August 2021A
Right to Housing:
a Civil Rights Newsletter
Racial Equity
The National Coalition for the Homeless has made the Racial Equity workgroup a stand alone group independent of the Civil Rights workgroup. It is of such importance nationally to recognize the history of racism within the homeless and housing system, that we felt we needed to dedicate staff time and resources on developing solutions to this 40 year history of racist policies and outcomes that have significantly disenfranchised African Americans using the homeless system. If you have ideas for how to right previous wrongs, we would love to hear them.
Sweeps of Those Outside
Our Princeton intern, Alex, has found that 40 cities have swept homeless people during the pandemic despite CDC recommendations. The worst confrontations are taking place in Los Angeles with an open war between the LA Sheriff and those who live near Venice Beach. Skid Row is still out of control and the LA City Council passed an extreme criminalization measure. No plan, no strategy, and no hope for a solution in a high poverty and high housing cost city.
Image courtesy of InvisiblePeople.tv
Time Place and Manner Restrictions
- Austin voters decided in March to force people off the streets by ticketing and possible arrest of those living outside. The City in response has decided to open 2 "legal encampments." Neighbors have objected and it raises issues around all those people who do not want to live in a city sanctioned encampment.
- The City of Boulder and the City of Los Angeles have both passed anti-homeless laws in the last month. These both make being without a home a criminal offense.
Voting Rights
Very little good news in the United States regarding voting. We have only seen roll backs of voting hours, and regular efforts to make it harder to vote in many states. We need the John Lewis Voting Right Act passed, the DC Statehood bill passed, and the For the People Act passed to protect voting as an institution within the US. If the States won't do it, then the federal government has an obligation to step in.
Victories
Rep Cori Bush of St. Louis slept outside of the Capitol Steps to protest the end of the eviction moratorium. Advocacy works!
1. The Eviction Moratorium was extended in most of the US until October 3 or until the Supreme Court intervenes. We must credit the advocacy of Rep. Cori Bush of St Louis and the work of the National Low Income Housing Coalition. Now there is time to get everyone rental assistance who needs it. Unfortunately, very few communities are spending the Covid rescue funds provided by Congress at the levels necessary.
2. The state of Oregon passed a law that forces local medical examiners to determine the housing status of those who die. This will allow for researchers to investigate causes of death among the unhoused in an effort to fix the holes in the social safety net that led to higher death rates among those living in poverty.
Spotlight on a Struggling Community
For some reason, communities are starting to decrease the use of the FEMA hotel housing program. This is especially troubling since the Delta variant is increasing hospitalizations among the unvaccinated making shelter stays even more dangerous. New York City has faced legal challenges over their transferring the hotel residents back to shelters. Communities such as Cleveland have faced NIMBY and race issues with hotels housing homeless individuals.
We Remember...
The City of Los Angeles is reporting that 216 homeless individuals have died due to Covid 19 with a sharp increase in the last 15 days of July. 7,588 homeless individuals tested positive since the pandemic began in LA. Keep wearing a mask when around other people and get vaccinated as soon as possible.
Michael Pawloski died of heat stroke in the horrible oppressive heat that swept the Northwest in early July. Cooling centers were set up around the large communities in Washington and Oregon. We urge people to seek safe indoor air conditioned spaces during these horrible dog days of August. DC is under a heat advisory today.
Bring America Home Now Action
Check out the Bring America Home Now campaign website and let us know what policy solutions would most quickly end homelessness in America. What national policies in education, housing, health care, civil rights, racial equity, and income would have the greatest impact on reducing poverty and provide housing justice to the broadest population?
Other Civil Rights updates
Iowa: NCH posted a commentary about how difficult it is to work as an advocate in the State of Iowa. While working with a population without a fixed address and many challenges makes organizing difficult. Iowa holds a special place for setting up huge roadblocks to helping those without housing or much income. From voting challenges, unemployment rollbacks, and institutional racism in tenant selection plans, Iowa is a rough place to work.
Denver: It did not get much media attention, but there was some displacement of the unhoused during the All Star Game in Denver in July. This is not unusual during national special events in a city, and frequently advocates have to sue to keep cities from trying to hide poverty from national TV cameras. Denver officials are also not inclined to respect the Martin v. Boise decision in federal court and have repeatedly sent police out to arrest and sweep those living outside. There was an excellent article on the Invisible People website about a study out of Denver that gave a good, objective look at why people avoid shelters.
Denver rally for the Right to Rest legislation in 2015
Contact us
We have a monthly call for advocates at local coalitions who work on Civil Rights Issues. Contact us if you represent a Coalition of advocates who want to help protect the rights of those experiencing homelessness at [email protected].
This newsletter is going out to all members for the third month or so, but this month we will post a second newsletter that will go only to Civil Rights leaders or those who have requested a copy of the Civil Rights newsletter. If you want to stay on the Right to Housing Civil Right Newsletter please drop me an e-mail to continue to receive this information [email protected] or if you want to suggest content or information.
Action Steps
Get Ready for Flood of Evictions in October. While individuals and families were given a temporary reprieve against evictions until the courts step in. In the next 90 days, local communities have time to get ready for the flood of evictions. Get people current on their rent with housing assistance from the Federal Government. Contact the local Bar Association to encourage them to rally with a flood of attorneys to help prevent evictions to the streets. Some states have passed legislation that prevents an eviction while a person has an active application for rental assistance, and California has pledged to pay off all back rent for those with a low income. The time to prepare is now!
Help Families Get Child Care Tax Credit. Most families are getting a federal benefit every month in the biggest push to end child poverty in US history. There are some very low income families who make too little to pay taxes and may not be aware they are entitled to these benefits. Everyone working in the homeless system should work to assist every family to get them this benefit. We could also work to make this child tax credit permanent.
Student Loan Forbearance-- Time to end all Student loan debt. The Education Department has deferred all student loans until January 2022. This would be a good time to advocate for an end to student loan debt in the United States. The student loan system was shut down for 2 years and the economy did not collapse. Time to make this permanent.
Sign up for ACA Healthcare. The Biden Administration also opened enrollment in the Affordable Care Act until August 15. Make sure every family has health care now as we prepare for a rough winter.
Homeless Children and Youth funds: The Department of Education also released $600 million in additional funds to the schools to both identify and then help homeless children in school with any of their needs this fall. The summer is the time to make your family known to the school district if you have struggled with housing. There is transportation, food, ID and many other services available through the district's homeless liaison.
National Coalition for the Homeless, 2201 P Street NW, Washington, DC 20037
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