Hi! I’m so glad you wrote about this. Their team (also making the feature film) reached out to my organization in Portland (WeShine) and I could tell something was off right off the bat. Just doing a little research into the production company I knew this was going to be a misrepresentation and that they did not align with WeShine’s values. I have not seen it and I don’t want to! I’m glad you did though! Thanks Kevin
That’s actually how I first heard about it—they reached out to a number of groups here. We recognized Marbut immediately and advised against partnering.
Great! I’ll give you a tour of a WeShine Village! Makayla Tanquary (who has met you….she ran a shelter in Oklahoma City, is a manager at Avalon Village!
Thank you for your post Kevin. I am glad you watched and shared your critique. I had planned to watch it and then show it to my church, but will not be doing either now.
"One interviewee spirals into misinformation right before our eyes when she talks about how county vehicles will deliver safe supplies like needles to drug users, some of whom might take them into schools, before concluding—amazingly—that her taxes are paying for the government to put needles in schools." WUT?!?! That's some go-go Gadget arms level stretching right there.
Thank you for your work and for speaking out. Misinformation causes so much harm and chaos and confusion for complex social issues with long ranging repercussions. It's so important for those closest to these issues to speak out. Thanks
I can't speak for any place other than Tucson, Arizona, but I have been seeing the effects of Housing First for the last three years. When it started, a city employee said it would take 10 years to deal with the problem. It will take clearly that long and probably longer. It is true that 80-90% of those who enter Housing First will be housed. But the operative is "enter". At least in Tucson, there is no effort to push people into Housing First, and most decline the offer, including the offer of rehab or mental health care. So, in that sense, Housing First is clearly a failure. It is too slow, will take too long, and will never reach a large portion of the homeless population.
I don't know what the split is between drug addiction and mental illness (there is a lot of overlap), but I am fairly certain that the combined total is at least 70%. And drug addiction is probably more of a challenge to address than mental illness.
So, at least on the first two points, Americans with No Address is pretty accurate--at least for Tucson.
Housing First's 80-90% success rate is not just for housing folks, but includes housing retention. Those numbers also apply to those who suffer from mental illness, substance use disorders, and chronic homelessness.
The reason there is not an effort to "push people into Housing First" is because there isn't enough affordable housing to put people into. Please see me post on this if you're interested. Housing First only moves as slowly as it does because you're scraping by on the units you'd need to do it.
Here a couple facts from Tucson's own data collection:
The number of extremely low income renter households (making 30% or less than the area median income for Tucson): 35,051
The number of affordable and available rental homes for that income level: 8.436
That's your issue in Tucson, and our big issue nationwide.
I haven't seen the video, but this article is my introduction to your writing, and I am intrigued. I'm a former ordained minister and founded two organizations to serve homeless populations, one faith-based.
I left the work 3 years ago because of the issues you're describing as being represented in the documentary. Housing first works, but it's too much work and requires more than lip service and a few dollars in the offering plate.
Hi! I’m so glad you wrote about this. Their team (also making the feature film) reached out to my organization in Portland (WeShine) and I could tell something was off right off the bat. Just doing a little research into the production company I knew this was going to be a misrepresentation and that they did not align with WeShine’s values. I have not seen it and I don’t want to! I’m glad you did though! Thanks Kevin
That’s actually how I first heard about it—they reached out to a number of groups here. We recognized Marbut immediately and advised against partnering.
Nancy, remind me to reach out to you! I'm coming to Portland in April and would love to connect.
Great! I’ll give you a tour of a WeShine Village! Makayla Tanquary (who has met you….she ran a shelter in Oklahoma City, is a manager at Avalon Village!
would love that! shoot me an email if you can so we can follow up. And yes, I know Makayla!
Thank you for your post Kevin. I am glad you watched and shared your critique. I had planned to watch it and then show it to my church, but will not be doing either now.
Looking forward to the new book!
"One interviewee spirals into misinformation right before our eyes when she talks about how county vehicles will deliver safe supplies like needles to drug users, some of whom might take them into schools, before concluding—amazingly—that her taxes are paying for the government to put needles in schools." WUT?!?! That's some go-go Gadget arms level stretching right there.
Go-Gadget lol
Thank you for your work and for speaking out. Misinformation causes so much harm and chaos and confusion for complex social issues with long ranging repercussions. It's so important for those closest to these issues to speak out. Thanks
I can't speak for any place other than Tucson, Arizona, but I have been seeing the effects of Housing First for the last three years. When it started, a city employee said it would take 10 years to deal with the problem. It will take clearly that long and probably longer. It is true that 80-90% of those who enter Housing First will be housed. But the operative is "enter". At least in Tucson, there is no effort to push people into Housing First, and most decline the offer, including the offer of rehab or mental health care. So, in that sense, Housing First is clearly a failure. It is too slow, will take too long, and will never reach a large portion of the homeless population.
I don't know what the split is between drug addiction and mental illness (there is a lot of overlap), but I am fairly certain that the combined total is at least 70%. And drug addiction is probably more of a challenge to address than mental illness.
So, at least on the first two points, Americans with No Address is pretty accurate--at least for Tucson.
Housing First's 80-90% success rate is not just for housing folks, but includes housing retention. Those numbers also apply to those who suffer from mental illness, substance use disorders, and chronic homelessness.
The reason there is not an effort to "push people into Housing First" is because there isn't enough affordable housing to put people into. Please see me post on this if you're interested. Housing First only moves as slowly as it does because you're scraping by on the units you'd need to do it.
Here a couple facts from Tucson's own data collection:
The number of extremely low income renter households (making 30% or less than the area median income for Tucson): 35,051
The number of affordable and available rental homes for that income level: 8.436
That's your issue in Tucson, and our big issue nationwide.
I haven't seen the video, but this article is my introduction to your writing, and I am intrigued. I'm a former ordained minister and founded two organizations to serve homeless populations, one faith-based.
I left the work 3 years ago because of the issues you're describing as being represented in the documentary. Housing first works, but it's too much work and requires more than lip service and a few dollars in the offering plate.
feel free to message me, would love to chat more.