A new report called The 2017 Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR) to Congress released this week by the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) provides national and statewide numbers on the number of people experiencing homelessness on one night in January 2017.
This blog post will break down information in the new report, compare the new information to local Point-in-Time Count numbers, and offer three takeaways for Charlotte-Mecklenburg.
We have an affordable housing crisis in Charlotte that disproportionately impacts families of color. When we reckon with the history of housing policy in America, this disproportionate impact isn’t a surprise. The roots of this crisis are from policies based on race. Yet, to counteract the policy impact decades later, we are relying on programs and services that disregard race. Can the decades long impact of discriminatory policies be counteracted by nonprofits and improved service provision? The current state of our housing crisis would say no, our approach is insufficient.
W. T. Purkiser wrote, “Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving.” As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, when we are reminded of blessings like family, friends, food and fellowship, Purkiser’s wisdom to consider how we use those blessings is important, especially as we think about our gift of time. How will you spend your time in the final months of 2017 and what might you do differently in 2018? As you ponder, here’s an option to consider in 2018.
Read how data is used to improve care coordination and reduce medical transports for frequent emergency service users in Charlotte-Mecklenburg.
