Washington Lawyers'​ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs’ Post

January is National Poverty in America Awareness Month. At a time when some are enjoying unprecedented wealth, we're reminded of the brutal reality confronting many Americans who meet 2025 in conditions of unremitting poverty: * According to HUD, homelessness in DC surged 14% between 2023-24, marking the 2d consecutive year that homelessness rose in DC. Homelessness also rose in VA (5.6%) and MD (3.5%). Affordable housing remains out of reach for many Americans including low-wage workers: https://lnkd.in/eK4tnTRB * 14% of DC residents were living in poverty in 2023: https://lnkd.in/e_q4PRfg. That translates to 91k people—enough to fill Nationals Park stadium twice over: https://lnkd.in/e2epaXKX * Black people comprise 44% of DC's population but make up more than 75% of residents experiencing poverty: https://lnkd.in/e_q4PRfg    At Washington Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs we work with our community partners to combat poverty and systemic racism. Since 1968, we've worked to improve the lives of low-income communities of color in the DC, MD, VA (DMV) region. We pursue systemic litigation to reduce poverty, promote economic security and dismantle racial barriers. Recognizing that there's no single solution to poverty, we pursue a multi-pronged strategy: housing justice, workers’ rights, education equity, disability rights, prison reform. We work to open doors to good schools, decent jobs, and safe affordable housing for all people. We strive to broaden opportunity in housing, education, and employment while dismantling structural barriers for people of color. Hear from our experts: * Housing Justice Mirela Missova: https://lnkd.in/e5jwqQbw * Workers’ Rights Dee Um: https://lnkd.in/e4qZmaHE * Education Equity Ellie Driscoll: https://lnkd.in/egei3kQw * Disability Rights Chelsea Sullivan: https://lnkd.in/euTGmm_J * Criminal Legal System Reform Ayesha A.: https://lnkd.in/eBrdbrjA Join us as we strive together to advance economic and racial equity for all people – regardless of race, income or zip code: https://lnkd.in/g6jJk3ns #NationalPovertyinAmericaAwarenessMonth #CivilRights #TogetherforJustice

November is Youth Homelessness Outreach, Prevention, and Education (HOPE) Month - and we are proud to support National Network for Youth in their mission to transform systems so that no young person in America experiences homelessness. ___ Did you know that November is Youth Homelessness Outreach, Prevention, and Education (HOPE) Month? It gives us the opportunity to reach out to people all across the country to shine a light on youth homelessness and what they can do to prevent and end youth homelessness. Youth face many barriers because the majority of the homelessness response system was designed for adults. The lack of social services and community outreach compounded with a lack of legislative attention serve only to perpetuate homelessness among this vulnerable population. -Black youth face an 83% increased risk than their white peers. -Hispanic youth face a 33% increased risk. -LGBTQ youth were more than twice as likely to have experienced homelessness. -Young parents—especially unmarried—had a three times higher risk than non-parenting peers. -Youth with experiences of foster care, juvenile detention, jail, or prison. -Youth who do not complete high school are 3.5 times more likely to experience homelessness than peers who completed a high school diploma. We must invest in our communities and address these root causes, not dole out more funding to policing and punishing poverty. Stay tuned to learn more - and what you can do to help!

I was contemplating the power of SCOTUS with these new decisions to claim themselves the experts on environmental matters and to criminalized poverty, mental illness, physical health bankruptcy, through the decision to allow municipalities to make houselessness and sleeping in public spaces illegal. The more power they have, the more power they take. More municipalities need to find ways to better care for the most marginalized instead of adding insult to injury through fines, fees, and incarceration. When deciders (those in power) use a racial equity analysis (lens) to make decisions, they are better equipped to center the most vulnerable, the ones they listen to least, and the ones most negatively impacted, SOULutions are found for all to benefit. My ask is of elected officials everywhere. Find humane SOULutions to the houselessness crisis. Don't further traumatized and harm those who are already living without safe, affordable, and supportive housing. #findSOULutions #Housingiasbasichumanneed

🚨 Big News! 🚨 We are so excited to share that NPHY has secured an $800,000 federal grant from HUD to create systemic change for young people experiencing homelessness across Nevada. 🎉 This grant will enable NPHY to lead a project focused on elevating youth voices statewide and developing the first-ever NEVADA Plan to End Youth Homelessness. We are the only organization in Nevada to receive part of the $51 million HUD Youth Homelessness System Improvement (YHSI) grants. This significant funding highlights Nevada's growing need for effective solutions to youth homelessness. Through this funding, we will manage and lead the statewide effort to achieve the project’s goals of creating and strengthening Youth Action Boards (YABs) in both Northern and Southern Nevada. Specific activities under the grant include: • Creating a Northern Nevada Youth Action Board in Washoe County, in partnership with Eddy House • Expanding and enhancing the Southern Nevada Youth Action Board in Clark County, in partnership with Nevada Partners • Creating Nevada’s first-ever statewide Movement Youth Action Board • Building the first-ever statewide Nevada Plan to End Youth Homelessness To accomplish these objectives, NPHY will lead a coalition of partners throughout the state. Partners committed to this project include the Southern Nevada Homelessness Continuum of Care, Northern Nevada Continuum of Care, and Clark County Department of Social Service. Other partners include The LGBTQ+ Center of Southern Nevada, Nevada Indian Commission, UNLV Greenspun College of Urban Affairs, and University of Nevada, Reno. Additional partners are Nevada Homeless Alliance, HELP of Southern Nevada, and St. Jude's Ranch for Children. Clark County Social Service has also committed an $80,000 match award for this project. By fostering collaboration and common goals, we aim to continue building a statewide response to youth homelessness, reducing barriers and making a real difference in the lives of Nevada’s most vulnerable young people. #EndYouthHomelessness #NPHY #NevadaStrong

Homelessness is not simply a consequence of personal failure but a symptom of a deeply flawed housing system that prioritizes profit over people, resulting in a severe lack of stable, affordable housing that meets people's needs. Black, Indigenous, and Brown communities — along with young people, disabled people, seniors, and LGBTQ+ people — are disproportionately affected by housing insecurity and homelessness. A stark reminder of the historical and structural inequities that underlie our society, the court’s ruling will subject the most burdened among us to further harm and indignity. “Housing is a basic human need and an American civil right. What a shame to relitigate victories already won on behalf of all people. This decision underscores the urgent need for housing policy and strategies to ensure that everyone is safely housed, equally protected, and able to thrive.” Read the full statement here: https://lnkd.in/g5m-TwcT #HousingJustice #SupremeCourtRuling #HousingFutures #Homelessness

I just saw a post from Shereef Elnahal bragging that VA has reduced homelessness among veterans. What Elnahal and others like him won't do is say the quiet stuff out loud: Not all veterans. Let's be clear: it has decreased among veteran men, but it has INCREASED among women veterans. For women of color and LGBTQ veterans, it is an even more dire reality. "Although it’s true that, from 2020 to 2023, total homelessness among Veterans decreased by 4.5%—from 37,252 to 35,574—homelessness among women Veterans actually increased by nearly 24%—from 3,126 to 3,980—according to data from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. In that same period, the number of unsheltered women Veterans—those living on the streets, in a car or in another unsafe situation—jumped nearly 48%, from 1,464 to 2,165." If you are a provider or partner working with women veterans and/or on the problem of homelessness and housing insecurity, I strongly recommend that you follow the research and not deceiving posts of VA officials who refuse to acknowledge that their efforts have failed for women veterans. Happy Veterans Day my sisters. https://lnkd.in/eMQyAVtw

“A life well lived”: “ Please talk up the need for a national youth homelessness strategy; Be the voice for those 136,000 young ( homeless) people ( aged 16-24) because; They deserve to have a life well lived in which they can fulfil their potential & realise their dreams hopes & aspirations” Paula Barker MP Debate in House of Commons on youth homelessness in UK - 1/5/2024 Powerful summing up from Ms Barker as to why in the run up to the General Election she wants us to talk about youth homelessness which with rough sleeping she points out “ was practically eradicated “ by the time that the last Labour Government fell in 2010. As Ms Barker said Homelessness is “ multifaceted “ : there are 112 k households & 145k children in temporary accommodation caused by poverty ; trauma; leaving care; leaving prison; being a victim of domestic abuse etc and those affected include “women; young people; those who define as LGBTQ+ veterans; prison leavers and many more so the solutions need to be multifaceted. In other words there’s no one size fits all solution … so I thought I’d share my “ takeaways” on how the strategies behind the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 ( a Tory statute) when combined with the Labour introduced Empty Property Management Legislation could be used over the next 14 years to eradicate homelessness in the UK back to its correct level ie “Zero” Watch this space …..

Today is the International Day of People with Disabilities, which seeks to promote an understanding of disability issues and mobilize support for the dignity, rights and well-being of persons with disabilities. Individuals living with a disability are disproportionately impacted by food insecurity, facing additional expenses such as medical costs, special transportation, and dietary needs. According to the findings of the Who's Hungry 2024 report, 1 in 4 food bank clients in Toronto have a disability, and 52% rely on social assistance as their primary source of income, leaving them at least $1,000 below the poverty line each month. It’s unacceptable that Canadians with disabilities should have to rely on food banks or choose between life’s basic necessities. Change has never been more important. We will continue to advocate to ensure that people with disabilities are lifted out of poverty and can live a life of dignity. We encourage you to take action, and join us in calling for the creation of a Disability Benefit that works for ALL Canadians living with a disability and addresses the inadequate funding and restrictive eligibility criteria. Learn more at fundthebenefit.ca . . . . . #IDPD2024 #Advocacy #FundTheBenefit #TakeAction #Poverty #FoodInsecurity #WeAreDailyBread #NonProfit

"For decades, the homelessness-serving sector has taken a one-size-fits-all approach to providing services and emergency shelter to those in need. This approach has led to marginalization of women and gender-diverse people and an invisibilization of their unique experiences. What research we do have on women and gender-diverse people’s homelessness vastly underestimates its scale—and that means they’re undercounted in data, research, and PiT Counts. Given the scarcity of intersectional disaggregated data, women and gender-diverse people are not getting the appropriate services and support they need." A one size approach to providing services for the homeless does not address the unique needs of diverse genders and identities. #homelessnes #genderdiversity #identitydiversity #women #gender #identity #humanity #allofus #SJW https://lnkd.in/gKUzwiY4

Did you know that people with disabilities are twice as likely to live in poverty? The connection between poverty and disability creates challenges—but it doesn’t have to stay that way.  Discover how WILC is breaking down barriers and empowering individuals with tools and resources to thrive.   Read our latest blog to learn more about the intersection of poverty and disability—and how we can build a more inclusive future together.   📖 Read now: https://lnkd.in/eA3f4F57   #DisabilityAwareness #PovertyAwareness #IndependentLiving #InclusionMatters