Kenia Mazariegos - National Coalition for the Homeless

Being a member of something is like being a brick in a stone wall – a firm, solid, and supportive piece to the overall structure and integrity. At the National Coalition for the Homeless (NCH), we believe in the strength of unity. We understand the intimate and severely damaging effects homelessness can have on individuals and families struggling to provide basic needs for themselves, all while being marginalized, criticized, and discriminated against.

The lingering aftermath of the global pandemic continues to cast its shadow, with its relentless onslaught having unleashed a surge of homelessness that swept across our communities, stretching the limits of our resources to their breaking point. This strain has left our communities grappling with unprecedented challenges in addressing the escalating needs of the homeless. Every day, individuals experiencing homelessness confront a multitude of battles, where survival is both a blessing for having endured the day and a punishment as they anticipate the trials of the next.

Who is advocating on their behalf? You can! Join us in this fight to protect the lives of those society has cast aside and help us raise awareness of this ongoing issue. We can no longer ignore the cry for help pouring out of every corner of the Nation. It is our duty to protect the unprotected; house the unhoused, and remember those forgotten. We believe housing is a human right. No one should be forced to live outdoors and have to brave the harsh weather conditions, with no more than a blanket, a tent, or a brick wall to protect them. It is imperative that we, as people of the people, hold our elected officials accountable, and knowledgeable of the growing need for resources in their governing areas. We at NCH are dedicated to this mission and invite you to join us in supporting this vital cause.

We greatly value the voice that each of our members brings and all that they contribute. Our Membership allows everyone the opportunity to let their voice truly be heard on what needs to be done to really make effective and long-lasting change. Advocacy is never one person’s job alone. In order to make a mission a movement, there must be a strong wave of individuals and organizations pushing toward the same goal. We strongly believe that with your continued support, we can work together to make America a better country for all its inhabitants.

Written by: NCH Membership Coordinator, Tyler Richardson; Edited by Kenia Mazariegos

What is Bring America Home NOW (BAHN)? Spearheaded by the National Coalition for the Homeless, Bring America Home NOW (BAHN) is a Comprehensive Grassroots Campaign to End Homelessness in the United States. Led by people who have lived experiences with homelessness, BAHN focuses on the passage of federal legislation aimed at addressing the interconnected solutions to the decades-long epidemic of homelessness in the U.S.

What Is The Focus? BAHN has 6 major policy pillars that focus our movement’s fight to end homelessness. Each of these pillars have short term and long term policy focuses. As our movement progresses, BAHN will be updating and adding to our political focus areas as we push legislation on a national and local level.

Housing

Housing is a basic human right that should be available to all Americans.

Health
Health and homelessness are inextricably linked: a safe, stable home is the prerequisite of health and well-being. Adequate income is essential to maintain housing. To end homelessness, we must ensure livable wages and basic income for all Americans and link income to the local cost of housing.

Livable Income

Adequate income is essential to maintain housing. To end homelessness, we must ensure livable wages and basic income for all Americans and link income to the local cost of housing.

Education/Training

Education and training play a critical role for many children, youth, and adults towards equipping them with the knowledge and skills needed for economic stability.

Civil Rights

Homelessness is a civil rights issue. People experiencing homelessness are too often victims of hate crimes. Homelessness disproportionately impacts people of color and LGBTQ people, who face more discrimination and barriers to jobs and housing than their counterparts.

Racial Equity

Homelessness is inextricably linked to systemic racism. Racial equity must be prioritized in our work to end and prevent homelessness.

Our national partners are advocates from all around the country, sharing insight on state and citywide struggles that heavily influence our national political pillar focuses. As a movement, we incorporate local struggles into the national discussion as a comprehensive grassroots movement to end homelessness.

Call To Collaborative Action:

We are reaching out to the public and partners to join us in our campaign to end homelessness through a comprehensive, multifaceted push for increased public awareness and successful legislation. We especially seek involvement from organizations led by people who have themselves experienced homelessness. Sign On: https://p2a.co/v3r4bsh

What Is the BAHN Campaign Doing To Advance The Mission and Vision of Ending Homelessness?

In addition to our six policy focus, the Bring America Home NOW Campaign is advancing its campaign goals by employing direct action and public mobilization strategies that are deep rooted in the civil rights movement. Civil disobedience (peaceful) and impactful.

Bring America Home NOW: 2024-2025 Campaign Direct Actions Needing Your Involvement

Johnson V. Grants Pass (Supreme Court Of The United States Case)

What?: SCOTUS Case- Push the Supreme Court of the United States to uphold the right

When?: Apr 22, 2024

Where?: Nationwide (with focus in DC at the Supreme Court)

Why?: To push the Supreme Court of the United States to uphold the rights of people forced to live outdoors. “Communities are safer and stronger when everyone is housed.” Crimiali

Partners: National Homelessness Law Center and More

Links: https://johnsonvgrantspass.com/ .

Take Off The Boards Campaign

What?: Take Off The Boards

When?: May 1, 2024(Michael Stoops Day of Action) tentatively

Where?: Nationwide- At least 50 communities across the nation in blue and red states hold local actions.

Why?: Get people housed by identifying and using existing vacant buildings.

Partners: Homeless Union, Homeless Army/PPEHRC

Links: Take Over: The Documentary In-Depth Action Planning Document

National Sleep-Out Campaign

What?: National Sleep-Out

When?: Week of July 28, 2024

Where?: Nationwide- At least 50 communities across the nation in blue and red states will hold local actions (Mayor office, city hall, state parks…)

Why?: Independence from unsheltered homelessness. We must use all McKinney-Vento Funds for people experiencing homelessness now. Move PSH renewals to mainstream Section 8/voucher programs

Partners: BAHN Partners and NCH Members

Links:https://www.bringamericahomenow.org/

National Homeless Army March On Conventions

What?: March On RNC and DNC Conventions

When?: RNC Rally July 15, 2024 and DNC Rally August 19, 2024

Where?: Milwaukee, WI and Chicago, IL

Why?: Rallies at Democratic and Republican National Conventions, March between Milwaukee and Chicago to put a spotlight on homelessness crisis in America.

Partners: Poor People’s Army

Links:https://www.poorpeoplesarmymarch.com/

Election Prep-Scorecard & Get Out The Vote

What?: Ongoing actions related to 2024 Election

When?: September 2024, Week of September 23, 2024, November 5, 2024

Where?: Nationwide

Why?: Ensure true representation of the community of people who are marginalized by poverty, race, or homelessness. Publish a scorecard on elected officials actions around ending homelessness. Hold registration events, assist voters in casting their votes on or before election day.

Partners: BAHN Partners and NCH Members

Links:https://www.bringamericahomenow.org/

National Homelessness Leadership Conference

What?: Leadership Conference

When?: November 2024, Week between elections and Hunger & Homelessness Memorial Week

Where?: Northern CA, likely San Jose area

Why?: Opportunity to hear from people with lived experience and those experiencing homelessness.Bringing the movement together. We held a conference in DC and now we want to hold an event that will be more accessible to advocates nearer to the West coast.

Partners: Destination Home

Links:Destination Home’s Website

National Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week

What?: Fundraising Gatherings

When?: November 16-24, 2024

Where?: Nationwide

Why?: Inform community members,advocates and providers about BAHN and that BAHN provides a framework to prevent and end homelessness.

Partners: BAHN Partners and NCH Members

Links:Hunger & Homelessness Week Website

National Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day

What?: Annual Memorial event

When?: December 21, 2024

Where?: Nationwide (Virtually)

Why?: To remember people who lost their lives because of homelessness and to put the spotlight on the urgent need to address the broken system that leads to homelessness and death.

Partners: National Healthcare for the Homeless Council

Links:NCH Memorial Day Webpage 2020 Video of Names

National March In DC

What?: Mass Demonstration to Bring America Home NOW

When?: May 2025

Where?: Washington, DC

Why?: Create impact within the first 100 days of the new administration and Congress by demanding an end to Homelessness. Ensure equity in housing resources for people with limited incomes as homeowners.

Partners: Homeless Union, Poor People’s Army, BAHN Partners and NCH Members

Links:https://www.bringamericahomenow.org/

Join us in the transformative movement of Bring America Home NOW!

This grassroots campaign is fueled by the belief that together, we can enact real change. By becoming a partner in this vital endeavor, you’ll be joining forces with a community dedicated to making a meaningful difference. Sign up today and stand with us in our mission to Bring America Home NOW. Together, we possess the power to create a brighter future for all. Sign On: https://p2a.co/v3r4bsh

I am entering my third year in my second tenure as Executive Director of the National Coalition for the Homeless, and I have great optimism.

My optimism is driven by the reality that the rest of the advocacy world and the federal agencies have finally caught up with NCH’s philosophy of involving people with lived experience at all levels. We have witnessed a transformation at all levels to an imperfect inclusiveness that holds great potential for a more efficient and effective service delivery system.

I am also profoundly moved by the advocacy in local communities to push back against a well-organized and well-funded group of lobbyists traveling the country spreading harmful misinformation using hedge fund dollars. The Cicero Institute is circulating model legislation to force people experiencing homelessness into jails and institutions. Study after study and voluminous research has disproved the theory that incarceration or forced institutionalization has any benefit for people experiencing homelessness. In fact, research on homelessness indicates that incarceration has multiple negative impacts.

Conversely, and as we experience a cold snap across the country, I am confronted with the harsh realities that people experiencing homelessness face daily. The headlines are nearly surreal.

The headlines in my news feed tell of a serial killer targeting people forced to live outdoors due to unregulated housing increases in Los Angeles. I have visited Skid Row multiple times, leaving with sadness and urgency.

In the same news feed, a community in Phoenix applauds the raiding of an encampment of 800 people. All 800 had been removed from the community’s safety to only God knows where. In my experience, only a handful are housed at the end of the day, and most are pushed to parts unknown.

People should be able to live in safe, stable housing, not parks, cars, or abandoned buildings.

For decades, we have waited for the market to fix our severe lack of affordable housing to no avail. We have begged, pleaded, and educated elected officials to exhaustion. Our mission to end homelessness can sometimes appear intractable.

But homelessness in the United States is not inevitable, or intractable, or hopeless. I fundamentally believe that for a full restoration of justice for marginalized people, we must demand it.

I believe the time is right for Direct Action. The homeless advocacy movement has been silent since the creation of McKinney Vento. People experiencing homelessness have relinquished leadership to providers, many of whom have compassion and good intentions but are beholden to funders, like HUD. People with lived experience have been exploited, tokenized, and devoid of any genuine voice in their own lives.

We must organize a force led by people with lived experience that demands housing justice, economic justice, and civil and racial justice.

We often hear nothing for us without us. This is a clever statement but hollow without a demand for this direction. We demand to be creators and not evaluators, and our expertise will be compensated.

This kind of organizing is not new. It has changed the course of history multiple times in multiple places worldwide, from American chattel Slavery to the abolishment of apartheid in South Africa. The intractable has been possible and then invisible.

I hope in reading this; you are overwhelmed with the fierce urgency of now that not one more person must die in the isolation of the sea of despair called homelessness. I know that many have moved on, not willing to relive the trauma of homelessness. However, we need your voice, your story, your triumph.

We need people to understand that your situation was not your destiny and that even though life dealt you a bad hand, you were satisfied. We need you to join the Bring America Home Now Campaign. We cannot afford to wait; people are dying everywhere in the richest countries in the world.

Authored by Donald Whitehead, Executive Director of NCH (National Coalition for the Homeless).

The Bring America Home NOW campaign, spearheaded by the National Coalition for the Homelessn is excited to announce this forward thinking and youth inclusive partnership with Junior State of America (JSA) as they join to co- spearhead the Youths for Bring America Home NOW campaign.

Junior State of America’s unwavering commitment to ensure active participation in democracy and learning through various activism experiences perfectly aligns with NCH and BAHN’s unwavering dedication and commitment to ensuring that youth are on the decision making table not merely as participants; but as equal partners and contributors in our Housing movement and democracy.

In alignment with JSA’s commitment to students “ setting the tone”, the National Coalition for the Homelessness and the Bring America Home NOW campaign believe that there is no group more powerful than organized and motivated youths standing up for a cause that is greater than one individual and that requires all of us in unity and collaborative spirit.

This partnership enables both the National Coalition for the Homeless through the Bring America Home NOW campaign and Junior State of America to continue providing opportunities for students and youths to collaborate , volunteer, be activist, and “ gain valuable citizenship skills and experience by organizing events, participating in and moderating thought talks and debates, activism initiatives…, ” and running campaigns actions at local, region, state, and national levels while elevating women’s leadership.

Junior State of America’s compelling curriculum centered on civic responsibility, media literacy, and women’s leadership, combined with the national platform provided by the Bring America Home NOW campaign is critical to ensure intergenerational working and leadership.

As I often say, there is no real social or policy change without organized public pressure; especially young people who are the strongest force for any social justice and structural change movement.

Francis Kalombo Ngoy

National Director- Bring America Home NOW Campaign

National Coalition for the Homeless

Every night, in the United States, nearly 600,000 people live on the street. National Coalition for the Homeless considers this a severe humanitarian crisis, as people experiencing homelessness often endure unimaginable hardships, facing hunger, exposure to harsh weather conditions, violence, and health risks. Treating the issue as an emergency is not only ethically right, but also strategically beneficial: By acting decisively and promptly, communities can make substantial progress toward ending homelessness and building a more just and compassionate society.

An encouraging project headed in the right direction has been taking shape in downtown Las Vegas and is contributing positively to a state grappling with homelessness challenges. National Low Income Housing Coalition has reported that Nevada faces the most severe affordable housing shortage in the nation. With a deficit of 84,000 units for its low-income and homeless populations, this state is notably affected by the lack of accessible housing options.

For ten years, filmmaker and real estate investor Valerio Zanoli has served the underprivileged community of Southern Nevada through his project Helping Vegas and the unwavering assistance of the several non-profits he collaborates with. He has successfully provided housing for more than 700 families and, beginning in 2021, he undertook the bold venture of revitalizing and expanding two rooming houses that will soon offer safe and stable accommodation to up to 25 low-income individuals and families every night (www.roominghouses.info).

Christine Hess, Executive Director of Nevada Housing Coalition, expressed her support for the role of rooming houses to serve the most vulnerable:

A rooming house is a dwelling with multiple bedrooms rented out individually, with shared bathrooms and kitchens. They are an important part of the affordable housing patchwork and often serve as the home before an individual must face homelessness, and they may also be the first step back to stability. The renovation and expansion of these two rooming houses is one example of an alternative solution that can impact multiple lives for years to come in Las Vegas.

For many years, Zanoli has used the two rooming houses to help the underserved population of Las Vegas: All the guests were ex-homeless people who were part of programs at various charities, and most of them were senior citizens, veterans, and minorities. The residents could enjoy the privacy of their bedrooms while fostering a sense of community and being reintegrated into society. They had the chance to have a place to call “home” and, above all, to have what is necessary to change their life and get back on their feet.

After being vacated in 2021, the two buildings underwent major renovations, and now have new electrical wiring and panels, AC and heating units, plumbing and sewer systems, floors, windows, doors, bathrooms, kitchens, stairs, drywall, stucco, paint, etc.

The Salvation Army was one of the organizations that could rely on the two rooming houses for its clients:

Before being vacated, the two rooming houses at 517 and 523 North 1st Street in Las Vegas, NV were often used as our last resort, as they housed people no one else wanted, no matter their past evictions and criminal history. It was laudable that people were moved in without any credit checks or applications fees, especially considering that some of our clients are particularly vulnerable and needy. The two rooming houses ensured that our veterans were not left behind. This one-of-a-king affordable housing project is an invaluable tool that will allow a great number of extremely low-income individuals and families to be rescued from homelessness.

U.S. Vets was another organization that used the two buildings to house dozens of veterans in need:

The 2 rooming houses have been of paramount importance to our underserved community in Southern Nevada. U.S. Vets has been housing veterans in these 2 rooming houses since 2015, until they were recently vacated. The 2 buildings used to be home to 18 families at the time, and they will house up to 25 families per night after their planned expansion. It should be emphasized that the 2 rooming houses were our last – if not only – resort to house those veterans no other landlord wanted to help, because of previous evictions or criminal records.

Zanoli and his team have been determined to complete the renovations as soon as possible and, thanks to their tenaciousness, they will soon re-open both buildings and make them available for Clark County Social Service to utilize them for those people who need them the most.

Tim Burch, former Director of the Social Service Department, recognized the importance of this undertaking:

The recent surge in rents and the lack of options for low-income families are making it extremely difficult, if not impossible, to survive. Clark County Social Service welcomes qualified partners who are willing to house our most needy members of society. CCSS is eager to move people into these 2 rooming houses as soon as renovations are completed.

In addition, the project is supported by Michele Fuller-Hallauer, Manager of the Social Service Department; Teresa Etcheberry and Randy Reinoso, Deputy Directors of the Social Service Department; and Kevin Schiller, Manager of Clark County. The latter recently took part in Zanoli’s upcoming documentary HOMELESS, which follows the stories of five people living on the street and features interviews with prominent housing advocates, including Donald Whitehead Jr., Executive Director of National Coalition for the Homeless. In the film, Schiller emphasizes the urgency of the situation and invites everyone to be part of the solution:

Every one of us is impacted by financial loss or knows somebody that is struggling in our community. What we are really trying to do is address the needs of people at their level, so they have a level of decency: They wake up in their own bed, they have four walls, and they are able to call a home a “home.” There is still a long road ahead of us, and we need to walk it together.

While most entrepreneurs measure performance in profit and return on investment, Zanoli took a different approach and has been running a successful business in the unique field of social entrepreneurship, which generates a positive “return to society.” He is committed to making a difference through the buildings he renovates and uses to provide housing to the underserved populations in Las Vegas, and through the movies he produces and directs to raise awareness and funds for important causes: living with Alzheimer’s disease, bullying, childhood illnesses, and homelessness.

Catrina Grigsby-Thedford, Executive Director of Nevada Homeless Alliance praised Valerio Zanoli and his mission:

Valerio has helped an incredible number of veterans get back on their feet. He has always shown uncommon compassion and has never turned down a veteran in need. These veterans are people who bravely served our country, and it is extraordinary that Valerio offers them the chance and hope everyone should have. Having an ally like Valerio on our side is a precious resource and an inspiration. We share a deep desire to change the world around us and impact the future to end homelessness.

Zanoli knows the importance of establishing connections as a key factor in a project of this magnitude. By bringing together service organization from the Las Vegas community, he has truly created a support system for the men and women he houses. He modestly brushes off the success of the renovations of the two rooming houses as “being lucky to have passionate supporters,” and he recognizes that it was made possible by the gracious support of:

Las Vegas Host Lions Club and Lions Clubs International

The Las Vegas Host Lions Club, of which Zanoli is an esteemed member, is part of Lions Clubs International. Moved to action by the motto “We Serve,” the Lions are the world’s largest service club organization with more than 1.4 million members in approximately 48,000 clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical areas around the globe. At the beginning of every meeting, all Lions make a toast: “Not above you. Not below you. But with you.” The name Lions was chosen because of the symbolism of what a lion represents: courage, strength, activity, and fidelity. The Las Vegas Host Lions Club has at its core a mission statement that is compelling and important: to empower volunteers to serve their communities and meet humanitarian needs.

The Home Depot Foundation

The Home Depot Foundation donated some building material. Furthermore, Team Depot will soon work to transform the housing facilities through interior and exterior painting, hardware installation, and kitchen and bathroom upgrades. Giving back to veterans is personal to The Home Depot as more than 35,000 of the company’s associates are veterans or military spouses. Since 2011, The Home Depot Foundation has invested more than $475 million in veteran causes and improved more than 55,000 veteran homes and facilities, ensuring more of our nation’s heroes have a safe, comfortable place to call home that fits their individual needs.

Renewal by Andersen

Renewal by Andersen donated and installed new windows. The company is the start-to-finish window replacement division of Andersen Corporation, winner of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s 2019 ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year – Sustained Excellence Award. Renewal by Andersen offers a replacement process that includes an in-home consultation, custom manufacturing, and installation through one of the largest nationwide networks of window replacement specialists.

Harvison House

Harvison House donated furniture for the project. This non-profit organization serves military veterans and families by providing home furnishings and medical equipment they would be unable to acquire otherwise. Harvison House reaches into the community for gently used or repairable furniture and equipment, cleans and repairs them, and delivers them to veterans’ homes.

Every one of us is impacted by financial loss or knows somebody that is struggling in our community. What we are really trying to do is address the needs of people at their level, so they have a level of decency: They wake up in their own bed, they have four walls, and they are able to call a home a “home.” There is still a long road ahead of us, and we need to walk it together.

The renovation of these rooming houses is a great example of how businesses no longer need to be focused exclusively on making money. This project should be used as inspiration for others to include social responsibility in what defines them as successful and allow themselves to be guided by how their operations benefit solutions to social, cultural, and environmental issues.

National Coalition for the Homeless believes that, as a society, we have a collective responsibility to care for our most vulnerable members and ensure they have access to stable housing and the support they need to thrive. Every individual has the right to adequate housing and a standard of living that ensures their health and well-being.

You can find additional resources and help us eradicate homelessness by visiting the website https://nationalhomeless.org/homelessness-in-the-us/

Washington, DC— In an urgent effort to tackle the escalating issue of homelessness and promote affordable housing, Rep. Maxine Waters unveiled a comprehensive package of three bills on Wednesday. The proposed legislation aims to bridge the racial wealth gap while providing critical support to individuals and families struggling to secure stable housing.

The National Coalition for the Homeless (NCH) fully supports Rep. Waters and her comprehensive package of three bills to combat homelessness and expand affordable housing across the nation.

“We are so grateful to Congresswoman Waters for her unwavering commitment to ending homelessness in America,” says Donald Whitehead, the Executive Director of NCH.

In 2021, NCH’s Bring America Home Now (BAHN) campaign, in conjunction with Daily Kos, launched a petition to support the Ending Homeless Act of 2021-2022. This critical legislation seeks to implement effective strategies to combat homelessness and provide support to those in need. The petition has resonated with concerned individuals across the country, gathering an impressive 32,003 supporters to date. This groundswell of support highlights the pressing need for action and underscores the shared determination to address homelessness as a national priority.

Whitehead expresses his complete endorsement of the bill and recognizes the crucial recognition of the pressing requirement for housing development in our nation. He believes that the Ending Homelessness Bill represents a significant stride toward establishing “Housing as a Human Right.”

At the heart of the proposed legislation is a request for $100 billion in direct assistance to first-time home buyers. This significant investment would empower individuals and families to access affordable housing options and take their first steps toward building wealth. Additionally, the package calls for more than $150 billion to be allocated to fair and affordable housing investments. This infusion of funds would support crucial initiatives such as repairs and improvements to existing public housing, tenant-based rental assistance, and project-based rental assistance contracts to aid low-income renters.

NCH commends Representative Waters for her unwavering commitment to tackling homelessness head-on and providing viable solutions for those in need.

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NCH is a network of individuals and organizations united by a commitment to end homelessness. The organization has helped draft federal, state, and local legislation, like the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act of 1987. NCH has long advocated for addressing the root causes of homelessness, including the lack of affordable housing, through policy advocacy (supporting efforts like the Bringing America Home Act), grassroots organizing (building a national movement led by unsheltered individuals), and public education (dispelling negative stereotypes and preserving civil rights of people experiencing homelessness).

To learn more about the campaign, visit the website at nationalhomeless.org/bring-amerca-home-now

Washington, DC– The National Coalition for the Homeless (NCH) is proud to continue the Local Power Tour, a nationwide campaign aimed at shifting the national narrative on homelessness in America to further embrace a “human right to housing” approach. NCH advocates toured the West Coast earlier this year, with stops in Los Angeles, Sacramento, Portland and Seattle.

“Never before have we seen so many of our neighbors forced to live outdoors without housing, or the level of criminalization of daily survival activities,” says Donald Whitehead, Jr., Executive Director of NCH. “The Local Power Tour is a groundbreaking campaign that will bring attention to the plight of the homeless and empower communities to demand change.”

As part of its efforts to end homelessness, NCH organizers are visiting advocates and people experiencing homelessness in Miami, Florida, this week. NCH is partnering with the Miami Coalition to Advance Racial Equity to bring attention to the criminalization of people forced into homelessness and all that the Miami community is doing to address ongoing lack of affordable housing. “Homelessness is a result of the government failing the people,” states David Peery (MCARE Founder).

“This tour is born of the belief that any lasting national change must be rooted in local action and led by those with lived experience,” states Ramina Davidson, Director of Community Organizing for NCH. “Specifically, we are working with local partners to build a national movement to end homelessness by demanding change from elected officials, encouraging compassionate, solution-oriented discussions, and denouncing the criminalization of people experiencing homelessness.”

NCH invites everyone to join the movement and be part of the solution. To learn more about the campaign, visit the NCH website at nationalhomeless.org/local-power-tour.

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Click Here to download the press release.

Press Contact:

Donald Whitehead, Executive Director of NCH | Dwhitehead@nationalhomeless.org

Date: May 8, 2023

The National Coalition for the Homeless denounces the violence perpetrated against Jordan Neely. In death, Mr. Neely has brought to our collective consciousness acknowledgment of how broken our economy is, and how damaging criminalization of poverty and homelessness can be.

After shouting that he was hungry and thirsty, Jordan Neely, a young unhoused man, was restrained by a U.S. Marine on a Manhattan subway train. He died of compression of the neck during the altercation. Neely, who was a Michael Jackson impersonator, suffered from mental illness following the death of his mother according to news outlets. Neely did not deserve such a brutal death.

Mr. Neely’s story highlights the failures of our systems to respond to, and provide for, basic human needs. From foster care to health care and housing, system after system failed to provide the support Neely needed.

For those who have not been forced into homelessness, you would be amazed at how quickly you lose your humanity. It can be incredibly hard to find compassion from the places you would most expect it – family and friends or social services and government agencies that are supposed to help.

Taking this a step further, NY City officials, and communities across the country respond to the need for housing with disdain, and often law enforcement.

“The killing of Jordan Neely is the direct result of the dehumanization of people experiencing homelessness and mental health issues,” states Donald Whitehead, Executive Director of the National Coalition. “Criminalization policies that turn the general public into street level judges, jury, and executioner have tragic consequences.”

“Jordan Neely’s heart should still be beating. Systemic oppression and the humanitarian crisis of poverty and homelessness continues to unjustly unleash trauma and violence, taking precious lives each day. As we mourn the loss of Jordan Neely, let us commit and recommit ourselves ourselves to dismantling racism, classism, ableism, sexism, heterosexism, and other deeply embedded isms. We must awaken empathy, organize, mobilize, and genuinely advance housing justice, racial justice, and intersectional equity,” urges Dr. Shankar-Brown.

Black Lives Matter. None of us are home until all of us are home.

Click Here to download the press release.

Press Contact:

Donald Whitehead, Executive Director of NCH | Dwhitehead@nationalhomeless.org

A nationwide effort to amplify the voices of grassroots organizations working to end homelessness.

Date: March 30th, 2023

Washington, DC– The National Coalition for the Homeless (NCH) is proud to announce the launch of the Local Power Tour, a six month nationwide campaign aimed at ending the criminalization of homelessness. The tour seeks to hold elected officials accountable for policies that punish individuals experiencing homelessness and empower advocates and activists working at the local level to affect change.

As part of its efforts to end homelessness, NCH will visit cities where homelessness is a critical issue, as well as cities where communities are already taking steps to address the crisis. By building momentum for a nationwide movement to end homelessness and demanding change from elected officials who create laws that criminalize the homeless, NCH hopes to bring about meaningful change.

“This tour is born of the belief that any lasting national change must be rooted in local action and led by those with lived experience,” states Ramina Davidson, Director of Community Organizing for NCH. Specifically, NCH will be working to encourage compassionate, solution-oriented discussions in local communities that run counter to efforts like encampment raids or ordinances that criminalize people for living without housing.

NCH invites everyone to join the movement and be part of the solution. To learn more about the campaign, visit the NCH website at nationalhomeless.org/local-power-tour.

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Click Here to download the press release.

Press Contact:

Donald Whitehead, Executive Director of NCH | Dwhitehead@nationalhomeless.org