Communities struggle to make best use of COVID homeless aid
By Shaena Montanari and Natalie WaltersHoward Center for Investigative Journalism
Funding delays and confusing spending restrictions have hampered communities’ abilities to capitalize on the largest influx of homeless aid in American history.
Calculating the impact of HUD’s homeless formulas
By Andy Blye and Austin FastHoward Center for Investigative Journalism
It took a pandemic for the federal government to actually consider homeless people in determining how much homeless aid to give out. Without congressional action, a decadeslong formula problem remains.
Federal aid divides homeless in the Twin Cities
By Helen Wieffering, Agya K. Aning and Helena WegnerHoward Center for Investigative Journalism
The Twin Cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis have faced an alarming rise in homelessness during the pandemic, but there’s nothing similar in how they’ve confronted the crisis.
Two cities tried to fix homelessness, only one succeeded
By Audrey Jensen, Jill Ryan, Chloe Jones and Madeline AckleyHoward Center for Investigative Journalism
Housing First is considered a best practice for addressing homelessness, but where one city succeeded, another still struggles. A surge in pandemic homeless aid will help, but experts say only with strategic planning.
Puerto Rico’s nonprofits fear history repeating itself in homeless aid
By Lidia Terrazas and Molly BohannonHoward Center for Investigative Journalism
Homeless providers in Puerto Rico fear that the history of federal emergency funding problems in the U.S. territory will continue with homeless aid provided by the CARES Act and impede their ability to care for those trying to survive the COVID-19 pandemic.
Racial equity is key to helping homeless during the pandemic
By Chloe Jones and Anne MickeyHoward Center for Investigative Journalism
Racial equity should be at the center of homeless responses during the COVID-19 pandemic, experts say, a recognition that people of color are disproportionately affected by both homelessness and the pandemic.