Blog: Homelessness Ends Here

Interested in diverse perspectives and opinions on current trends in homelessness and poverty? Here’s a quick roundup of some of the blogs we follow most closely, starting with our implementing partner, the National Alliance to End Homelessness:

• Nan Roman, president of the National Alliance to End Homelessness, talks about “The Homelessness Connection in Health Care” on the Huffington Post: “It's not always easy to see, but homelessness and health care have a clear -- and cyclical -- relationship: poor health can lead to homelessness, and homelessness can aggravate poor health. And both can be a burden on our health care system.”

• On the Poverty and Inequality blog, Funders Together steering committee member Bill Pitkin writes about providing housing for the homeless saves money, citing the latest in a long line of studies making the cost case for permanent supportive housing. The study, released by United Way of Greater Los Angeles and conducted by USC researchers, found that the total cost of public services for two years on the streets was $187,288 compared to $107,032 for two years in permanent housing with support services—a savings of $80,256 or almost 43%.

• Down the road from the Poverty and Inequality blog, L.A.’s Homeless Blog author Joel John Roberts writes about the many pieces of the puzzle required to come together getting just one chronically homeless individual into housing – and why it’s always worth the effort.

• And, at the National Alliance to End Homelessness’s own blog, the director of the Homelessness Research Institute – M William Sermons – has put together a rich and informative video fact sheet on understanding homelessness data and research.

• At the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities’ Podcast archive, Director of the Center’s Welfare Reform and Income Support Division, Dr. LaDonna Pavetti, testifies on the safety net's response to the recession before the U.S.  House of Representative's Ways and Means Subcommittee on Income Security and Family

Stop back here every Friday for a roundup of some of the most interesting stories from these and other related blogs... and let us know of other good blogs to follow so that we can spread the word with our growing network of funders and partners!