The Best Way To Stop Homelessness? Support Homeless & Eviction Prevention Programs

• The best way to stop homelessness?  Prevent it from happening in the first place.
• State & city efforts to prevent long-term homelessness have reduced homelessness nationwide by 1% over 2009-2011, but federal funding for these programs ended in September of 2012.
• Public based eviction prevention programs have been seriously stretched by the prolonged weak economic recovery.
• Most Cities have effective non-profit eviction prevention programs.
• Support Eva’s Village comprehensive anti-poverty & homelessness prevention programs by volunteering or donating.

Last January, 2012, the National Alliance to End Homelessness reported that the number of homeless  in America decreased by about 1% over the period of 2009 to 2011¹, a remarkable achievement given one of the  slowest economic recoveries on record — just after one of the worst recessions on record.  The NAEH credits the decrease to stepped up efforts² by the federal government to rapidly find affordable housing for the recently homeless.

Unfortunately, this national effort ended on September 30, 2012 at a time of increasing risk factors for homelessness. Specifically, over the same period, 2009 – 2011, the NAEH reports that because a greater share of Americans’ income now goes to paying the rent and mortgage,  there has been a 13% increase in families sharing housing.  Additionally the number of people living below the poverty rate has increased every year since 2009³.  While this data does not include 2012 trends, given even slower economic recovery this year compared to 2011 and 2010⁴, we can assume the risk factors have, at the very least, remained elevated this year.

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