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| Reducing HomelessnessThe Challenge: reduce homelessness in cities, suburbs, and rural areas Important Progressive: accomplishing this challenge will contribute directly and specifically to the progressive values embodied by Roosevelt's Statement of Principles As urban renewal and the energy crisis create major shifts in the U.S. landscape, pulling people back toward inner cities once abandoned to crime and drugs, the homeless face an array of challenges that vastly outstrip their ability to adjust and survive. The homeless also comprise one of the most alienated and least understood demographic groups in the U.S.; seen by many as the 'undeserving poor,' their struggles against drug addiction, frequent violent attack, and hunger go uncommented upon too frequently. Furthermore, families with children make up the fastest growing segment of the homeless today - a fact that will increase chronic homelessness in the long term, given that persons who experience homelessness during their childhood are more likely to become homeless in adulthood as well. We should strive to not only change the state of homelessness in the U.S., but to know the homeless as fellow citizens, and not as a silent underclass. Innovative We're looking for policy challenges where innovation is needed: where there isn't already a clear solution or best practices, but solutions can be developed creatively. Our goal is to develop options, not to lobby or advocate for a solution that is already known or to debate among several yes or no outcomes or pre-defined policy choices. Other organizations do the important work of debating and lobbying, that's just not our place in the process. This problem requires innovative ideas to cope with the changing landscape of urban America. Drought in the southeast (the worst in 50 years, according to some experts) and climate change across the country will also have an adverse impact on the rate of homelessness in rural communities that frequently lack any resources to cope with the problem. (The urban v. rural divide further illustrates the existing need for innovation, given that these communities experience different kinds of homelessness and require community-specific solutions.) With 23% of the homeless being comprised of military veterans, and given the imminent return of thousands of U.S. servicemen and women, we also have an opportunity to seriously address issues about mental health and re-entry into civilian society. Although one cannot necessarily point to a causal link between military service and homelessness, it may be possible to design programs that ameliorate the negative impacts of military service and better prepare veterans for lives outside the military support system. Feasible Approachable: given the level of research and discourse already available and given who else is working on the issue, college students with a range of experience levels and with varied types of expertise can contribute meaningfully to the debate and are likely to think of good ideas. We don't want something so technical only engineering majors can contribute to it, or something that is already dominated by another think tank or advocacy organization. There are a variety of angles from which to approach this challenge, which in and of itself could produce some creative innovation in our proposed solutions. Looking at the rate of homelessness among military veterans, for example, provides a wholly separate range of options in terms of health care, federal funding, and preventative measures that can be taken well before homelessness occurs. Looking at the situation of homelessness and healthcare, we can expand on some of the Ideas introduced in the Working Families Challenge, and further explore options for preventative healthcare and drug treatment among a population that is the most likely to seek emergency care only. Because this challenge focuses on such a specific demographic group, the variety of funding avenues and problems faced by this group could generate research that incorporates the skills of many of the Roosevelt Institution's membership, thus generating a Challenge that we can engage with as whole organization. CommentsLove it. Especially like that students will be able to develop innovative policies based on their local experience. Excellent. The most prosperous democracy in the world should not have such a disenfranchised population. |
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