And Housing for All: The Fight to End Homelessness in America, argues that to end homelessness the United States must recognize housing as a basic human right.
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And Housing for All: The Fight to End Homelessness In America
Prometheus Books.
A groundbreaking legal advocate argues that only by recognizing housing as a fundamental human right can we hope to solve America’s homelessness crisis.
In And Housing for All, Maria Foscarinis reveals the human impact of this crisis sharing personal stories and examining the flawed policies that have perpetuated it. As millions face rising housing costs and encampments spread nationwide, she uncovers why past efforts have failed and what must change to achieve lasting solutions.
Drawing from over 35 years of national advocacy, Foscarinis shares compelling stories of individuals and families impacted by homelessness, highlighting their resilience and growing leadership. Blending personal narratives with policy analysis, she reveals how deliberate decisions have fueled the crisis and how public narratives have sustained it.
Praise & Reviews:
“The book’s legislative history is interwoven with personal stories, allowing the neglect to unfold as a slow burn that readers will want resolution to. Examples from Finland, Austria, Kansas City, and Houston showcase what is and isn’t working to solve homelessness. Each and every example within this analysis supports Foscarinis’s command of the subject, while her compassionate approach will spur change. Foscarinis presents a fresh and comprehensive view of housing as a human right.”
—— Library Journal
“This book is for every American who has walked past another human being sleeping outside and wondered, how did this happen? And Housing for All shows you by guiding you down the long road of bad policy, blind neglect, and outright hostility that brought us to where we are today. The stories recounted by Foscarinis, who spent decades on the front lines in the fight for housing as a human right, will enrage you. They might also spur you to act to help eliminate this shameful, self-inflicted societal wound.”
—— Pam Fessler, former NPR poverty correspondent
“Anyone concerned about the numbers of people in the U.S. living in shelters, on the street, or doubled-up with relatives should read Maria Foscarinis' And Housing for All: The Fight to End Homelessness in America… a clear and compelling case for why housing must be recognized as a human right if we are to meaningfully address the homelessness crisis in the United States.” Read full review.
—— Ericka Taylor, NPR
Published June 3, 2025 by Prometheus Books. the book is available to order.
Foscarinis is represented by Andy Ross, of the Andy Ross Literary Agency. Her publicist is Michelle Blankenship.
Foscarinis is the founder of the National Homelessness Law Center (formerly known as the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty) and served as Executive Director since founding the organization in 1989 until March 2021. Foscarinis has published and lectured widely, is frequently quoted in the media, and is an adjunct professor at Columbia Law School.