Americans Are Waking Up to the Homelessness Crisis. Here’s How to Fix It.

Neither strict nor lenient laws will end homelessness. But a systematic and community-wide focus on homelessness prevention measures just might. ...

They save lives, dignity, and dollars, and more communities should invest in them. In our experience, these programs succeed because they are personal and flexible: personally administered and rooted in Christian charity; and flexible in the assistance they offer—whether it’s repairing a car, paying a utility bill, or working directly with a landlord to keep eviction at bay.

Precarious living situations don’t fit neatly into bureaucratic boxes. And administrative layers add complexity to application processes, deterring the very people who most need help. Flexible funding, personally administered ensures that households in crisis get help as quickly as possible. The simpler the process, the more quickly we can stabilize families and entire communities.

This is an op-ed piece by John Berry (National St. Vincent de Paul Society President) that ran on Real Clear Policy. He discusses how becoming homeless is a contingent event, in other words, not one that’s inevitable or irreversible. It is very clear look at homelessness, the political arguments surrounding it, and how to help prevent it. 

Simply great. Go read the whole thing.