UNTIL [HOUSING] JUSTICE…JUST IS
YWCA Greater Cleveland is proud to be a part of the Until Justice…Just Is campaign. Join us as we cover a different topic each month to explore some of the many areas in which true justice is needed, and what we can do to achieve equity in our community and our country until justice…just is.
This month, we believe that all people have a right to safe and secure housing. Our mission to eliminate racism and empower women is directly dependent upon ending homelessness. Keep reading to take a deeper dive into how we can work as a community to make this a reality until housing justice…just is. #UntilJusticeJustIs.
WE ADVOCATE FOR HOUSING SECURITY FOR YOUTH
The Problem
- It is estimated that 30% of people experiencing homelessness are youth under the age of 24.
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- On any given night, approximately 41,000 unaccompanied youth ages 13-25 experience homelessness.
- Factors that contribute to youth homelessness include:
- Family conflict.
- Family and/or personal financial insecurity.
- Racial disparities.
- Physical and mental health struggles.
- Adverse childhood experiences and traumas.
- Youth of color and LGBTQ+ youth experience homelessness disproportionately due to intersections of racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, and more.
- There is a direct correlation between involvement with the foster care system and youth homelessness.
- Nationally, up to 36% of youth who age out of the foster care system experience homelessness.
- There is a direct correlation between involvement with the juvenile detention system and youth homelessness.
- 50% of youth who have experienced homelessness also have experience with the juvenile detention system.
- The school-to-prison pipeline often forces youth (especially youth of color) into criminal justice experiences (See Until Educational Justice…Just Is).
The Solution
- Prioritize family reunification as a solution to youth homelessness, including post-reunification support.
- Center LGBTQ+ voices and voices of color to ensure the needs of those most likely to experience youth homelessness are not only met, but prioritized.
- Improve crisis response for addressing instances of youth homelessness to avoid unnecessary involvement with the juvenile detention system.
- Expand and improve youth housing programs to support the goals and future self-sufficiency of those they serve.
Where We Stand
YWCA Greater Cleveland believes that all youth have a right to safe and secure housing. Addressing the systemic issues that contribute to youth homelessness is integral to achieving our goal of eliminating racism and empowering women and girls.
We work to accomplish this goal by meeting immediate community need. Our 23-unit Independence Place apartments offer permanent, supportive housing for residents with a focus on increasing and maintaining self-sufficiency. Norma Herr Women’s Center offers low-barrier shelter to those experiencing homelessness. A Place 4 Me is a community initiative that works to prevent youth homelessness and create a safe support system for instances where homelessness is experienced.
WE ADVOCATE FOR HOUSING SECURITY FOR WOMEN
The Problem
- Historically, women make up the fastest growing population of people experiencing homelessness in the United States.
- Factors that contribute to women experiencing homelessness:
- Disproportionately affected by gender-based violence.
- Limited healthcare and access to family planning resources.
- Gender pay gap and hiring discrimination.
- More likely to function as primary caretakers of children.
- Limited access to affordable childcare contributes exponentially.
- Women of color and LGBTQ+ people (specifically, trans women of color) experience homelessness disproportionately due to intersections of racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, and more.
- Supportive services often exclude or fail to meet the needs of these populations, leaving them open to disproportionately vulnerable situations. These may include experiences with the criminal justice system, further financial insecurity, and more.
The Solution
- Immediate increased access to affordable housing to avoid experiences with homelessness before they can begin.
- Increased access to and funding for supportive services that meet the true needs of women experiencing homelessness.
- Trauma-informed care at the center of all supportive services with a focus on self-sufficiency.
- Centering the voices of women, especially women of color and LGBTQ+ people to make sure these populations are served with a specific focus.
Where We Stand
YWCA Greater Cleveland believes that all women have a right to safe and stable housing. Our goal to eliminate racism and empower women is directly dependent upon ending homelessness.
We work to accomplish this goal by meeting immediate community need. Norma Herr Women’s Center and Cogswell Hall provide low-barrier shelter with a focus on trauma-informed care. Independence Place consists of 23 apartments for youth who have aged out of foster care, pairing them with a case manager who works to promote full self-sufficiency.
WE ADVOCATE FOR HOUSING SECURITY FOR LGBTQ+ PEOPLE
The Problem
- LGBTQ+ people disproportionately experience homelessness compared to cis-gendered, heterosexual Americans.
- This disparity grows dramatically for LGBTQ+ people of color and for LGBTQ+ youth.
- LGBTQ+ people disproportionately experience violence, exploitation, and physical harm while experiencing homelessness.
- This often discourages this population from seeking supportive services and/or increases the possibility of experiences with the criminal justice system, both of which are directly linked to prolonged experiences with homelessness.
- Factors that contribute to LGBTQ+ people experiencing homelessness:
- Exclusion from proper mental and physical healthcare due to anti-LGBTQ+ practices.
- Family and/or community rejection based on identity.
- Exclusion from supportive services due to anti-LGBTQ+ practices.
- Negative experiences in educational systems due to homophobia and transphobia.
- Exclusion from financial stability due to anti-LGBTQ+ hiring practices.
The Solution
- Centering the voices of LGBTQ+ people, especially transgender and gender expansive people of color, in policy and practice changes to make sure their needs are met and centered.
- Expand and improve supportive services to ensure all LGBTQ+ people have access to services and shelter where they are welcomed, respected and supported.
- Improve crisis response for addressing instances of homelessness to avoid unnecessary involvement with the criminal justice system.
- Immediate access to affordable housing to avoid experiences with homelessness before they begin.
Where We Stand
YWCA Greater Cleveland believes that all LGBTQ+ people have a right to safe and stable housing. Our goal to eliminate racism and empower women is directly dependent on ending homelessness.
We work to accomplish this goal by addressing immediate community need. Our low-barrier shelters, Norma Herr Women’s Center and Cogswell Hall, and Independence Place apartments actively welcome LGBTQ+ people. Our programming and workplace trainings work to create an organization-wide culture of respect, inclusion, and support for those we serve.
WE ADVOCATE FOR HOUSING SECURITY FOR PEOPLE OF COLOR
The Problem
- Historical and current structural racism contributes to people of color experiencing homelessness at higher rates than white people.
- This is especially true for Black Americans who account for 39% of people experiencing homelessness, but only 13% of the general population.
- Some factors that contribute to people of color experiencing homelessness:
- Historical and current segregation, redlining, and housing discrimination create extreme barriers to securing stable housing.
- Disproportionate experiences with financial instability due to lifelong experiences with systemic racism.
- Racial pay gap and hiring discrimination pose extreme barriers to employment and financial security.
- Exclusion from quality mental and physical healthcare.
- Disproportionate experiences with the criminal justice system due to racist policies, practices, and systems.
The Solution
- Immediate access to affordable housing to avoid experiences with homelessness before they begin.
- Addressing and removing race-based barriers to securing housing.
- Centering the voices of people of color, especially LGBTQ+ people of color and Black people who are most likely to experience homelessness, to ensure their needs are met and specifically addressed.
- Expand funding and quality of supportive services to ensure the needs of people of color experiencing homelessness are met in a trauma-informed matter that focuses on self-sufficiency.
- Improve crisis response for addressing instances of homelessness to avoid unnecessary involvement with the criminal justice system.
Where We Stand
YWCA Greater Cleveland believes that all people have a right to safe and secure housing. Our mission to eliminate racism and empower women is directly dependent upon ending homelessness
To accomplish this goal, we continue to work to meet immediate community need. Our low-barrier shelters, Norma Herr Women’s Center and Cogswell Hall, and Independence Place apartments proudly serve any community member seeking shelter, with a focus on people of color. We serve our community with trauma-informed care with an emphasis on self-sufficiency.
Sources
Homelessness Among LGBTQ Adults in the US, UCLA Williams Institute School of Law
LGBTQ Homelessness, National Coalition for the Homeless
Our Issue, True Colors United
LGBTQ Youth Homelessness in America, Voices of Youth Count
Youth Homelessness Overview, National Conference of State Legislatures
Youth and Young Adults, National Alliance to End Homelessness
Youth Homelessness, National Network for Youth
Youth Homelessness, National Coalition for the Homeless
Homelessness Resources: Youth, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
How Homelessness Affects Women and How to Help, Department of Nursing
Unique Challenges of Women Facing Homelessness, Career and Recovery Resources
Recognizing and Responding to Women Experiencing Homelessness With Gendered and Trauma-Informed Care, BMC Public Health
Family Homelessness Facts, Green Doors
Homelessness and Racial Disparities, National Alliance to End Homelessness
Racial Inequalities in Homelessness, National Alliance to End Homelessness
Why People of Color are Hit Hardest By Homelessness, Pew Charitable Trust
People of Color and Homelessness
Systemic Racism Worsens Homelessness for People of Color, Unity Care
A Brief Timeline of Race and Homelessness in America, Community Solutions