Latest news from the Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless

NOTE: This post was submitted to the Coalition by Sarah Schneider, a senior at Brandeis University studying American Studies with a minor in Social Justice and Social Policy. Sarah is originally from Cincinnati, Ohio and has enjoyed getting to know and be a part of social justice issues in Massachusetts.

 

As a college student on a campus that frequently discusses the meaning of “social justice” and promotes social justice advocacy, it is evident to me that unaccompanied youth homelessness is a serious social justice concern that needs to be addressed in the Commonwealth. Over the past semester of advocating for housing and support services for unaccompanied homeless youth with The Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless, I have learned an enormous amount about the youth themselves as well as how the Massachusetts legislative process works and how power can best be leveraged to support fundamental human needs.

Before the semester began, I knew little about the legislative process. However, by partnering with Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless to advocate for House Bill 135, An Act for Housing and Supportive Services for Unaccompanied Youth. I quickly learned that advocating effectively for legislation is very much a grassroots endeavor. The significance of the voices of voting constituents was made apparent as legislative offices asked if I was a constituent when I went to lobby for the bill. I have frequently been asked throughout my life to call legislators, but was unaware of the power that one voice actually could have. For many years I simply assumed that there was nothing I could do to make a difference in the legislative process, and now I know how false that assumption was. This knowledge will empower me to me speak out for a range of issues I care about in the future rather than ignoring calls to action.

Meeting with legislators and legislative aides also alerted me to the simple fact that so many bills and budget items are being discussed that many legislators need lobbyists to bring their attention to specific bills. Within my partnership with the Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless, there are multiple primary budget priorities, to learn more about these FY 2014 budget priorities, please visit http://www.mahomeless.org/images/FY14_Budget_and_Bill_Priorities_3-15-13.pdf. Furthermore, these people are humans and many have children or youth in their lives that they care about deeply. Learning to appeal to the humanity of legislators while also remaining knowledgeable about the details of the legislation helps people in the State House meaningfully connect with the issue. Meeting with legislators in person and having that presence in an office also shows a heightened level of concern about the issue.

Ultimately, it is the resilience and strength of the youth themselves that inspires me to continue to advocate for their needs. The youth who shared their stories at Legislative Action Day, the “State of Unaccompanied Youth” Legislative Briefing, on YouTube in the Unaccompanied Youth Video, or in person with legislators should be applauded for their bravery in speaking out and sharing their stories. These youth should be listened to as people who have very real health, safety, stability, educational, and vocational needs. As a college senior planning for the future while finishing up my schoolwork, I cannot imagine dealing with these tasks and everyday stressors without having the love and support of family and friends, and I cannot imagine how hard it must be to make it to work or school while worrying about such basic things as finding a safe place to sleep at night. I can only imagine how much healthier and happier everyone in our state would be if we provided such basic needs as housing and support services to these youth, youth who are our state and country’s future.

NOTE: This submission was written by Mr. Willy Jones, a hard working father who appreciates the support he has recieved from the HomeBASE program's resources. 

 

Hello, my name is Willy Jones, and I would like to share my story and about my experience with the HomeBASE program. As a youth I was less fortunate and had to grow up in the BHA public housing, which taught me how to learn to survive in times of struggle, making the most out of the least. I have been working since the age of 14, my first job being with the Boston Youth Clean Up Corps (BYCC), and been in the work field ever since. After I passed my G.E.D test, I went on to work at Cambridge Health Alliance, A&W Express, and various other jobs while attending Bay State College.

Although I only attended Bay State for only one semester I was driven to educate myself and keep working towards a better future. I went on to work at several companies with various positions before ending up as a professional chimney sweep.

 

In 2007 at the age of 23, I was blessed with a beautiful baby girl Arianna Jones, who was born one month premature. Most weeks I was working 65 hours to help provide for her. Unfortunately her mother couldn’t care for her the way that she needed, and a year after she was born, I went to court and obtained full custody of Arianna. After doing so, I had to adjust to the changes in my living situation, the need for two bedrooms, increased daily expenses, and the responsibility to now provide, care, and nurture my daughter.

 

The same year I obtained custody of my daughter was the same year the country began to experience the recession in full force, resulting in loss of my employment. With no other financial resources as my disposal, I was forced to collect unemployment until I found another job, which has proven to be difficult. After going five years straight working 7 days a week most weeks, to then not having a job was tough. It was difficult to revisit circumstances not experienced since childhood, but this time I had my daughter to care for. Maintaining my apartment for the next year and a half was a challenge, but somehow I managed to do it, until I became ineligible for an extension on my unemployment benefits.

 

Without a job and source of income, I was forced to vacate my residence and bounce from house to house with my 3-year-old daughter. Being a man, I wanted to provide for my child, so I swallowed my pride and FINALLY sought help. I was introduced to Priscilla Williams at the Metropolitan Boston Housing Partnership, who went above and beyond to help me obtain temporary employment, and show me the steps I needed to take to enter the HomeBASE program.

 

I was accepted into the HomeBASE program, found residency with rental assistance, and started working shortly after. I worked in a distribution warehouse for $9/hr. at Grossman’s Bargain Outlet but unfortunately was injured on the job. I am now receiving workers compensation, but I’m doing everything the doctors tell me and going through physical therapy to get myself back to 100%. When that will be, I do not know, but I will be back. As the HomeBASE program is scheduled to end soon, and with my workers compensation ending in July, that will leave me back to square one- homeless with no job. I have received a lot of resources from HomeBASE and have taken advantage of all the workshops presented to me, but without the security of a full-time job, I cannot afford market rent in today’s climate. HomeBASE is a great program for people who want to better themselves and their children’s lives. I am very thankful for everything that the program has done for me, and know that a year more of HomeBASE rental assistance would ensure my ability to survive and provide for my children in a today’s economic climate.

NOTE: This submission is a written by Mariah Doran, a graduating final-year student at the Salem Community Chart School in Salem, Massachusetts. Mariah is an activist for young adults experiencing homelessness in Massachusetts. 

My name is Mariah and I will be graduating from Salem Community Charter School in July 2013.  This year I have worked closely with Journeys of Hope in Salem and the Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless in Lynn to bring help enrich my learning experience! Giving back to the community has always been a passion of mine, and the perfect opportunity presented itself in my Advanced Wellness course.  This course required students to complete a Service Learning Project, which gave us a chance to actively connect an issue of concern in the community with the content of the Wellness course.  I volunteered my time helping young adults, which happens to be something that is very dear to me.

For my project, I chose to partner with Felix Colon, the program manager of Journeys of Hope. Felix helps homeless young adults ages 18-23 with the assistance they need to improve their future. I have first-hand experience with homelessness and strive to prevent this from happening to others. Young adults who experience homelessness don’t only deal with this but may also cope with mental, emotional and physical health problems, substance abuse, violence and family struggles. Felix and I spent many hours talking about our ideas to create a plan of action.

While researching youth homelessness by creating a survey and interviewing young adults experiencing homelessness, I realized how difficult it is for young adults to acquire clothing for job interviews. It is hard for anyone to focus on further achievements such as employment, health, resources, relationships, self-esteem, and inner talent when all they can think about is where to sleep at night or how they will shower.  I decided to start a job-readiness clothing drive specifically for young adults. I sent out letters to numerous thrift shops throughout the community, asking if they would donate to the cause. As of now I have collected five bags full of donations, and more to come. Thanks to Compliments Re-Sale Boutique in Salem, Saint John’s Thrift Shop in Peabody, and the Salvation Army in Chelsea for contributing to my cause. You are greatly appreciated! I also really appreciate the support of Journeys of Hope and The Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless, both of these organizations helped provided me with support and knowledge building opportunities!

From my project survey, I discovered that twenty-nine percent of the fifty students who attend my school in Downtown Salem are housing unstable or homeless. Also, I have learned that there are over eighty young adults in Salem that seek help through Journeys of Hope today. These numbers do not even scratch the surface of the larger issue, there are young adults world-wide who struggle with homelessness and go unrecognized. This year I have learned that many unaccompanied homeless youth are only tracked through school systems, shelters, and other social agencies so if they are not enrolled in any of these services, they go unnoticed.  It is clear to me that this is a major crisis in the world that needs serious attention, which is why I want to contribute. Not only do I understand homelessness from an intellectual and student perspective, but I have lived it. Young people are the future and if we are going to make the world a better place we have to start here.

This project has connected me to many wonderful people who make positive changes in the world. I aspire to be like them.  On my eighteenth birthday, February 27, the Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless held its’ annual Legislative Action Day (for more information on Legislative Action Day, please visit http://www.mahomeless.org/mch-events/2013-02-12-00-05-38. On Legislative Action day, I went to the State House along with supporters from Journeys of Hope and other organizations to speak about my thoughts and experiences with homelessness. The Unaccompanied Homeless Youth Act, House Bill 135, was addressed on this day. As a result, my research and my experience will help make a positive difference for young adults all over the world.

Please continue to support the Unaccompanied Youth Campaign, I know I will! I encourage you to contact your state legislators to keep them informed with three important next steps of the campaign! The Massachusetts’s Coalition for the Homeless’s recommended next steps for our legislators are to:

1. Read the Report of the Special Commission on Unaccompanied Homeless Youth that will be released in April 2013.
2. Support House Bill 135 “An Act Providing Housing and Support Services for Unaccompanied Homeless Youth” (Lead sponsors: Representative Jim O’Day and Senator Katherine Clark).
3. Include $500,000 in the Fiscal Year 2014 Budget through the Executive Office of Health and Human Services administrative line item 4000-0300 to address the needs of unaccompanied youth and young adults experiencing homelessness by funding housing and services, and by conducting an unaccompanied youth count to better understand the scope of need for thisThe concrete needs for housing and supportive services for unaccompanied homeless youth are addressed in the Report of this Commission.

For more information on this campaign, please visit The Massachusetts’s Coalition for the Homeless’s Unaccompanied Youth policy page at http://www.mahomeless.org/component/content/article/78-mch/189-unaccompanied-youth or contact Kelly Turley at the Coalition at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Exa Mendez at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . 

EDITOR"S NOTE: This blog submission was written by staff members of the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center- Karen Dahl, an Advocate and Clare Namugga, a Senior Case Manage. For the past four years, the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center (BARCC) staff members have participated in the Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless’s annual Legislative Action Day. The purpose of this powerful day is to promote supportive services and housing initiatives to help make sustainable change in eradicating homelessness in Massachusetts. The Coalition and BARCC have three main housing related budget priorities: to maintain appropriate funding for Emergency Assistance Family Shelter, to have affordable housing programs available for families in need, and to increase funding for housing and support services geared specifically toward homeless youth. For more information on these policy campaigns and others, please visit the Coalition’s policy webpage at http://www.mahomeless.org/advocacy/present-policy-campaigns. We believe that there is a strong overlap between homelessness and sexual violence. Through our advocacy on behalf of individuals experiencing homelessness, we are given the opportunity to highlight this important link to legislators and be part of a bigger voice working towards an end to sexual violence and re-victimization. While homelessness has become a pervasive and widespread issue, many people do not realize its connection with sexual assault. At BARCC, we have seen firsthand how sexual assault incidents may lead to homelessness. For example, an individual might run away from home after an assault by a household member and have no where to go, or they may not feel safe in their home because the perpetrator knows where they live. Too often, vulnerable individuals are forced to accept unsafe housing situations where they are sexually assaulted in exchange for a place to sleep. This violation creates additional hurdles to a survivor experiencing homelessness, as it may increase an individual’s risk for re-victimization because they may not feel safe staying in a shelter and may have difficulty accessing an alternate safe and stable place to heal. Recently, one of our staff Advocates provided assistance to a survivor who has experienced the harsh reality of unsafe and unstable housing. The survivor had been raped by fellow residents at the homeless shelter where they had all been staying. It was a devastating situation where the survivor felt safer living on the street than going into another homeless shelter, and there was no other alternative emergency shelter option available. Sadly, this is all too common of a situation. During the morning of the Coalition’s annual Legislative Action Day there were many personal and poignant accounts of homelessness across all ages that were shared with the over 200 event participants. One speaker, a young person from Youth on Fire, spoke specifically about this fear of sexual violence within shelters and alternative housing options. He expressed that shelter was not a safe option for a young man due to being targeted for sexual assault. While sexual violence is a prevalent problem, for many individuals, it is still not a comfortable topic to address openly, and for this reason, we are glad that BARCC was able to participate in the day to raise awareness regarding the connectivity of the issues. After listening to the speakers’ powerful narratives, we found it empowering to meet with legislators in the afternoon to provide them with information, share BARCC’s specific ties to the issue, and stress the importance of supporting these budget allocations to agencies working with homeless individuals. This year for the first time, BARCC distributed a fact sheet that shed light on the interconnected relationship between sexual violence and homelessness. To illustrate the statistics we provided, we shared a few scenarios from client experiences we have witnessed. This fact sheet can be found on the coalition’s website, at http://www.mahomeless.org/images/barcc_fact_sheet_3-13.jpg. We are proud to be a part of the Mass Coalition for the Homeless’ Legislative Action Day as we know that this advocacy work matters for the safety and healing process of many sexual assault survivors.

Editor's note: This post was written by Robert Oftring, Staff Director for State Representative Jim O'Day, and submitted to the Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless in support of our unaccompanied youth campaign. Representative O'Day and Rob both have been key State House allies in the budget and bill advocacy to improve the lives of unaccompanied youth.

My name is Robert Oftring and I am the Staff Director for State Representative James J. O’Day of the 14th Worcester District. I have worked in the Massachusetts State House for 4 years and have so far enjoyed nearly two years in the office of Jim O’Day. I entered this line of work because I knew it would give me the opportunity to advocate for many different issues that I am passionate about. Being on staff for one of the more progressive and active legislators in the Massachusetts House of Representatives certainly has its opportunities for impassioned advocacy. I have been extremely lucky to have found a boss whose priorities, political ideals and passions align so closely with my own. Representative O’Day has provided me with an incredible example of compassionate and focused leadership.

Having said that, I did not envision becoming so closely involved with one issue in particular until Kelly Turley from the Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless walked in for a scheduled meeting in my office. Since then, the issue of unaccompanied homeless youth has proved to be a focal point of my time here working in the legislature.

At 26, I’m a couple years older than the age group that defines the population, but I can’t help but sympathize with the population’s struggles. Many of their plights seem to hinge on the cards they have been dealt early in life. Often times with older homeless populations, people are quick to judge and cite reasons for homelessness, as if it’s deserved. Substance abuse, irresponsibility, etc. are all used to justify people’s apathetic attitude towards adult homeless populations. With homeless youth, however, turning the other cheek proves far more difficult. Many of the young adults come from broken and unstable homes. A disproportionate amount of them are homeless as a result of their family’s reaction to their sexual orientation and identification. In summation, many youth in this population have faced exceptional challenges at exceptionally young ages, and as a result they are in need of state intervention.

Even the mere use of the term ‘state intervention’ would scare anyone into running in the opposite direction. In aiding and assisting this population, we have to look for new and creative ways to engage and empower this group of disenfranchised youth. These are youth that will not come asking for help, they will not readily identify themselves, and they certainly will not readily trust adults. The key to solving the homeless youth problem I believe is the homeless youth themselves. At such a young and impressionable age, they really do have the power to turn things around, if given the tools. The Commission on Unaccompanied Homeless Youth is heading in this direction. They have begun to identify and formulate tangible ways to empower youth to function independently and successfully in their adult lives.

I’ve been incredibly honored to have played a role in the on-going process. Working with the Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless has been an invaluable learning experience for me. They are leading the way on this issue and all I can say is that I’m happy to be a part of it. If the work of the Coalition, Representative O’Day, and all other participants has a positive effect on just one young life, then all the hard work will prove to be most definitely worth it.

NOTE: This post is written by Taylor Nelson and submitted to the Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless in support of our unaccompanied youth campaign. Taylor Nelson is a sophomore at Salem State University studying Public Policy. Taylor is active in the Amnesty International Chapter and Student Government organizations are her school. She first became involved in activism after finding out of about the sex trade industry and lobbying to make stricter laws against traffickers in California. She hopes to continue fighting for justice for the oppressed and disenfranchised and learn as much about the process of making those changes while she’s in school.

 

Growing up can be difficult, even awkward at times.In high school, social problems fill your mind. Who will ask me to prom? Do people like me? Will I embarrass myself on this date? While these concerns are certainly something to worry about, they do not seem to compare with worrying about if I will eat or where I will sleep. Unfortunately at least 6,000 high schools students in the state of Massachusetts worry about necessities such as if they will eat and where they will sleep. As I see it, we, the people of the Commonwealth, are not doing enough to ease their worry.

As a 19-year-old college student, I have problems balancing schoolwork and financial responsibilities. Without a car, sometimes I walk to school in the freezing cold, often feeling sorry for myself. Then, I remember people have to live in these conditions all winter. I feel grateful that I have an apartment that I am comfortable in, but I also feel motivated to help those who are not so lucky. If I were in their shoes, I would want someone to think of me. I am active in a local Amnesty International chapter; I am a citizen of the world, and a peer of these unaccompanied youth experiencing homelessness. My conscious rings with a Gandhi quote that speaks to my position in this campaign, "Be the Change you wish to see in the World.” As my motivation heightens and I learn more about the issues related to homelessness in Massachusetts, this campaign seems different. This one seems much more important than others I have participated in. Homelessness could affect anyone.

There are so many issues to rally around in our society, be it the environment, conflicts resulting in wars and mass violence, and the reckless negligence to basic human rights throughout the world. It is always hard to pick which of these very noble causes one may devote their time and energy to. However, by helping those experiencing homelessness, especially those unaccompanied youth experiencing homelessness, we are helping members of our own communities here in Massachusetts. By getting those experiencing homelessness off the streets and into supportive housing and service structures, such as what is currently recommended in House Docket 364, the Youth Homelessness 2013-2014 Bill filed by Representative Jim O’Day and Senator Katherine Clark, we are empowering young adults to be able to reach their full potential as human beings.

My wish is for Massachusetts to work towards the eradication of homelessness overall, but most especially for the eradication of homelessness for youth and young adults without families or basic support systems. These young people are looking towards us to make a difference and we can if we come together. This February 27th is the Legislative Action Day at the State House in Boston, hosted by The Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless. On this day regular people like you and I, organizations fighting for those experiencing homelessness, and state legislators will come together to discuss these pressing issues. I’ll see you there!

Note: This is a post WRITTEN BY Allison Writght and submitted to The Massachusett's Coalition for the Homeless as part of the campaign for unaccompanied youth experiencing homelessness. Allison Wright is a staff attorney at Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD), New England’s leading legal rights organization dedicated to ending discrimination based on sexual orientation, HIV status and gender identity and expression. 

I have nostalgic memories of the time I spent in San Francisco. It was the first city in which I lived openly as a lesbian woman of color, the city where I fell in love for the first time, and the city where I met a young man who opened my eyes to the nationwide epidemic of homelessness amongst lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ) youth.

 

I remember clearly the first time I met him. He was serving himself a plate of freshly charred chicken at a mutual friend’s barbeque in the Haight/Ashbury district. With thick curly brown hair perfectly styled atop his head and an after-five shadow, he was quite striking.

 

His name was Juan and from the moment we met, I knew our paths would forever be intertwined. Juan was 23 years old, gay, HIV positive and homeless. Juan left his home in Los Angeles for many reasons, among them his family’s lack of acceptance of his sexual orientation. This is a unfortunately, a common thread in the story of unaccompanied youth who are experiencing homelessness. Having left LA before graduating from high school, he eventually found his way to San Francisco, a city many runaway LGBTQ youth now consider home. Juan faced employment barriers because of his lack of education, lack of documentation and lack of employment experience. He considered exotic dancing and other such options as employment options until he was able to acquire a social security number through underground efforts. Finding safe and sustainable employment opportunities is a considerable challenge facing the thousands of young adults experiencing homelessness in Massachusetts today. 

 

Sadly, Juan’s situation is not unique. According to a national study released last July, about 40 percent of youth seeking homeless services identify as LGBT. The top two reasons they wind up homeless are either running away due to family rejection of their sexual orientation or gender identity, or being forced out by their parents for the same reason.

 

Thankfully, Juan learned of and joined Larkin Street Youth Services, a San Francisco-based organization dedicated to aiding homeless and runaway youth up to age 24 with a range of services including but not limited to: supportive housing, employment training, and HIV services. Until reaching the age of 25, Juan had stable housing, stable employment and was able to acquire HIV-related services. But once he aged out of the services offered at Larkin Street, he was back on the streets and placed on a six-month wait list for long-term housing.

 

With little money, no job and no education, Juan often found himself dependent upon romantic partners and friends like me for housing. He often couch-surfed between my tiny studio in downtown San Francisco and other friends within the Bay Area. Frustrated with his housing situation, Juan eventually decided to move out-of-state to an ex-boyfriend’s house and used whatever remaining money he had to buy a bus ticket.

 

Through my legal internships, I often came across homeless LGBTQ youth who faced many of the same barriers as Juan. I consistently found myself conducting intakes of LGBTQ youth housed in shelters who were harassed by adult occupants, and transgender youth who were purposefully referred to by their birth names and referred to with incorrect pronouns by shelter staff.

 

Since joining Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) last April, I’ve learned that homeless LGBTQ youth in Massachusetts are confronting the same issues as their San Francisco peers. When I attended the Hispanic Black Gay Coalition’s (HBGC) 2012 Day of Awareness and Action and the public hearings of the Massachusetts Commission on GLBT Youth last summer, it was reported at both events that LGBTQ homeless youth in Massachusetts have difficulty finding shelter accommodations due to lack of beds or age restrictions. It was also reported that LGBTQ homeless youth that do find shelter accommodations often suffer harassment and violence by adult occupants and shelter staff.

 

GLAD is working proactively to address the needs of homeless LGBTQ youth by partnering with organizations like Gay and Lesbian Adolescent Social Services (GLASS), which primarily serves LGBTQ youth of color. By working with GLASS, GLAD has increased in-person contact with homeless LGBTQ youth and developed a working knowledge of the legal challenges they face in shelters.

 

Because of our outreach efforts at GLASS, GLAD has been working with a homeless youth who has been prohibited from sleeping in the women’s dormitory at a local shelter in Massachusetts because she is transgender. She and other transgender women at the shelter were forced to sleep on mats in a room reserved for administrative purposes. GLAD is currently researching legal solutions to redress the discrimination this young woman and other homeless transgender people face daily.

 

This February 27^th, GLAD will be collaborating with the Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless at Legislative Action Day and Youth on the Hill Day. The event will bring together people from around the state who are working to strengthen the supports for those experiencing homelessness in Massachusetts. GLAD is proud to work with the Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless and its members to strengthen public knowledge and stimulate social change in the Commonwealth. 

 

GLAD wants LGBTQ young people to know that no matter where you are you deserve to be safe and to be treated equally, and that you have rights under the law. If you believe you’re being discriminated against because of your LGBTQ identity, please contact our Legal InfoLine. You can call or chat online with us Monday through Friday, from 1:30 PM - 4:30 PM EST. You can also email us anytime. We can tell you how the law protects you and review your legal options, which may include representation by GLAD or a referral to a private attorney. All inquiries are completely free and confidential.

 

Here at the Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless, we are committed to delivering accurate reports on events and challenges surrounding the homeless population of Massachusetts. In particular, the transient unaccompanied youth experiencing homelessness story will be highlighted at Youth on the Hill Day on February 13, 2013 at the Massachusetts State House. This coming February 13^th will be a day for youth and youth advocates across the state to give testimony and talk to legislators to promote programs specific to the needs of this dynamic and often overlooked group of young citizens.

 

Today we are supported with many different modes of communication- Facebook, Twitter, phone, email, face to face, etc. As our connected status grows, we should use our networks to create new tools, strengthen the successful initiatives, and find better resources for all young people of the Commonwealth, especially those experiencing homelessness.

One of the largest issues surrounding unaccompanied homeless youth is that there is no single complete population estimate. Current estimates vary depending on the measurement source and collection model used. Most of the models for a count of homelessness are used in adult or family shelter services, which would not reach the youth. Youth are less likely to be allowed into adult shelters due to age and safety restrictions. They also may not be willing to expose themselves in fear of being reported to state agencies and retuned to homes filled with neglect, abuse, addiction, and sorrow.

 

Without accurate population readings, private nonprofits and service providers throughout Massachusetts operate with inadequate information of how to best help unaccompanied youth who are experiencing homelessness.

What does this all lead to? These challenges mean too many youth and young adults are unreachable by our current service opportunities and remain in danger while they are under-sheltered.

 

What we do know is that the homeless youth are everywhere; The Department of Education estimated over 6,000 high school students across the state are unsupported, afraid, and in jeopardy. This estimate does not include those younger and older than the high school age. However, we believe that there are steps that can be taken to eliminate unaccompanied youth homelessness.

 

These steps include strengthened communication between state agencies, local public schools and organizations, and private organizations to promote information sharing to benefit the safety of the youth and enable more accurate population readings. These collaborations should promote strategies designed specifically to address unaccompanied youth homelessness. Leaders in the surrounding social and political climate must emerge to make this issue known as a priority and to create public policy to protect this vulnerable group.

 

Join us throughout this fall, throughout the winter (especially on February 13^th) and moving forward next spring to urge our state legislatures to follow the lead work of Representatives James O’Day, and Kay Khan, and State Senators Katherine Clark and Harriet Chandler. Integral support has also been provided by Representatives Thomas Conroy, Linda Dorcena Forry, Gloria Fox, Bradford Hill, Peter Kocot, Stephen Kulik, Carl Sciortino, Ellen Story, David Sullivan, Steven Walsh and Alice Wolf and Senators William Brownsberger and Jamie Eldridge. We encourage all members of the Massachusetts House and Senate, as well as all residents of Massachusetts to find new ways to invest in solution-focused services for unaccompanied youth experiencing homelessness. Together, let’s get to work!

Editor's Note: This note was shared with the Coalition by a mother experiencing homelessness with her toddler. She currently is living in a motel placement through the Emergency Assistance program, and wanted to share her thoughts about the new regulation changes that will make it more difficult for other families with children to access the safety net of shelter. She has asked that her name not be used, wishing only to be identified as "Homeless College Student/Mother".

Reaction to the Department of Housing and Community Development's Emergency Assistance Regulation Changes: A Perspective from a College Student/Mother Experiencing Homelessness

I want to share my experience with you, and opinions on the new EA [Emergency Assistance] regulations, and hope that someone will hear it. Since the homeless are essentially invisible (other than the veterans and panhandlers who can be seen on the streets, gas stations, parks, and under bridges), I am sure my voice remain unheard but that's okay. I'm used to it and I can say at least I tried.

As someone who is homeless, a mother, a student, and active participant in my under-served community, and has been in an EA motel since 12/2011 - I am very bothered by the recent changes to EA eligibility. This is coming from someone who already HAS shelter. From my take on the changes, and Governor Patrick's recent appearance on News Talk 96.9, the changes are supposed to eliminate homelessness by making it harder to declare homelessness. That may help your numbers and statistics, but it's masking the real issue. So now, unless you've been beaten, raped, living in a shopping cart, or your house burned down, you are not "needy" enough for EA shelter. Anyone else seeking shelter is lazy, uneducated, and just trying to live off of the government.

First of all, do the people behind that decision not realize how embarrassing it is to even ASK for shelter? How embarrassing it is to have someone from DCF [the Department of Children and Families] come into wherever you are living, and judge whether or not you are deserving of, or desperate enough, for assistance? Do you know how humiliating it is to drag garbage bags of you and your children's belongings into the shabby brick building on Washington Street/Dudley [to the DHCD office], with onlookers knowing exactly why? Do you know what it is to live off of hot pockets and popcorn, because they are some of the few things you can "cook" in your kitchen-less motel room? Do you know what it is to have a toddler, yet not be able to even fit a single gallon of milk in your mini-fridge? Do you know what it is to ask your children's principal for extra/spare lunches they may have, because it is one of the few decent meals your children will eat that day? Do you know what it is to have to check in at the front desk of the motel every single night, so that motel staff can keep tabs on whether you are actually "homeless"? Do you know what it is to go to school and/or work everyday, and no one know that you've been going home to a hopeless motel room every single night for the past 9+ months? Do you know what it is to have your innocent, intelligent, kind toddler pray every single night for a home... a real one with their own room and a stove to cook on? 

And most importantly, does any of that sound appealing to you? Because this is hardly a luxurious life. ATTENTION: NO ONE WANTS TO LIVE THIS WAY. I personally cannot imagine anyone purposely going through such an experience, and putting their children into it, because they want to.

Now, because of the EA eligibility requirements, people will be putting themselves and their children in danger, just to appear "needy" enough for your services. As if it wasn't already a long, humiliating process. Now people will be sleeping in bus stops, police stations, and cars will their children. Or perhaps they will go pursuing abusive relationships. Or maybe even burn down their already dilapidated homes. I hope no one gets hurt in the process. 

Sincerely,
Homeless College Student/Mother

The time has come for Massachusetts to respond with immediate intention to break the rising tide of homelessness among our youth and young adults. Here at the Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless, the unaccompanied youth homelessness campaign has become a prominent policy campaign initiatives.

This fall marks an innovative time in the Commonwealth’s social action history, as for the first time a groundbreaking Special Commission on Unaccompanied Youth Homelessness will be convening to work collectively towards ensuring safe, stable housing and access to necessary supports and services for the more than 6,000 unaccompanied youth currently experiencing homelessness in Massachusetts. This commission will charter new channels of possibility for those youth currently in unjust living situations and housing conditions in our commonwealth. Need more facts about unaccompanied youth experiencing homelessness? Click here.

Youth homelessness is an unconscionable social scourge that must be acted upon by a creative force of diverse experiences. Therefore, this pioneering commission will be chaired by Dr. JudyAnn Bigby, the Secretary of the Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services and includes employees of the Department of Children and Families, the Department of Transitional Assistance, the Department of Housing and Community Development, elected state representatives, elected state senators, three youth who have experienced homelessness, social workers, and other advocates and direct service providers for persons experiencing homelessness.

These dedicated commission members will work together and be prepared to make recommendations to the Patrick Administration by March 31, 2013.

We at the Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless are confident that this commission will provide recommendations that will positively alter the lives of these youth and prevent more youth from falling into homelessness. An “unaccompanied homeless youth” is a youth or young adult without stable, permanent shelter and not in the care of a parent or guardian.

Despite the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education estimate of 6,000 youth currently unaccompanied and experiencing homelessness, many youth are not reflected in school surveys and records, as they have already dropped out of school and may have found themselves abandoned by their families after coming out as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender, announcing a pregnancy, or making a life choice their parents or guardians do not agree with.

In February 2013 there will be a Youth on the Hill Day (YOTH) and a Legislative Action Day (LAD), where we encourage all members of Massachusetts communities to join us in advocating for better intervention directed to preventing and supporting homeless unaccompanied youth.

The young adult human experience is already a complicated and challenging one, so to add the angst of homelessness with layers of instability does little to encourage the growth of productive citizens for the future of our Commonwealth. It is our responsibility to respond with fortitude and ingenuity to find a place in the state budget, to advocate for legislative action, and through activity in our communities to strengthen the safety net for youth experiencing homelessness.

Stay tuned for more updates and opportunities for your participation and support for the unaccompanied and homeless youth of Massachusetts. Want to know more? Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

Keep in touch,

Samantha Alves

MSW Intern from Boston College Graduate School of Social Work

Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless

If you've been following the Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless on Facebook and Twitter or have been receiving our emails, you've heard that families who are experiencing or at imminent risk of homelessness are under attack due to regulatory changes proposed by the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD).

These changes would drastically reduce families’ access to shelter, and the Coalition needs you to help us fight back. The details of the proposed changes are complicated, but the gist of the situation is that unless a family meets an extremely narrow definition and type of homelessness, they will be ineligible for shelter. The Coalition believes that any family experiencing homelessness for any reason should have access to shelter. Children and their parents should never be penalized because they aren’t “homeless enough” or the experiencing the “right” kind of homelessness.

Check out our new, comprehensive web page on Emergency Assistance to get fact sheets, review documents, and read our Policy Alerts on this burgeoning issue: www.mahomeless.org/component/content/article/78-mch/185-ea-proposed-fy13-reg-changes

Working on poverty and homelessness is never lighthearted or easy work, but those of us in the field have developed a sense of optimism that allows us to come to work most days full of purpose, believing that we are making the world a better place by creating systemic policy change to end and prevent homelessness. We are resilient, and we’ve learned to take setbacks in stride because we believe that ultimately, good will prevail and that people—namely, policymakers—will “do the right thing.”

The events over the past few weeks, however, have us wondering to each other and to ourselves if our belief in “good” and “doing the right thing” will, in fact, prevail this time around.

The Coalition, Massachusetts Law Reform Institute, and other allied groups have been working around-the-clock since these proposed changes came about, and we’re starting to make some headway with legislators, the Administration, and the community.

Our wonderful colleagues at Neighbor to Neighbor, Arise for Social Justice, and Springfield No One Leaves held a rally outside Governor Patrick’s Springfield office to protest DHCD’s changes. Check out their awesome video and inspiring pictures on our EA web page.

We have also had our allies in the Legislature working with us to stop DHCD’s changes. Our legislative champions have been voicing their concern over these proposed restrictions to their colleagues and House and Senate Leadership, have contacted the Governor’s office with their concerns, and have been filing amendments in most recent supplemental budget. A very special shout out to Representatives Rushing, Provost, O’Day, and Wolf and Senators Donnelly, Eldridge, Spilka, and Clark for their tireless advocacy on this issue.

Though we are so thankful for the help of our elected officials and partner organizations, more needs to be done—and quickly.

While rules require that most of the changes take place 60 days after DHCD gives formal notice of their intent to implement changes to eligibility guidelines, some of DHCD’s proposed changes will take effect THIS WEEK. This means that many families will begin seeing their access to shelter restricted within in the next few days and children and their parent(s) will find that they have no safe place to go for the night—and if they do nothing to stop it, the Governor and the Legislature should feel the weight of responsibility for every single family that doesn’t have a roof over their heads due to DHCD’s proposed changes.

We need you to take action immediately to ensure that families are not thrown out on the streets. It’s easy and only requires a few minutes of your time, and we have numerous ways that you can help; find out about them at the end of this post.

There’s no doubt about the direness of the situation, but with your help, we can make a difference for families. We manage to hold onto our optimism and belief in good because of our supporters like you who, time after time, take action to help us win the good fight. Along with the families we are fighting for, it is the people like you who keep us going, and who give us the energy we need to keep fighting for justice.

Thank you for your support and compassion—by taking action today, you are ensuring a family has a roof over their heads.


HOW TO TAKE ACTION

Email and Phone Advocacy:

Call Governor Deval Patrick at 888-870-7770. Let him know that you are upset by DHCD’s proposals, and that you want him to halt these changes immediately. .

Call or email your State Representative and State Senator and ask them to speak to express their concerns over the changes and their desire to see these changes stopped to the Governor and to Senate President Therese Murray and Speaker of the House Robert DeLeo. Find contact info for your legislators here: www.mass.gov/legis.

 
Social Media Advocacy:

The easiest and quickest way to make an impact is to send a Tweet to the Governor letting him know that you expect him to shut down DHCD’s proposed changes. You can either re-Tweet one of the Coalition’s Tweets on the subject (http://twitter.com/#!/mahomeless) or send a Tweet that says something like:

@MassGovernor, @devalpatrick,@TimMurray_MA: Please halt the proposed EA shelter restrictions & protect families experiencing homelessness!

Posting a message on your own Facebook wall is another easy, quick way to let others know about the issue and how they can help. Go to http://www.facebook.com/macoalitionforthehomeless and “share” one of our posts on your own wall!

 
Thank you!
 

 

The Coalition's Legislative Action Day is on Leap Day this year, so get ready to Leap into Action to End Homelessness with us on February 29th at the State House!

Legislative Action Day is a chance to mobilize our members and supporters around a number of legislative and budget priorities intended to prevent and end homelessness. This year, our priorities include: maintaining access to Emergency Assistance; continuing funding for HomeBASE; increasing funding to programs such as RAFT and MRVP; passing House Bill 3838, An Act Providing Housing and Support Services to Unaccompanied Homeless Youth; and supporting House 2553/Senate 1416, An Act To Invest In Our Communities.

If each resident of Massahusetts could encourage their legislators to support each priority, just imagine the social and economic improvements that could serve as “one giant leap for (hu)mankind.” Here are just a few reasons to support the priorities, but check out our fact sheets on our web page to learn more!

• The rates of families and individuals experiencing homelessness are at an all-time high in Massachusetts: on any given night, 2.6% of Massachusetts residents are experiencing homelessness and in 2010, at least 22,569 children experienced homelessness.
• The economic downturn, combined with the greater need for services, has further strained the state’s already cash-strapped programs that provide housing supports and services to people in need.
• Less than half of the families that applied for shelter and services in 2011 were actually approved.
• While state programs have helped those who need assistance (for example, the HomeBASE program placed about 4,100 families into shelter or short-term housing between July and November 2011), these programs and services simply cannot meet the increasing demand without additional funding.

Make sure you register to attend this exciting, fun, and meaningful day! We hope to see everyone in the Great Hall at the State House on Wednesday, February 29^th at 9 a.m.!
 

Each year, the Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless asks members and volunteers to visit the State House and call for change. This year's Legislative Action Day will be held on Wednesday, February 29th (Leap Day!). Our theme will be “Leap into Action to End Homelessness!”

Start your day off right with a cup of coffee in the historic Great Hall of the State House and hear exciting and engaging speakers, including legislators, service providers, religious leaders, and people who have experienced homelessness. We promise you will get charged up for the call to action! You also will have the opportunity to meet with your State Representatives and Senators and their staff later in the day to discuss the Coalition's legislative priorities that affect those who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness. We can even set up the appointments for you!

Register today to attend Legislative Action Day! Simply click here to get started!