In the next few days, probably July 28 or so, the US House Financial Services Committee will consider legislation covering HUD's definition of homelessness. YOUR CALLS/FAXES ARE STILL URGENTLY NEEDED!
Since this issue (the HEARTH ACT) has caught fire, some interesting behind-the-scenes info has emerged. It appears that the crux of the issue is the so-called research the feds use to define homelessness. In my humble opinion, that's where the process needs to be fixed.
We would like to assume that the feds paid for good research. After all, countless (an operative word!) families and teens will be affected by the outcome of this research.
Those of us who have been around for long enough to know better realize that the feds never did really acknowledge the existence of homeless young people. Perhaps that's too painful of an issue to address, because it means our wealthy nation isn't quite taking care of the vulnerable among us. SEE THE AURORA (IL) BEACON EDITORIAL
Two key happenings this past week confirmed my worst fears about the policymakers' knowledge base. One was our interview of Phillip Mangano, the Bush-appointed "homelessness czar," and the other is a an email by a prominent researcher (I'll protect her identity at this point) frequently quoted in the policy-wonk world.
When asked if the "expert" would be able to address an audience of educators concerned with homeless children's issues, she replied, "yes in the abstract, but no with respect to the particular subject matter. about the only thing related to homelessness I don't know very well is the education/school part. so I'd have to decline if you asked me." Argh! You don't know the education/school part--the main part of a homeless child's world. How interesting--and dismaying!
And the Phil interview, well, you'll have to wait to see the HEAR US documentary, On the Edge, but let me just whet your appetite...how does vehemently denying the problems/needs of families strike you? It's not in line with HUD's "business approach" to addressing homelessness. It's not cost effective.
Citing "Million Dollar Murray*" as the poster child for non-cost effective approaches to homelessness, and relying on outdated, incomplete research limited to 2 major metropolitan areas, the administration's super-spiel-spewer to keep homeless families and youth from spilling over HUD's floodgates, confirmed my worst guesses about existing policies.
Seems to me that it's time to pull back the curtain covering the Wizard of HUD, and expose his accomplice, the Wicked Witch of the East, freeing the children and teens from their tyranny. You can help to do that by reading details of the simple calls/faxes needed and doing it.
* Million Dollar Murray is a guy used by Phil to point out the insanity of spending millions of dollars on individuals who bounce from streets to emergency rooms, jails, hospitals and around again. Your point is??? Is this Murray's fault? Or does HUD and Congress and the President have any accountability for dismantling every safety net known as it restructured the federal budget to....ah, forget it....
Of all the phrases I've heard when people talk about homelessness, "One paycheck away..." is most frequently cited to show a person has a clue, and empathy, about homelessness.
Why, if the average person I talk to understands this, do our legislators and policymakers struggle with the concept that families fall in the "one paycheck away" category?
I'm reading HUD's first report to Congress (the "evil Diane" wonders why HUD never bother reporting before, and wonders how much was spent on this piece of work.) I must work quite hard at self control as I read HUD's reassurance that homelessness isn't any worse now than 10 years ago. Oh pl-eee-aaa-sss-e!
The most frustrating omission is the slick ignoring of the existence of families. H-E-L-L-O! Family homelessness, along with unaccompanied youth homelessness, is exploding. Just ask my new friend Kathy Wiggins, homeless student liaison in Tampa. This area, besides having an abundance of palm trees, is overwhelmed with families living in all kinds of horrible, highly-mobile conditions. Hey HUD, they are H-O-M-E-L-E-S-S!!!
What would "homeless czar" Phil Mangano say about these folks whose plight was reported on Tampa's local news (VIDEO)? I truly want to know. How can HUD offer the absolutely ridiculous number of 754,000 homeless people (which they say is a "one-night count," a phrase designed to confuse even the enlightened) and not at least give a horrified side-note explanation that their number represents such a gross undercount, specifically of non-urban areas and families, that our nation needs to be embarrassed?
Some disturbing/absurd HUD comments include: "In comparing these results with those of previous studies, there is no evidence that the size of the homeless population has changed dramatically over the past ten years," (pg iii) and, "Homelessness is concentrated in central cities rather than in suburban or rural areas," (pg vi). I'm stopping with those 2. Read it yourself if you need evidence that homeless kids are being prepared to be homeless adults of the future by being ignored today.
Of course, the most glaring omission is the fact that HUD chooses to use the definition of "chronic" homelessness which virtually eliminates children and youth. "A chronically homeless person is defined as an unaccompanied homeless individual with a disabling conditionwho has either been continuously homeless for a year or more OR has had at least four episodes of homelessness in the past three years. To be considered chronically homeless a person must have been on the streets or in an emergency shelter (i.e., not transitional housing) during these stays." That fails the "keep it short, stupid" KISS test.
Across this nation, in urban, suburban, and rural areas, families and teens face the bleak realities of homelessness. Sometimes they weren't even a paycheck away when it hit. Sometimes--quite often in fact--the mom and kids hit the streets because of domestic violence. Julianna's story is sadly typical.
Seems to me that the first step of doing something about a problem is learning about it. With unabashed self-interest in working myself out of a job, I recommend that our HUD friends watch My Own Four Walls, a powerful account of what kids think about their homelessness. Then adopt the "one step away" language. At least you can fake sounding like you know what's up....
HURRY BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE!!
Seems to me that it's time to pull back the curtain covering the Wizard of HUD, and expose his accomplice, the Wicked Witch of the East, freeing the children and teens from their tyranny. You can help to do that by reading details of the simple calls/faxes needed and doing it.