At his press conference last month, in response to a question about a new report by the National Center on Family Homelessness showing that one out of every 50 U.S. children is homeless, President Obama said he is heartbroken that even one child is homeless in America, and that homelessness is unacceptable in a country as wealthy as ours. Click here to read the President's comments.

NLCHP applauded this statement and called on the President to take specific actions to prevent and end homelessness in America. Click here to read the original letter we wrote together with 15 other national advocates to the President outlining our agenda.

Our letter called for $15.6 billion to be included in the stimulus legislation to stop the rising tide of homelessness caused by the current recession. Although the Stimulus, as enacted, included only a tenth of this money for homelessness prevention through the new Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-housing program, it will benefit many of the families at greatest risk of becoming homeless.

Earlier this month, together with our partner the National Alliance to End Homelessness, NLCHP sponsored a webinar on the new $1.5 billion program in the President's recently enacted stimulus package. The call, which had to be limited due to technological capacity, drew over 800 participants from across the country. Click here for the archived content.

There is clearly great interest in the funds, which will assist people and families at imminent risk of homelessness with short- and medium-term housing, for a period of up to 18 months. This is much needed, especially given the surge in homelessness as a result of the foreclosure crisis and economic downturn. The amount of money appropriated is significant. But will it end homelessness in America? No.

Homelessness is unacceptable in a country as rich as ours, and ending and preventing it is essential. But, as outlined in our coalition letter, doing so will require a serious investment in permanent affordable housing. It will also entail ensuring living wage employment for those who are able to work and adequate support for those who are unable, as well as education, health care and other necessary services. A change of attitudes is also crucial, as the President noted: it should include the recognition that housing is a human right for all.

Maria Foscarinis
Executive Director

On March 28, 2009, Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) held the first in a series of national Congressional field hearings on the crisis in affordable housing in Los Angeles. In a victory for NLCHP, Rep. Waters committed to introducing a resolution proclaiming a right to housing for children, drafted in large part by NLCHP.

NLCHP has been working with Rep. Waters' office for many months to arrange field hearings on the crisis in affordable housing and resulting homelessness, together with our national and local partners as part of the Campaign to Restore National Housing Rights. NLCHP submitted written testimony to the hearing in Los Angeles, and our community partners -- the LA Coalition to End Hunger & Homelessness, Beyond Shelter, and the USC's School of Social Work -- all presented oral testimony to a packed house.

NLCHP has also been working with our local partners in L.A. to address the increasing problem of children being separated from their families due to loss of their housing. For a country that supposedly prizes family values, our housing policies fail to value families - removing children to foster care when their parents become homeless, even though studies show that it is cheaper and better to provide housing for the whole family. At the hearing in L.A., Rep. Waters made a sweeping statement from the podium condemning the practice of separating families due to homelessness, and vowing to introduce the resolution developed by NLCHP, USC, and Beyond Shelter to proclaim a right for families to be housed together.

NLCHP will continue to work with our partners and Rep. Waters' office to hold additional field hearings across the country as the housing crisis deepens, and to promote the passage of the resolution on children's right to housing.

NLCHP thanks the US Human Rights Fund and the Butler Family Fund for support of its Human Rights Program.

"Casey," a young teenager, was being verbally abused by her parents, who kicked her out of the house with nothing but a t-shirt and shorts in the middle of winter. She tried to return once, and her dad threw her out again, pulling her out of the house by her hair. She doubled up with a friend in the next district and the school wanted to enroll her, but her father then demanded that she come back home and continue school there.

The new school was reluctant to enroll her without her parents' consent, fearing its legal liability for doing so, but NLCHP drafted a letter letting them know Casey's right to enroll herself under the McKinney-Vento Act. Casey's father then proceeded to call the school to un-enroll her, and although she re-enrolled the next day, it appeared this would be a difficult ongoing situation. NLCHP wrote a new letter, noting that under state law, Casey's dad had to un-enroll her in person, putting the burden on him. The letter also stated that youth Casey's age in that state can establish separate residences from their parents through a simple school board approval process. Casey is now doing well in her new school because of NLCHP's intervention.

NLCHP's Homelessness Wiki continues to grow as a central resource of legal tools for housing and anti-poverty advocates across the country. NLCHP has expanded the advocacy manual to include a Foreclosure section and another section containing resources pertaining to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The news page now contains news articles related to foreclosures and updates in homelessness policy. New partners are beginning to contribute to the Wiki as well, and we encourage interested organizations to email nlchp@nlchp.org if you have expertise to add to the content!

The Wiki is a collaborative online resource. It includes an advocacy manual consisting of fact sheets, Q&A, statutory materials, litigation documents, model programs, policies and legislation, and in-depth articles. The site also provides a central location for advocates and organizations to post training sessions and events, as well as offering the latest news from partner organizations and ways to get more involved in the effort to end homelessness.

NLCHP regularly sublets its extra office space at its 14th and K Street offices in downtown Washington, DC. Three fully furnished offices, which are sufficient for two people each, are available for sublet beginning immediately. These offices are grouped together at one end of the suite and are ideal for a small organization. Each office includes two phone lines and free internet service. Tenants will share use of a kitchen, conference room, copier, postage machine and fax machine. NLCHP offices are convenient to the metro system and major bus lines. Contact Vibha Bhatia at vbhatia@nlchp.org for more information.

Time is running out to mail your submissions for NLCHP's annual artwork contest for homeless and low-income children!

Each year, NLCHP selects one winner and two runners-up whose artwork will be displayed at the McKinney-Vento Awards ceremony, along with other selected artwork from this and previous years' contests. The winning artwork will also be used on the four awards that will be presented to honorees at the event, as well as other NLCHP outreach materials. The top three artists will also receive a prize for their outstanding work.

Submissions will be accepted from children in the DC area who are enrolled in after-school programs or art-related organizations serving homeless and low-income children, or who are currently residing in shelters. Entries in the contest must meet all criteria listed in the guidelines, and must also include the entry & release form, signed by a parent or legal guardian. The winner will be invited to attend NLCHP's awards dinner in September, along with his or her parents.

The deadline for submissions is June 15, 2009. Visit the NLCHP website for more information.

Do you know someone who has overcome homelessness and is willing to speak in front of an audience about their experiences at the 2009 McKinney-Vento Awards ceremony? Nominate them for our Personal Achievement Award!

Each year, NLCHP seeks nominations to recognize and honor a formerly homeless individual for his or her personal achievement in conquering adversity. We welcome nominees in any of our program categories: Civil Rights; Children and Youth; Human Rights; Housing, Income and Services; Base Closure and Surplus Property; or Domestic Violence. Share a story of success! For more information visit our website or email Jessica Libbey at jlibbey@nlchp.org.

NLCHP is a 501(c)(3) organization. Contact us at (202) 638-2535 or email us at nlchp@nlchp.org

Or visit our website at http://www.nlchp.org