There were about 9,600 individuals experiencing homelessness when the most recent census was conducted, in 2011.

However, the numbers retrieved from this count are now outdated and no longer serve as an effective guide to address the issue of homelessness in Bogotá. The city has expressed difficulty in keeping track of the constantly shifting population. Data gathered from this census also revealed that domestic violence, substance abuse and internal displacement, due to civil war, are among the main factors leading to homelessness in Bogotá. Many individuals and families experiencing homelessness gravitate towards Bogotá, the country's capital, to avoid "fumagacion" - murders of people living on the margins of society - that have plagued cities of Colombia for decades now. Violence within the country has also heavily affected the homelessness population's relationships and cooperation with authorities and service providers, making many individuals resistant to receiving assistance. In addition, mental illness, specifically Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), is prevalent among the city's homelessness population. Although resources are limited, organizations in Bogotá offer employment initiatives, overnight shelters, psycho-social support and hospital-based detox programs to help improve the population's quality of life. How can the city begin to gather current data on homelessness to effectively drive efforts to improve living conditions?How can trust be established between service providers and those experiencing homelessness to ensure that they receive the help that they need? What can be done to eradicate homelessness in Botogá? Read the full article here.

Homelessness Continues to Decline in Seoul City, South Korea

Thanks to the support policies that are in place, Seoul city, the capital of South Korea, continues to see a decline in the number of individuals experiencing homelessness. Last year, 83 percent of the individuals experiencing homelessness transitioned into supported housing for at least six months and reported maintaining stable housing, even after the housing support they had been receiving had ended.

Street homelessness - sleeping in the streets and/or in open or public spaces - has decreased by about 39 percent in Seoul. This category of homelessness in particular is one of the focus areas of IGH's framework. The South Korean capital has continued to see a decrease in street homelessness since 2011. The city plans to expand this year's support policy by increasing their support target to 600 people and to support all people experiencing homelessness 'who are systematically managed and supported successfully'. Although there are still some experiencing homelessness, a continuous decline in rates for six consecutive years is an incredible reflection of the efforts being made toward social inclusion in the Korean capital. Read the full article here. (This article's original text is in Japanese.)

"Rough Sleeping" Prevention Project in Lowestoft, England

A three-year homelessness prevention project will receive more than £250,000 of funding from the Department for Communities and Local Government to the Access Community Trust (ACT) to support the initiative. This charitable organization will also carry out the project. The ACT promotes social inclusion for the community benefit by preventing social exclusion and assisting those living on the margins of society - supporting their integration back into society. The three-year project is a joint venture between Suffolk police, Great Yarmouth and Waveney Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), Waveney District Council and Suffolk County Council. Read the full article here.

South Africa Makes More Room for Housing

South Africa's Finance Minister, Pravin Gordhan, delivered the 'Budget 2017' in parliament this past Wednesday, February 22nd. The South African government is expected to expand their budget to increase opportunities for housing across the country. According to the country's National Budget, the government is planning to spend R29.8bn on housing this year and is expected to increase to R37.4bn for the 2019/20 year budget. In addition, the Department of Human Settlements (DoHS) - who provides for the facilitation of a sustainable housing development process in SA - is expected to begin 25 projects to deliver more housing opportunities. By the year 2019, a total of 55,171 social rental housing units are expected to be delivered through primary funding of the Social Housing Regulatory Authority's capital program. Poverty and a shortage of housing across the country are factors that continue to drive rates of homelessness in South Africa, as well as other African regions. How will this increase in housing affect rates of homelessness in SA? Read the full article here.

If there is news you would like to include in a future update, contact us here: http://www.ighomelessness.org/contact