Giving Compass' Take:

· Steve Berg reviews the actions Congress has taken towards addressing homelessness in the US and what still needs to be done to make a difference. 

· How does accessibility to affordable housing contribute to homelessness? What can donors do to help this cause? 

· Interested in learning more about homelessness and how you can help? Check out this overview about ending homelessness at Funders Together to End Homelessness.

Here are the actionable things related to homelessness that Congress got done (or is just finishing up); and the one big thing that isn’t done yet.

WHAT THEY DID ALREADY:

  • VA appropriations/SSVF cap increase — Congress passed its spending bill for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
  • Labor/HHS appropriations — Programs at the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education have been funded for FY 2019.
  • Opioid package — Congress has passed and sent to the President another major legislative package to combat drug addiction.

WHAT THEY STILL NEED TO DO: HUD APPROPRIATIONS

  • Homeless assistance — This is the account that includes funding for the Continuum of Care, and for Emergency Solutions Grant.
  • Tenant-based rental assistance — This account funds the Housing Choice Voucher program, sometimes known as Section 8 vouchers.
  • The new opioid package — Funding for the housing demonstration remains uncertain.
  • Initial Florence recovery package — Nearly 2,000 people were made homeless in the Carolinas and vicinity by Hurricane Florence.

WHAT WE’LL NEED TO DO

  • Take advantage of campaign season — During election season, members of Congress are in their home districts and often accessible to the public.
  • After the election, push hard for better HUD funding and finishing appropriations

Read the full article about Congress’s actions on homelessness by Steve Berg at The National Alliance to End Homelessness.