In an op-ed published in USA Today, “I lived in a homeless encampment for a week. I saw how Housing First doesn’t work.” Mayor Mike Coffman of Aurora, Colorado, explains how the community is combating homelessness.
Coffman describes how nonprofit models can work to help improve communities and alleviate homelessness.
Below are excerpts from the op-ed. The full article can be found here at USA Today.
“After spending time in encampments, it became clear that solving homelessness won’t have a one-size-fits-all solution. Many individuals were battling addiction and had little chance of holding down a job. Others dealt with mental health challenges.
That’s why a broader approach is necessary. Federal and state governments should expand support for other programs that respect individual responsibility and focus on moving people forward ‒ especially addiction recovery, mental health and job training ‒ rather than leaving them to repeat destructive cycles that hold them back.”
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“As a Coloradan, I don’t have to look very far to find successful models with tangible results.
Step Denver provides free housing, addiction recovery programs and peer recovery support for hundreds of men each year. The program includes career counseling, 12-step meetings and life skills classes. After leaving, 84% find a full-time job and 80% report sustained sobriety.
Likewise, Ready to Work, a program run by Boulder-based nonprofit Bridge House, takes a “three-legged stool” approach by providing employment, housing and additional support like career mentoring and medical care to homeless individuals in Boulder and Aurora. Nearly three-quarters of Ready to Work’s trainees successfully move on to permanent housing after about a year in the program.”
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“Aurora is taking action to invest in people and establish the infrastructure needed to have a lasting impact. I hope it can serve as a model for cities nationwide.”
