Fix Homelessness

Homelessness in Colonial New England

_{Marvin Olasky
April 19, 2024
4}

Since starting this weekly column in June 2022 I’ve covered lots of topics, including homelessness in late medieval England — but I’ve shorted American history. Since today, April 19, is the anniversary of the battles in Lexington and Concord that started the Revolutionary War in 1775, it’s a good day on which to take a rapid ride through the New England countryside and summarize common responses to homelessness in the 17th and 18th centuries.

Report: Homelessness Data Reveal Reasons for Collapse of King County Outreach Program

_{Discovery Institute
September 20, 2023
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Download the report here. Shoddy Data Hid Failed State of Homelessness Program, Study Shows Seattle, WA – A study from the Fix Homelessness Initiative of Discovery Institute reveals the expensive failure of the government to run a now-defunct downtown outreach program in Seattle funded by the region’s leading foundations and corporations. It also reveals a lack of transparency from non-profits receiving millions in contracts from King County to address homelessness. “Information about the downtown program is hard to come by,” said Caitlyn Axe of Discovery Institute “But the data we have reveals ineffective use of millions in funding while private nonprofits are accomplishing far more with far less.” Axe’s research examined the multi-million dollar …

SCOTUS Will Hear Arguments in Controversial Homelessness Case that Will Impact Cities Nationwide

_{Center on Wealth & Poverty
April 18, 2024
3}

As homelessness hits all-time highs across the country, the United States Supreme Court will hear arguments next Monday about whether the enforcement of generally applicable laws regulating camping on public property are constitutional. The case will determine how cities nationwide are allowed to respond to the crisis of homelessness.

The Four Phases of Recovery at Forge Center

_{Marvin Olasky
April 12, 2024
4}

Last year I wrote about how formerly-homeless residents of the Orange County Rescue Mission in California could progress through an 18-month program in four phases that give them the readiness to live on their own. Through hard experience the Forge Center in Joplin, Missouri has also come up with four phases, with completion possible in 16 months.

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Street Report

from Jonathan Choe

Whistleblower Dies Inside Low-Barrier Plymouth Housing Building

_{Jonathan Choe
April 24, 2024
1}

Mike Matzick's lifeless body was found inside this "low barrier" apartment complex in downtown Seattle.

Drug Addiction and Homelessness in San Francisco’s Tenderloin

_{Jonathan Choe
April 23, 2024
1}

Is it too late to save San Francisco from the "Doom Loop?" I spent several days in the Tenderloin and other neighborhoods decimated by homelessness, drug overdose deaths, and mental illness. This human tragedy is being further exacerbated by failed public polices like "housing first" and "harm reduction."

Seattle Activists Protest SCOTUS Anti-Camping Case

_{Jonathan Choe
April 22, 2024
1}

Blaming Capitalism Did I call it or what! Far-left activists like Nikkita Oliver blamed white supremacy and capitalism for America’s homeless crisis during a Monday rally in Seattle. This was in response to the U.S. Supreme Court scrutinizing anti-camping laws used against the homeless. Look at the lineup of speakers. It appears Nikkita's back from her stint in Detroit. They will likely blame homelessness on white supremacy, capitalism, and the lack of affordable housing. There will be zero mention of root causes like drug addiction, mental illness, or broken… pic.twitter.com/jznUYKCNst— Jonathan Choe (@choeshow) April 22, …

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Our Mission

Discovery Institute’s Fix Homelessness initiative offers innovative research and compassionate solutions to the growing crisis of homelessness, addiction, and mental illness facing many American cities. Our mission is to serve as a resource for policy leaders, business owners, and neighborhood organizations trying to meaningfully reduce homelessness and to help those suffering realize their full human potential.

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Jim Palmer of the Orange County Rescue Mission on causes and cures for America’s homelessness crisis

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Tom Shakely
November 1, 2021}

In this episode of Humanize, Wesley J. Smith speaks with Jim Palmer, the president of the Orange County Rescue Mission about the many causes and potential cures of America’s seemingly intractable homeless crisis. It is a crucial, if disturbing, conversation that touches upon the most existential needs of people and our mutual responsibilities to each other. Homelessness has reached crisis proportions in which even our most prosperous cities — such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, Portland, and Seattle — witness thousands of people living in squalid tent encampments lining streets that provide scant shelter for people that many of us would rather ignore. It’s all such a mess, it is tempting to throw up one’s hands in despair. But understanding the causes of homelessness is …

Robert Marbut on America’s Homelessness Crisis, Strategies for Uplifting the Homeless, and Effective Government Policies

_{29
Tom Shakely
May 23, 2022}

Homelessness has reached crisis proportions. Few issues of human dignity are as heart wrenching as the wretched scenes in our most prosperous cities — San Francisco, Los Angeles, Portland, and Seattle — where one can drive down main thoroughfares and be confronted with tent encampments lining streets that provide scant shelter for thousands of destitute people. The crisis is as multifaceted as it is seemingly intractable. What is the role of mental illness in the crisis? What about drug addiction? Is the rising cost of housing part of the problem, and if so, what can be done about it? What protections does society owe these vulnerable people based simply on their humanity and what responsibilities, if any, do they owe to greater society? It’s all such a mess, it is tempting to …

[not] anything helps

Discovery Institute’s Center on Wealth & Poverty is leading a research project on homelessness, addiction, and mental illness. Our mission is to help city leaders, business owners, and neighborhood organizations meaningfully reduce homelessness and improve lives.

Resources

National Report

“Housing First” — and often only — has demonstrably failed. Congress and the Executive Branch need to focus more on untreated mental illness and substance abuse to reduce homelessness, drug overdoses, jail overcrowding, and misuse of emergency rooms. Herein we make policy recommendations to Congress to truly help rebuild human lives.

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Legal Guide

We have created a legal guide for cities to maintain compliance with the Martin v Boise decision. The guide outlines best practices for compliance and provides models for successful ordinances that balance enforcement, housing, and legal requirements. The guide is written by Joseph Tartakovsky, attorney for the City of Boise in the Martin v Boise case.

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Case Studies

We have created case studies of cities that have delivered cost-effective and rapid results on homelessness. We’ll show you how San Diego built an emergency shelter and moved 700 people off the streets, how Burien eliminated camping in public parks, and how Modesto reduced quality-of-life crimes associated with homelessness by 83 percent — all within 60 days.

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Our Mission

Resources

National Report

Legal Guide

Case Studies

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