Color Me Homeless

National Alliance to End Homelessness

Thursday, February 7, 2008

9:00 a.m.

U.S. Conference of Mayors (2004)

Figure 1- People of Color Among

National Urban Homeless Population

49

11

2 1

12

0.9 3

12

Black Latino NativeAm.

Asian

Homeless

NationalPopulation

We Have Issues!

1. We need to know what are the specific causes for the disproportionate number of people of color among the homeless population? 

2. Are there different challenges that prevent people of color from accessing intervention and prevention support systems as compared to the White population?

3. How do we solve these challenges at the micro level and what needs to be done first?

What are the specific causes and/or barriers to the overrepresentation of people of color among the homeless population? 

Insufficient economic resources Lack or limited access to affordable or subsidized

housing Domestic violence Severe mental illness (i.e., schizophrenia, severe depression, etc.) Alcohol and/or substance abuse Felonies that lead to incarceration

Are there different challenges that prevent people of color from accessing intervention and prevention support systems as compared to the White population? 

Racial Bias with the Criminal Justice System

Employment and Housing Discrimination

Institutional Racism

To solve these challenges at the micro level whatneeds to be done first?

To overcome racial bias with the criminal justice

system…

Follow the lead of Boston, Chicago, and San Francisco in deemphasizing the importance of criminal background checks for city and county job applicants.

Subsidize low cost housing programs for ex-offenders

Develop policies that allow ex-offenders to clear their records of felony convictions after a prescribed amount of time followed by no criminal activity.

To solve these challenges at the micro level whatneeds to be done first?

To overcome racial bias with the criminal justice system…..

Create homeless-friendly policing policies

Develop policies and prevention programs that reduce the incarceration rates of youth of color.

Develop more options for non-violent substance abusers to receive treatment instead of jail time.

Eliminate racial profiling among enforcement officers.

To solve these challenges at the micro levelwhat needs to be done first?

To overcome insufficient economic resources…………

Offer more job training programs that prepare low-income persons for living-wage jobs.

Partner with local school districts as mentors and/or tutors to increase high school graduation rates of students of color.

Develop and fund more day labor centers

Develop policies and employment opportunities for immigrants of color that can build upon their previous work experience.

To solve these challenges at the micro levelwhat needs to be done first?

To overcome institutional racism………

1. Conduct additional community-based research on the factors that lead to homelessness amongst persons of color and how these issues can be addressed.

2. Seek out funding for a public/private collaboration to train, recruit, and support persons of color in obtaining upper level positions in business, government, housing and human services management.

3. Petition or partner with school districts to integrate culturally competent curriculum throughout the educational system.

CASE STUDY EXERCISE

Identify the barriers

Determine what strategies are needed to overcome each barrier

What type of action is necessary to implement these strategies?