Coalition Empowers Local Providers to Shape Our Future Without Homelessness
Probably a dozen times in the past couple of weeks, I’ve heard someone wonder aloud why there isn’t a revolution in the streets of America.
We all know the injustices happening everyday in increasing numbers: huge cuts to low-income people yet tax cuts to the wealthiest, responsible government becoming a thing of the past, struggling families working more and more hours for less money, and everyday citizens having less and less access to policymakers.
The Minnesota Coalition for the Homeless hopes to work with our allies in the coming year to start small and peaceful revolutions at the local level.
The federal and state governments have increasingly shifted towards block granting programs and devolving responsibility to local government. The devolution has typically been a cost-cutting measure, not an improvement in public policy; local governments haven’t always been provided the funds required to do the job effectively.
Tight budgets, action-alert fatigue, and bureaucratic mazes converge to make it very difficult for service providers to fight for social change on a local level.
The Coalition will work in St. Paul to get the non-partisan Office of Legislative Auditor to study the block grants, and we will work on the local level to ensure that someone has responsibility for the block granted programs.
It is not enough to merely report the number of children taken into the child welfare system due to inadequate housing; we must work to ensure there is adequate housing.
It is not enough to have a CDBG Advisory Committee; we must have people on the committee who understand the needs of very low-income citizens.
It is not enough to write annual public housing agency plans; we must ensure these documents translate to increased housing opportunity.
It is not enough to count the numbers of Native Americans who are homeless or precariously housed; we must work to ensure that everyone has safe, decent, and affordable housing.
It is not enough for Continuum of Care Committees to rank projects; we must ensure that all good projects get funded.
It is not enough for the law to say that victims of domestic violence are allowed exceptions from the MFIP work requirements; we must make sure that women who qualify are granted the exception.
It is not enough for corrections officials to phone the local shelter when releasing an offender; we must ensure that housing options are in place.
It is not enough to develop a plan to end homelessness; we must ensure these plans get put into action.
In 2006, the Coalition will stand with advocates to fight these systemic barriers on the local level. There is a lot of opportunity: so much can be accomplished with increased communication alone, and there are plenty of funds in this wealthy nation to get the job done. All we need is to know the rules of the game and to have the political will to stand up. There is no lack of political will on the part of service providers and local advocates.
We look forward to shining light on the dark secret rules that have allowed punitive policies to take root on the local level. We look forward to the revolution.
