February 2021

Join us for our inaugural Membership Convening this Spring - submit your Membership application today!

Caletta Harris is the owner of Reel2Real Productions. She received a vision to start her own production company while attending the University of South Carolina. While studying broadcast journalism, she was fascinated with the creative aspect from behind the camera and the process of producing videos.

In 2006, she founded Reel2Real Productions, a full service video production company that was originally founded in Tampa, FL and now has two locations based in Columbia, SC and Atlanta, GA. Reel2Real directs, produces, films and edits TV commercials, sizzle reels, marketing videos, corporate videos, live events, documentaries, indie and feature films. We pride ourselves on highquality “attention getting” videos.

She directed her first Documentary Series entitled, NO ADDRESS, which depicts the criminalization of homelessness and how communities across the country can implement proven practical solutions to address this growing epidemic. Part 1 of the docu-series, which featured Columbia, SC was released in January 2020. Part 2 of the series features Atlanta, GA and is set to be released in 2021. She is a humanitarian that believes human life precedes any political agenda.

Please take a moment to view this compelling documentary to bring awareness to what’s happening in the back yards of America. Click here to watch NO ADDRESS. This 3-day rental is only $4.99. Proceeds will go toward the goals of obtaining land and building communities for the un-sheltered.

Our monthly Town Hall for people experiencing homelessness is scheduled for next Thursday, February 18, at 3pm EST/ Noon PST. 

We will be talking about Racial Justice in the delivery of homeless services, and in solution policy. Click the link below to register!

Pandemic times have caused shelter to shrink capacity, despite the increased need communities across the country have seen. Unfortunately, many cities continue to stick to arbitrary temperature triggers to increase indoor safe space for people who are unhoused.

Tragically, last week, despite calls from the Mayor to open warming centers in advance of a storm, the inaction of Sacramento city officials to open warming sites led to the death of as many as 5 unhoused folks. 

As winter storms are bringing freezing temperatures, snow and ice to the country, NCH calls on our cities to immediately open safe warming centers to meet the need in their communities!

There have been two recent legal victories in the fight against the criminalization of homelessness!

Florida: Three Ocala residents who are experiencing homelessness and had been repeatedly arrested under the city’s open lodging ordinancejust won their case in federal court. “The court’s ruling recognized that it is cruel and unusual punishment to arrest and jail individuals for sleeping outside and being homeless when there is no shelter available to them. We are pleased that the court entered an injunction to protect individuals experiencing homelessness from being criminalized for the life-sustaining conduct of sleeping,” said Kirsten Anderson, litigation director for Southern Legal Counsel and lead counsel for the plaintiffs. Southern Legal Counsel represented the plaintiffs with the ACLU of Florida and pro bono attorney Andy Pozzuto with The AP Law Group.

Idaho: Lawyers representing homeless plaintiffs and the City of Boise announced a settlement in Martin v. Boise, ending over 12 years of litigation. In 2019, the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals determined that people experiencing homelessness cannot be criminally punished for sleeping outside if there is no shelter available. Advocates have hailed the Court’s decision, which has led many cities across the United States to propose and implement constructive alternatives—instead of continuing to criminalize homelessness. This settlement embodiesimportant steps towards protecting the rights of unsheltered residents in Boise—and towards real solutions to end homelessness in the City.

The US Department of Housing and Urban Development announced that it was awarding $2.5 billion to renew projects previous funded by the Continuum of Care program. This announcement cancelled the onerous annual NOFA process that homeless service providers must go through to receive funding.

NCH and advocates across the country had called on HUD to automatically renew projects as shelters and other service providers are stretched even thinner that before trying to keep unhoused folks safe during the pandemic.  Thanks for your efforts!

Click to learn why NCH continues to urge HUD to end the competitive NOFA process for homeless dollars. 

Upcoming Events & Announcements

In January, an additional $600 Economic Impact Payments (EIP) was released. If you have not yet received this or the previous $1,200 EIP, find guidance at www.irs.gov/eip. EIP are not taxable income. Housing programs are not affected by any EIP that individuals receive. EIP can be reduced for past due child support or other federal or state taxes. 

March 8-10, 2021

The National Alliance to End Homelessness will hold their Virtual Conference from March 8th to 10th. Click here to register. 

March 30-31, 2021

The National Low Income Housing Coalition's 2021 Policy Forum will provide a wide array of opportunities to engage with affordable housing advocates, thought-leaders, policy experts, researchers, housing providers, low income residents, and elected leaders on seizing this unique moment in America to advance policy solutions to homelessness and housing poverty. Click here to register.  Low income members with lived experience $5, non-members $10.