Affordable Housing and Housing Solutions to Homelessness

By Gina Cunningham

Let me start by thanking you for following us throughout Homelessness Awareness Month. It takes courage to have a real look at homelessness, which is one of the deepest issues in our neighborhoods today. By joining the conversation through listening and learning, you have become part of the turning tides to end homelessness in our communities. During this past month, we have learned about the various reasons why people might lose their homes, and how it is so easy to fall into a cycle of tragedy and poverty. Today, I want us to look ahead in the direction of what can be done right now to truly end homelessness and make our world a better place.

When my day ends, I put my head on a pillow and sleep with the comfort of knowing where I will be when I wake up. I know how I will start my day. I fall asleep imagining what I plan to cook for dinner the next night, or how I plan to spend my weekend, or where I want to go on vacation next year. When someone is experiencing homelessness, where they set their heads down each night may not be there for them tomorrow. If a person does not have a safe place to stay, their life is fundamentally in danger. Exposure to the elements makes someone physically ill, and lack of sleep and stress causes mental and physical illness. Without stability, a person experiencing homelessness cannot save adequate money, apply for higher-paying jobs, schedule a therapy appointment, or do anything to plan for their future –all that matters is surviving the next 24 hours.

Sleeping soundly in a safe and secure home should not be a privilege. It is fundamental to our health and happiness as humans. Housing is a human right because housing is the key to having hope for one’s future. This is why housing is the only solution to homelessness. When an individual has a safe place to call their own, to keep their belongings, and to sleep soundly each night, they can begin the steps towards healing. Physical health, mental health, and financial health begin with stability. The solution to homelessness is increasing the amount of housing that is affordable and attainable.

Now, this is the part where people start to lose vision. As an individual person, it is easy to feel like there is no true power in our hands. It is easier to punch a hole through a piece of artwork than it is to paint something beautiful stroke by stroke. Similarly, it is easier to ignore the crisis of homelessness than it is to start building. But supporting the creation of affordable housing projects and the service providers who run them, Does End Homelessness. Ending homelessness improves neighborhoods, builds stronger communities, and creates a brighter future for everyone. It takes construction, education, and cooperation with the community to make this positive change. A safe home is not built overnight, but the benefit of a safe home lasts so much longer than just one night – it can last an entire lifetime. As we conclude Homelessness Awareness Month, never forget that a future without homelessness can exist if everyone in our community joins together to learn, volunteer, and work together.