Archive
Hurricane Harvey is a Devastating Reminder of the Need for Safe, Affordable Housing for All.
Huffington Post, Aug. 30, 2017.
As Hurricane Harvey continues to pummel Texas with deadly winds and heavy rains, leaving an estimated 30,000 in the Houston area displaced, it’s not only wreaking terrible devastation — it’s also bringing the reality of homelessness to the fore for millions of Americans, and for the world community that is watching... Read full article on The Huffington Post.
To Solve America’s Poverty Crisis, Congress Must Reject Budget Cuts.
The Hill, Jun. 30, 2017.
If you think that homelessness has always been with us, you’re not alone. But in fact, homelessness first became a national crisis in the early 1980s, when the Reagan administration initiated a major retrenchment of social programs... Read full article on The Hill.
Housing Budget Needs Increases, Not Cuts.
Huffington Post, Jun. 15, 2017.
Last week, U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Ben Carson testified before Congress, defending the Trump Administration’s proposed 15 percent cut to his agency’s budget. His testimony came just days after he called poverty a “state of mind,” emphasizing the importance of working and avoiding dependence on government assistance... Read full article on The Huffington Post.
Ben Carson, Housing and Homelessness: Opportunities and Concerns.
Huffington Post, Dec. 5, 2016.
The news that Ben Carson has accepted Trump's nomination for HUD Secretary is cause for concern for the millions of Americans who are homeless or at risk--and for anyone who cares about this continuing crisis... Read full article on The Huffington Post.
This Week’s Timely Reminder from Pope Francis.
Huffington Post, Sept. 25, 2015.
Pope Francis both speaks and lives in a way that honors the poor, that lifts up their humanity and their dignity through respect. This approach, of respecting and restoring the humanity and dignity of the world's least fortunate, is refreshing... Read full article on The Huffington Post.
10 Years after Katrina: Reflections on Injustice, Advocacy and Reasons for Hope.
Huffington Post, Aug. 27, 2015.
Hurricanes happen, but for those with resources, insurance payments, family and friends come to the rescue. For poor Americans, those safeguards are lacking -- friends and family are typically strapped themselves, and insurance coverage is thin or absent... Read full article on The Huffington Post.
Ferguson, New York, and the Criminalization of Poverty.
Huffington Post, Sept. 2, 2014.
As inequality continues to dramatically increase, these are the consequences on the ground. It's not only about race. It's also about the deeper inequality for which race often serves as a proxy and with which it is inextricably linked. Addressing this underlying injustice is essential... Read full article on The Huffington Post.
Homeless Problem Greater than Our Leaders Think.
USA Today, Jan. 16, 2014.
The Great Recession is causing continued hardship for many Americans. Yet a recent report found that homelessness is down. I wish that were true. The research, from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, says homelessness decreased by nearly 4% over the past year. But it doesn't actually measure homelessness... Read full article on USA Today.
Domestic Violence, Housing, and a Human Rights Win for U.S. Women.
Huffington Post, Mar. 8, 2013.
March 8 is International Women's Day, and it's especially timely for us in the U.S. this year. The recent enactment of legislation reauthorizing and strengthening the Violence Against Women Act is a landmark event for women, and especially low-income women, in the U.S... Read full article on The Huffington Post.
Kafka’s America—Or, Getting a Photo ID.
Huffington Post, Sept. 12, 2012.
As election season heats up, state photo ID laws are in the news. Reading some of the coverage, though, it can be hard to fully appreciate the significance of the issues they raise and the potentially enormous impact they can have... Read full article on Huffington Post.
Homelessness: 25 Years Later, it’s Time to Recognize the Human Right to Housing.
Huffington Post, Jul. 23, 2012.
Homelessness cannot be solved just by funding a few good programs. Rather, law and policy must ensure that everyone has a safe affordable place to live. It's time to recognize the human right to housing here at home... Read full article on The Huffington Post.
The Human Right to Housing.
Shelterforce: The Journal of Affordable Housing and Community Building, Dec. 14, 2011.
Anyone working on homelessness and affordable housing issues is familiar with the statistics and the human suffering behind them. We know homelessness has been a national crisis for 30 years and we know the recession and dramatic increases in foreclosures have made things much worse... Read full article on Shelterforce.
Homelessness Policy: Time for another Paradigm Shift.
Huffington Post, Aug. 2, 2011.
The McKinney-Vento Act was the first major federal legislation addressing homelessness. And while it remains critically important, it's time for a new approach... Read full article on Huffington Post.
Homelessness, Human Rights and the United States.
Huffington Post, Nov. 10, 2010.
The McKinney-Vento Act was the first major federal legislation addressing homelessness. And while it remains critically important, it's time for a new approach... Read full article on Huffington Post.
Arizona on My Mind: The Immigration Law and Homelessness.
Huffington Post, May 11, 2010.
Late last week, the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty joined other civil and human rights organizations in the Arizona boycott, pulling out of a major public interest law conference planned in Phoenix this week for which we had organized a panel... Read full article on Huffington Post.
Report to U.N. Draws Attention to U.S. Housing Rights Violations.
Huffington Post, Apr. 24, 2010
Housing is a human right. The declaration is simple. It seems intuitive, even. It is recognized in a number of international agreements, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The United States has signed treaties recognizing the right to non-discrimination in housing. But still, despite the nearly universal recognition that decent, affordable housing is a basic human need, it is not officially recognized as a human right by the United States government. Read 'Report to U.N. Draws Attention to U.S. Housing Rights Violations' on Huffington Post.
Human Rights Day--Here at Home.
Huffington Post, Dec. 28, 2009.
December 10 was Human Rights Day, a worldwide commemoration of basic principles of human dignity adopted by the world community. They are more relevant now than ever--yet too often forgotten or ignored... Read full article on Huffington Post.
Stop Punishing the Homeless.
Christian Science Monitor, December 9, 1999.
New York Mayor Giuliani's policy of arresting homeless people reflects a recent negative trend. As growing numbers of ragged, destitute, often ill people populate public places, US cities have enacted punitive measures that "criminalize" homeless people's public presence... Read 'Stop Punishing the Homeless'.
Barring the Homeless on the Basis of Myths.
Christian Science Monitor, Jan. 5, 1998, at 15.
This festive time of year traditionally brings into focus the needs of the poor: It's a time of generosity and giving to those in need. But in some parts of the country, would-be good Samaritans are being denied the opportunity to serve... Read 'Barring the Homeless on the Basis of Myths'.
Helping the Homeless.
Christian Science Monitor, July 25, 1997, at 18.
New York Mayor Giuliani's policy of arresting homeless people reflects a recent negative trend. As growing numbers of ragged, destitute, often ill people populate public places, US cities have enacted punitive measures that "criminalize" homeless people's public presence... Read 'Helping the Homeless'.
Homelessness is the Foe, Not the Homeless (with Jim Scheibel).
L.A. Times, Dec. 16, 1993.
New York Mayor Giuliani's policy of arresting homeless people reflects a recent negative trend. As growing numbers of ragged, destitute, often ill people populate public places, US cities have enacted punitive measures that "criminalize" homeless people's public presence... Read 'Homelessness is the Foe, Not the Homeless'