Giving Compass' Take:

• Ana Victoria Cruz, writing for Southern California Grantmakers, discusses lessons learned by housing advocates who are working on the issue of homelessness.

• How can donors get involved in housing policy? What are ways to include communities within initiatives to end homelessness? 

• Read the Giving Compass Ending Homelessness Magazine to take a deep dive into this issue. 

To essentially double the existing supply of supportive housing, we’ll have to be more intentional and strategic in how we both talk about what supportive housing is and engage communities to support it.

Here are the key learnings from recent research and wide-ranging conversations with the developing community that will help us do just that.

  1. The people who will benefit are the key: We should always start with a real-life example of someone who has benefited.
  2. Explain supportive services—in detail: In recent focus groups we repeatedly heard, “I don’t like this supportive housing thing, but if there was a full time on site staff who was professionally trained to work with those in building then I’d support it.” We’re happy to report that’s exactly the case—but no one knows that just by hearing the phrase “supportive housing”.
  3. Don’t downplay safety concerns—embrace them: Safety is the number one question. Be ready to talk about how buildings are designed and operated to ensure everyone’s safety—the residents of the building and the surrounding community. The full-time on-site building manager, as well as the full-time on-site case managers, are powerful facts.
  4. Highlight the less known components of building operations: While the goal is to keep tenants housed, that goal is certainly balanced with the need for tenants to respect each other and the staff that works on site.

Read more about ending homelessness by Ana Victoria Cruz at Southern California Grantmakers.