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Housing Is Working Group 2023-2024 Calendar

Join the Housing Is Working Group to discuss special topics related to cross-sector initiatives and programmatic considerations particularly focused on the intersections of housing, health, and education.

This year’s public webinars cover topics such as the mobility asthma project, trauma-informed approaches to housing, resident-focused racial equity work, out-of-school time, and how FCC grantees are supprting voucher holders.

View Calendar
 

Elements of a Successful Partnership

With generous support from the MacArthur Foundation, CLPHA developed an in-depth report on regional housing-education collaborations taking place at housing authorities across the Pacific-Northwest.

Read the Multimedia Report
 
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Publication
Community:
Jan 18, 2024
Marjorie Sims, Sarah Haight January 2024 Focused on the 23,306 young parents (ages 18 to 24) and their families in New Mexico, this report provides a framework for organizations in New Mexico to collaborate more effectively and offers a plan of action to assess these efforts and strengthen impact for families. This publication aims to deepen understanding about the demographics, aspirations, and needs of young parents; highlights practices and policies aligned with a two-generation (2Gen) approach; showcases opportunities to streamline this work by forging connections between organizations and state systems; and offers recommendations across sectors and at all levels. Suggested Reference: Suggested Reference: Sims, M. & Haight, S. (2024). Meeting Young Parents Where They Dream: A Collaborative Framework for a 2Gen Approach in New Mexico. Washington, DC.

Authored by: Marjorie Sims, Sarah Haight
Topics: Child welfare, Dual-generation, dual-generation initiative, Early childhood, Family engagement, Healthy homes, Housing
Shared by Molli Caite Hughes on Jan 18, 2024

Meeting Young Parents Where They Dream: A Collaborative Framework for a 2Gen Approach in New Mexico

Publication
Jan 18, 2024
Marjorie Sims, Sarah Haight
Marjorie Sims, Sarah Haight January 2024 Focused on the 23,306 young parents (ages 18 to 24) and their families in New Mexico, this report provides a framework for organizations in New Mexico to collaborate more effectively and offers a plan of action to assess these efforts and strengthen impact
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Publication
Community:
Mar 2, 2023
Many students and families arrive in the U.S. from other countries without safe, stable housing, and experience homelessness and high mobility that can last for months. At SchoolHouse Connection, we recognize the crucial role that schools can play in providing stability and support to mitigate the disruption and trauma caused by homelessness. This page is dedicated to providing educators, policymakers, and advocates with valuable resources on how to best support these families and youth, and help ensure that all students have the opportunity to succeed in school and beyond.

Authored by: School House Connection
Topics: Early childhood, Education, Grade-level proficiency, Homelessness, Housing, Immigrants, Legislation & Policy, School-readiness, Youth
Shared by Sandra Ware on Mar 14, 2023
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Report
Community:
Mar 1, 2023
We are delighted to share a new research report in partnership with Child Trends: Data on Families with Low Incomes Across America Can Inform Two-Generation Approaches. In this new analysis, research experts Elizabeth Wildsmith and Marta Alvira-Hammond paint a detailed picture of how families in households with low incomes in the United States have changed since 2011. The report highlights 10 key findings from their analyses of family economic and social conditions related to financial security and mobility, family structure and living arrangements, education and employment, parental health, and community health indicators (for example, rates of child poverty, violent crime, child care costs). A deeper understanding of families with low-incomes will inform our collective work and strengthen how our 2Gen policy and practice recommendations can prioritize health, education, employment, and economic assets to ensure families have access to the resources they need to build intergenerational prosperity and well-being.

Authored by: Elizabeth Wildsmith and Marta Alvira-Hammond for Child Trends in partnership with Ascend at the Aspen Institute
Topics: dual-generation initiative, Early childhood, Education, Health, Housing, Legislation & Policy, Low-income, Racial inequalities
Shared by Sandra Ware on Mar 2, 2023

Data on Families With Low Incomes Across America Can Inform Two-Generation Approaches

Report
Mar 1, 2023
Elizabeth Wildsmith and Marta Alvira-Hammond for Child Trends in partnership with Ascend at the Aspen Institute
We are delighted to share a new research report in partnership with Child Trends: Data on Families with Low Incomes Across America Can Inform Two-Generation Approaches.
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Report
Community:
Mar 1, 2023
At this time of year, pull up to a busy intersection or pass by some popular public gathering place in and around Durham, and there’s a good chance you might find a sign advertising “PreK for All.” January kicks off Durham PreK’s annual recruitment campaign for the approaching school year, and if you have a rising preschooler in your life, you may be wondering what it means to offer pre-k for all. The resulting report, “Toward Equity in Durham PreK: Addressing the Accessibility of Wraparound Care as a Barrier to Universal PreK in Durham,” details the findings, identifies key program participation challenges tied to wraparound care access and availability, and offers conclusions and recommendations for addressing these challenges now and in the future.

Authored by: Child Care Services Association (CCSA)
Topics: COVID-19, Early childhood, Education, Funding, Housing, Legislation & Policy, Low-income, Racial inequalities
Shared by Sandra Ware on Mar 2, 2023

Toward Equity in Durham PreK: Addressing the Accessibility of Wraparound Care as a Barrier to Universal PreK in Durham,

Report
Mar 1, 2023
Child Care Services Association (CCSA)
At this time of year, pull up to a busy intersection or pass by some popular public gathering place in and around Durham, and there’s a good chance you might find a sign advertising “PreK for All.” January kicks off Durham PreK’s annual recruitment campaign for the approaching school year, and if yo
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Report
Community:
Jun 27, 2022
We have an abundance of talent that is ready to reimagine early childhood and well-being in America for our youngest children and families, but we do not have an abundance of leadership experiences that nurture, propel, and position them as the dynamic leaders our country urgently needs. Leadership that reflects the full diversity and genius of our communities, sectors, identities, and lived experiences matters now more than ever. In Toward A More Equitable Tomorrow: A Landscape Analysis of Early Childhood Leadership, we uncover the essentials for future leadership investments that value and center equity—especially racial equity and inclusion—to surface new possibilities and equitable prosperity moving forward. Insights from stakeholders including state and federal cabinet directors, service providers, funders, and parents offer powerful perspectives to guide the future early childhood field, and guide those who seek to accelerate families’ well-being, educational success, and economic mobility. Ascend at the Aspen Institute is embracing this moment as a renewal, and also as a redoubling of our commitment to remake our systems and our society. This means centering children and families with a focus not simply on eliminating persistent inequities such as poverty, polarization, and racism, but on ensuring pathways to prosperity and well-being. With support from the Buffett Early Childhood Fund, David and Lucile Packard Foundation, and the Bezos Family Foundation, Ascend undertook a robust landscape analysis of the early childhood field. More than 80 leaders—from research, practice, policy, philanthropy, and families with young children—shared their insights for this report. It was augmented by a review of 20 mission-aligned leadership efforts. Our inquiry was grounded in an intentional focus on racial, economic, and gender equity; respect for the advances made; commitment to innovation; and an open mind to new approaches, possibilities, and power.

Authored by: Ascend at the Aspen Institute
Topics: Advocacy, Asset building, Child welfare, CLPHA, Early childhood, Housing, Legislation & Policy, Racial inequalities, Research, Supportive housing, Sustainability, Youth
Shared by Karina George on Jun 27, 2022

Toward a More Equitable Tomorrow: A Landscape Analysis of Early Childhood Leadership

Report
Jun 27, 2022
Ascend at the Aspen Institute
We have an abundance of talent that is ready to reimagine early childhood and well-being in America for our youngest children and families, but we do not have an abundance of leadership experiences that nurture, propel, and position them as the dynamic leaders our country urgently needs.
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Video
Community:
Jun 17, 2022
This panel discussion will examine the results of efforts to significantly expand the reach of HUD’s Family Self-Sufficiency Program through partnerships between the nonprofit Compass Working Capital and the Boston and Cambridge Housing Authorities. Panelists will discuss their program model and its evaluation, how they have scaled up FSS, what results they have experienced to date, and where they plan to go from here. An FSS program participant will participate in the panel and share their perspective on how the program has benefitted them.

Authored by:
Topics: Advocacy, Asset building, CLPHA, Early childhood, Education, Housing, Legislation & Policy, Research, Supportive housing
Shared by Karina George on Jun 17, 2022

CLPHA Housing Is Summit 2022: Taking FSS to Scale - Lessons from Compass' Partnerships in Boston and Cambridge

Video
Jun 17, 2022
This panel discussion will examine the results of efforts to significantly expand the reach of HUD’s Family Self-Sufficiency Program through partnerships between the nonprofit Compass Working Capital and the Boston and Cambridge Housing Authorities.
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Video
Community:
Jun 17, 2022
Public and affordable housing agencies and organizations have the potential to serve as a crucial foundation for promoting early school success for economically challenged, fragile and otherwise marginalized children and families through a 24/7/365 multigenerational system of support and an ability to meet families 'where they are.' During this engaging session, Housing Is and our long-time partner The Campaign for Grade-Level Reading will elevate the critical importance of these housing-education partnerships, with special attention to the way in which such collaborations begin. This plenary will explore initial partnership development work taking place in Kansas City, MO, one of the 20 finalist communities recently announced for the 2022 All-America City Awards. The theme of this year's award is "Housing as a Platform to Promote Early School Success and Equitable Learning Recovery." Attendees have the unique opportunity to hear from a partnership in its earlier stages of development and learn alongside the speakers how critical cross-sector work can be launched.

Authored by:
Topics: Advocacy, CLPHA, Early childhood, Education, Healthy homes, Housing, Low-income, Supportive housing, Sustainability
Shared by Karina George on Jun 17, 2022

CLPHA Housing Is Summit 2022: Housing as a Platform to Support Early Learning

Video
Jun 17, 2022
Public and affordable housing agencies and organizations have the potential to serve as a crucial foundation for promoting early school success for economically challenged, fragile and otherwise marginalized children and families through a 24/7/365 multigenerational system of support and an ability
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Publication
Community:
Jun 17, 2021

Authored by: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Choice Neighborhoods
Topics: Attendance, COVID-19, Early childhood, Education, Family engagement, Housing, Low-income, Out-of-school time, Youth
Shared by Kirsten Greenwell on Jun 17, 2021
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Policy Brief
Community:
Dec 4, 2019
In California, more than 3.7 million students were eligible for free or reduced priced school meals in the 2017-2018 school year. For many of those students, school meals are the primary source of regular access to healthy food. When the bell rings at 3:00 or lets out for summer break, many of those students go home to nutritional uncertainty or high-calorie, low-nutrient foods. For many low-income families, the out-of-school-time food access gap increases family stress: limited budgets are stretched further to cover food, rent, utilities, transportation, medications, and chidcare costs. For very young children, food insecurity can negatively impact brain and physical development. For children of all ages, disrupted access to healthy food can impact behavior, increase risk of obesity, make it harder to concentrate, or exacerbate existing healthy conditions like type 2 diabetes. The impact is not limited to summer, and can lead to a rocky start to the school year, negatively impacting school attendance and students’ ability to effectively participate in school. Read the full brief to learn how public and affordable housing communities can address food insecurity for children and youth with the help of out-of-school-time USDA child nutrition programs.

Authored by:
Topics: Advocacy, Early childhood, Food insecurity, Health, Healthy homes, Housing, Legislation & Policy, Low-income, Nutrition, Out-of-school time, West Coast, Youth
Shared by Linda Lu on Dec 4, 2019

Keeping Kids Healthy and Engaged When School is Out Through Public and Affordable Housing Communities

Policy Brief
Dec 4, 2019
In California, more than 3.7 million students were eligible for free or reduced priced school meals in the 2017-2018 school year. For many of those students, school meals are the primary source of regular access to healthy food.
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Report
Community:
Nov 7, 2019
How Housing Programs Can Support the Educational Needs of Children Living in Publicly Supported Homes

Authored by: Public and Affordable Housing Research Corporation
Topics: Attendance, Broadband, Child welfare, Early childhood, Health, Housing, Literacy, Low-income, Out-of-school time, Partnerships, Place-based, Research, School-readiness
Shared by Kelly McElwain on Nov 7, 2019
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News Article
Community:
Recognizing that the aging of its population will reshape housing needs, the city of Washington, DC, has fostered numerous options for older residents, including some that are intentionally multigenerational.

Authored by: PD&R Edge Online Magazine
Topics: Early childhood, Family engagement, Housing, Low-income, Seniors, Youth
Shared by Housing Is on Jun 11, 2019
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Research
Community:
Jun 5, 2019
A new report by Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago finds that youth homelessness has its origins in early family experiences, including family homelessness. The findings make painfully clear that housing alone is insufficient to prevent and “end” youth homelessness, and that addressing youth homelessness alone, without explicit connections and fervent attention to family homelessness, will result in continued homelessness for all populations.

Authored by: SchoolHouse Connection
Topics: Early childhood, Homelessness, Housing, Legislation & Policy
Shared by Housing Is on Jun 5, 2019
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Publication
Community:
May 24, 2019
There’s a growing body of evidence that positively links affordable, stable, and quality housing with improved educational outcomes for children. That research continually points to the positive return on investment for the earliest possible intervention. Housing authorities are uniquely poised to help change the trajectory for low-income children who typically arrive in kindergarten already substantially behind their peers. We can leverage unique assets that other systems players cannot.

Authored by: Betsey Martens and Erica Plut for Journal of Housing and Community Development
Topics: Early childhood, Education, Housing, Out-of-school time, Partnerships
Shared by Housing Is on May 28, 2019

Low-Investment, High-Impact Strategies to Boost Education Outcomes

Publication
May 24, 2019
Betsey Martens and Erica Plut for Journal of Housing and Community Development
There’s a growing body of evidence that positively links affordable, stable, and quality housing with improved educational outcomes for children. That research continually points to the positive return on investment for the earliest possible intervention.
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Report
Community:
May 1, 2019
Child poverty is an urgent and preventable crisis. Solutions to child poverty already exist if we just expand and invest in them. Benefits like nutrition assistance, housing vouchers and tax credits helped lift nearly 7 million children out of poverty in 2017, but millions of children were left behind due to inadequate funding, eligibility restrictions and low wages. We can and must fix these problems to help more children escape poverty now.

Authored by: Children's Defense Fund
Topics: Child welfare, Dual-generation, Early childhood, Food insecurity, Funding, Housing, Legislation & Policy, Low-income, Research, Workforce development
Shared by Housing Is on May 28, 2019
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Video
Community:
May 9, 2019
On May 9, the Brookings Institution hosted an event to discuss the subsequent report, “A Roadmap to Reducing Child Poverty.” The event featured comments from Greg Duncan, who served as Chair of the Committee on Building an Agenda to Reduce the Number of Children in Poverty by Half in 10 Years, as well as a panel discussion on the report, its recommendations, and barriers to implementation. A second panel highlighted national and state policy perspectives of the consensus study report.

Authored by: The Brookings Institution
Topics: Early childhood, Funding, Housing, Legislation & Policy, Low-income, Research, Youth
Shared by Housing Is on May 13, 2019
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Publication
Community:
Moving Health Care Upstream (MHCU) is based on the belief that health systems can address persistent and costly health inequities by moving “upstream”—beyond the walls of hospitals and clinics and into the communities, collaborating with community-based organizations to address the root causes of disease. The various areas of work within MHCU share a common focus-supporting hospitals and community stakeholders in testing and spreading strategies to move upstream, and sharing “what works” to inform the field and accelerate the upstream movement in the field as a whole. Policy Learning Labs are one example of MHCU’s work to spread knowledge and accelerate action in the field.

Authored by: Nemours, Moving Health Care Upstream, and Change Lab Solutions
Topics: Child welfare, Early childhood, Food insecurity, Green, Health, Housing, Legislation & Policy, Nutrition, Partnerships, Youth
Shared by Housing Is on May 1, 2019

Policy Learning Lab Compendium of Research & Technical Assistance Memos

Publication
Nemours, Moving Health Care Upstream, and Change Lab Solutions
Moving Health Care Upstream (MHCU) is based on the belief that health systems can address persistent and costly health inequities by moving “upstream”—beyond the walls of hospitals and clinics and into the communities, collaborating with community-based organizations to address the root causes of di
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Research
Community:
Nov 27, 2018
A growing body of research suggests that housing eviction is more common than previously recognized and may play an important role in the reproduction of poverty. The proportion of children affected by housing eviction, however, remains largely unknown. We estimate that one in seven children born in large U.S. cities in 1998–2000 experienced at least one eviction for nonpayment of rent or mortgage between birth and age 15. Rates of eviction were substantial across all cities and demographic groups studied, but children from disadvantaged backgrounds were most likely to experience eviction. Among those born into deep poverty, we estimate that approximately one in four were evicted by age 15. Given prior evidence that forced moves have negative consequences for children, we conclude that the high prevalence and social stratification of housing eviction are sufficient to play an important role in the reproduction of poverty and warrant greater policy attention.

Authored by: Ian Lundberg and Louis Donnelly
Topics: Early childhood, Homelessness, Housing, Low-income, Racial inequalities, Research
Shared by Mica O'Brien on Apr 18, 2019

A Research Note on the Prevalance of Housing Eviction Among Children Born in U.S. Cities

Research
Nov 27, 2018
Ian Lundberg and Louis Donnelly
A growing body of research suggests that housing eviction is more common than previously recognized and may play an important role in the reproduction of poverty. The proportion of children affected by housing eviction, however, remains largely unknown.
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Publication
Community:
Founded in 1995 as Project Women, Family Scholar House (FSH) provides comprehensive, holistic services for disadvantaged single parents, their children, and foster alumni. The nonprofit seeks to end the cycle of poverty and transform communities by empowering families and youth to succeed in education and life-long self-sufficiency. FSH provides supportive housing, educational programming, and participant advocacy to help families gain independence.

Authored by: American Planning Association
Topics: Dual-generation, Early childhood, Education, Homelessness, Housing, Low-income, Partnerships, Place-based, Post-secondary, South, Stability
Shared by Mica O'Brien on Apr 18, 2019
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Publication
Community:
Houston children continue to be poisoned by lead even though childhood lead poisoning is considered the most preventable environmental disease among young children. In the past three years, almost 1,200 Houston children between 0 and 72 months old were found to have lead in their blood above the reference value of concern set by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Houston Health Department (HHD) has hosted the Lead-Based Paint Hazard Control Program (LBPHCP) for over 25 years, with the goal of providing a lead-safe home environment through home investigations and home lead abatement.

Authored by: Komal Sheth for All In: Data for Community Health
Topics: Early childhood, Health, Housing, Lead, Partnerships, Safety
Shared by Housing Is on Apr 8, 2019
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Policy Brief
Community:
The Homeless Children and Youth Act of 2019 (H.R. 2001) is a bipartisan bill that removes barriers to U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) homelessness assistance for children, youth and families in the following ways.

Authored by:
Topics: Early childhood, Homelessness, Housing, Legislation & Policy, Youth
Shared by Housing Is on Apr 4, 2019
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Publication
Community:
Mar 1, 2019
Released bi-monthly, each issue of the ZERO TO THREE Journal focuses on a critical topic within the early childhood development field. Journal articles are carefully composed to present current knowledge, latest research, and practical advice to help early childhood professionals do their best work in support of infants and toddlers.

Authored by: Zero To Three
Topics: Child welfare, Dual-generation, Early childhood, Homelessness, Housing, Low-income, Research, Safety
Shared by Mica O'Brien on Mar 26, 2019
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Research
Community:
Jan 1, 2019
Homelessness during pregnancy poses significant health risks for mothers and infants. As health care providers increase their emphasis on social determinants of health, it is important to understand how unstable housing contributes to complications during pregnancy. We linked data about emergency shelter enrollees with Massachusetts Medicaid claims for the period January 1, 2008–June 30, 2015 to compare health care use and pregnancy complications for 9,124 women who used emergency shelter with those for 8,757 similar women who did not. Rates of mental illness and substance use disorders were significantly higher among homeless women. Adjusted odds of having nine pregnancy complications were also significantly higher for homeless women and remained substantially unchanged after we adjusted for behavioral health disorders.

Authored by: Robin Clark, Linda Weinreb, Julie Flahive, and Robert Seifert for Health Affairs
Topics: Child welfare, Depression, Early childhood, Homelessness, Housing, Low-income, Mental health, Pre-natal, Research, Substance abuse
Shared by Housing Is on Mar 26, 2019

Homelessness Contributes To Pregnancy Complications

Research
Jan 1, 2019
Robin Clark, Linda Weinreb, Julie Flahive, and Robert Seifert for Health Affairs
Homelessness during pregnancy poses significant health risks for mothers and infants. As health care providers increase their emphasis on social determinants of health, it is important to understand how unstable housing contributes to complications during pregnancy.
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Publication
Community:
Jan 31, 2019
For many years, the vulnerabilities of children experiencing homelessness have been glossed over on the assumption that their innate resilience would overcome the impact of homelessness. As someone who worked in the field, I would often hear, “Oh, they’ll never remember.” Today we know better. We know more about how the brain develops and about how trauma impacts brain development. There is a growing recognition among providers that these early years are critical for establishing a foundation for emotional, mental, and physical wellbeing, and that we don’t get a second chance at early childhood.

Authored by: Carol Klocek for SchoolHouse Connection
Topics: Early childhood, Education, Homelessness, Housing, Low-income, Research, Safety, Stability
Shared by Housing Is on Feb 21, 2019

Real Families, Real Solutions: How Homeless Service Providers Can Meet the Needs of Young Children and Their Families

Publication
Jan 31, 2019
Carol Klocek for SchoolHouse Connection
For many years, the vulnerabilities of children experiencing homelessness have been glossed over on the assumption that their innate resilience would overcome the impact of homelessness. As someone who worked in the field, I would often hear, “Oh, they’ll never remember.” Today we know better.
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Research
Community:
Mar 14, 2017
This brief examines the well-being of young children 20 months after staying in emergency homeless shelters with their families.

Authored by: Office of the Administration for Children & Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Topics: Early childhood, Homelessness, Housing, Literacy, Low-income, Research, School-readiness
Shared by Mica O'Brien on Jan 29, 2019
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Publication
Community:
Jan 24, 2019
Affordable housing campaigns are not new, of course, but what is unprecedented and transformative about Opportunity Starts at Home is the scope and diversity of the partners that are joining forces to advocate for more robust and equitable federal housing policies. The campaign is advised by a Steering Committee including leading national organizations representing a wide range of interests that are working shoulder-to-shoulder to solve the affordable housing crisis.

Authored by: Opportunity Starts at Home
Topics: Asset building, Child welfare, CLPHA, Community development, Early childhood, Education, Food insecurity, Funding, Health, Homelessness, Housing, Immigrants, Legislation & Policy, Low-income, Mobility, Out-of-school time, Partnerships, Racial inequalities, Safety, Seniors, Stability, Substance abuse, Youth
Shared by Mica O'Brien on Jan 24, 2019

Within Reach: Ambitious Federal Solutions to Meet the Housing Needs of the Most Vulnerable People

Publication
Jan 24, 2019
Opportunity Starts at Home
Affordable housing campaigns are not new, of course, but what is unprecedented and transformative about Opportunity Starts at Home is the scope and diversity of the partners that are joining forces to advocate for more robust and equitable federal housing policies.