April 07, 2022

New York City unveiled a new plan to provide temporary shelter and other services to people sheltering in the subway . It joins a growing list of transit agencies across the country that are finding ways to address homelessness through social services, beyond  the role of police and integrate social services. “You need to be able to move people into housing and better shelters,” said Jennifer Friedenbach, the executive director of the Coalition on Homelessness in San Francisco. “If that stuff does not exist, then you’re basically kind of managing the issue. And that’s what I think most of the transportation systems are left with.”

DC Mayor Bowser plans to launch a “strike force,” or a group that will recommend how to use $10 million in funds the mayor allocated for Black homeowners in her proposed fiscal 2023 budget. Bowser will appoint nonprofit leaders, community representatives, and housing experts in June, and they will have four months to finalize proposals. Their work will be supplemented by the Urban Institute and Howard University, which will evaluate the effectiveness of the city’s other housing programs.

Capital Impact Partners (CIP) aims to help community health centers remove barriers to health care for people with low incomes and those who are uninsured. It helps centers reimagine their role in communities through partnerships that deliver services beyond health care, from housing to workforce development. “We want to explore how through a combination of capacity and capital we can help communities both define desired health outcomes and support their development of the community infrastructure needed to achieve lasting outcomes,” said Candace Robinson, CIP’s director of healthy communities.

As the threat of climate change intensifies, more homeowners and builders are considering resilient designs that help homes withstand intense storms and extreme weather. The Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH) aims to help every homeowner have their “DREAM” home, which stands for “durable, resilient, energy-efficient, affordable and modern.” “It’s important to understand that the cost of a home is not just the selling price, it’s also the cost of not having a home if an emergency hits and your home needs to be repaired,” said Leslie Henderson, president and CEO of FLASH.