Advocacy & Homelessness News

Advocacy

Help end homelessness and change lives!

Advocate for key legislation to help increase funding for affordable housing and supportive services for homeless and low-income families and individuals.

• How to Lobby: The Basics of Contacting Your Legislator by the Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless
• How to Find Your Legislator
• Register To Vote

HomeStart is a member of several statewide and national coalitions that are advancing legislation and public policies we support. To learn more about the work that they do, check out the following websites:

• Citizen's Housing and Planning Association (CHAPA)
• Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless
• Massachusetts Housing and Shelter Alliance (MHSA)
• National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH)
• National Low Income Housing Coalition

Homelessness - In The News

Boston Homeless Census Reveals a Growing Crisis for Homeless Families

In January of 2008, Mayor Thomas Menino announced the preliminary results for the 28th Annual City of Boston Homeless Census.

The annual count of Boston's homeless indicated that the number of homeless individual adults is down for the third year in a row, but the number of homeless families has increased significantly by 17%. And once again, the fastest growing homeless population continues to be that of children with a 24% increase in numbers since last year.

Mayor Menino attributed the 4.6% decrease in homeless adults to the same approach which HomeStart has continued to implement since 1994 by saying, "Our housing strategy has focused on moving elderly and disabled individuals from the streets into permanent housing. This demonstrates what I have always believed: housing is the solution to homelessness."

Mayor Vows to Fight for Block Grant Funding

Says US program cuts have a ‘drastic impact’

Mayor Menino is fighting to ensure that Boston does not lose $3.6 million next year under President Bush’s budget proposal, affecting nonprofit agencies across the city. The writer of this Globe article, Matt Viser, sought the view from HomeStart’s own George Caponigro, a former client & now on our Board of Directors. George states, “This is more than just statistics . . . People need that vital end of the tunnel. That’s what these things are about: Second chances in life.” More...