Anyone who has worked in any type of homeless setting can tell you that. There are never enough funds, nor physical resources. There is never enough housing, or vouchers, or often shelter beds. But, critically, there is not enough staff – and specifically, not enough funding to pay staff to do their jobs.

A Workforce Under Duress

Over the past year and a half at the Alliance, we have visited communities across the country to learn from providers and people with lived experience about what their homeless systems are like, and what needs to change.

One theme that was present in nearly every community? The homeless services workforce is in trouble. But we have the hope that this can change.

Front line staff didn’t go home during the pandemic: they operated programs in sometimes dangerous and often highly stressful conditions. Providers are burnt out, underpaid, and understaffed. High turnover results in increased stress, and consequent overwork – which then leads again to high turnover. And all of this adversely impacts people seeking help from our systems and programs.

Read the full article about the homeless services workforce by Ann Oliva at National Alliance to End Homelessness.