AmeriCorps Week: A Celebration of National Service, March 12 – 18 During AmeriCorps Week, THN thanks the following four THN AmeriCorps VISTA members and recognizes their hard work to end poverty across Texas and New Mexico. Over the past year, THN VISTA members have served over 9,120 hours, recruited 84 volunteers, raised over $55,000 in[…]

The State of Housing Affordability in Texas: Out of Reach By: Lisa Albracht As the 88th Texas legislative session progresses, we’re reflecting on where our state stands in regard to housing affordability. The National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) released its annual report, “Out of Reach 2022: The High Cost of Housing,” highlighting the mismatch[…]

In memory of those we lost, we must be resolute and advocate for what prevents and ends homelessness. After reading the Honorable Ron Simmons op-ed on December 14th in the Dallas Morning News and duplicated here, I felt compelled to write a response. First, I want to thank the former Representative for highlighting the fact[…]

Ways to Help Your Neighbors Experiencing Homelessness By: Aubrey Fetzer It can be really overwhelming to see folks in your community experiencing homelessness. The reality of homelessness can be hard to come to terms with, especially when, culturally, it feels like the overarching message from our national, state, and local leadership is that if you[…]

City of Longview Homeless Resource Day 2022 By: Sabrina Fields The City of Longview hosted its annual Homeless Resource Day on Thursday, January 27, at the Longview Exhibit Building. Homeless Resource Day connects Longview’s unhoused population with resources and services to assist with basic needs such as shelter, food, and counseling. A variety of direct[…]

How Climate Change Continues to Impact Homelessness By: Cindy Ramirez Everything is bigger in Texas… and that, unfortunately, still applies to the climate change in our state. In the past year, Texans have experienced severe thunderstorms (including heavy rainfall and tornadoes) and wildfires. As a result of these increasingly frequent natural disasters, many more people have lost[…]

The Future of America’s Rental Housing 2022 By: Nick Thompson For the first time since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University recently released America’s Rental Housing 2022 report. This report demonstrates the instability of the rental market in contrast with an inflated economy and continued pandemic. […]

Together, We Are AmeriCorps Celebrating AmeriCorps Week, March 13 – 19 By: Lisa Albracht During AmeriCorps Week we recognize the millions of Americans who have chosen to serve their country through AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps Seniors and encourage more Americans to follow in their footsteps in service. THN would like to thank the following eight THN[…]

The Safety Paradox: Housing and Intimate Partner Violence During Covid-19 By: Michelle Kaiser Everyone in the world has experienced hardships due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but survivors of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) have been especially impacted. Due to the stay-at-home orders and social distancing, people are stuck at home with their abusers. Those spending more[…]

Transgender and Non-Binary Discrimination and Homelessness By: Michelle Kaiser One in three transgender people in the United States have experienced homelessness. The 2019 PIT Count revealed some terrible disparities in gender identity and housing. 63% of transgender people and 80% of nonbinary people experiencing homelessness were unsheltered. These numbers are high for a lot of reasons, and all of[…]

Veterans Generating Change: The Importance of Hiring Folks with Lived Experience By: Marliza Marin What would you do if you had to choose between a roof over your head or a source of steady income? For a veteran experiencing homelessness, the question wasn’t a hypothetical one. I had the honor of listening to Juan’s story.[…]

Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day 2021 By: Eric Samuels Every morning at 6:45 a.m. I wake up, and like many of you, I check the emails that have come in throughout the evening or early morning. However, unlike most of you, the first email I read every day is about our neighbors who passed away. The[…]

Texas Homeless Network Receives $2 Million Bezos Day 1 Families Fund Grant to Help End Homelessness for Families in Texas Day 1 Families Fund grants $96.2 million to 32 nonprofits across the country to provide shelter for children and families in need Texas Homeless Network (THN), an organization that leads Texas communities to make homelessness[…]

Experiencing Homelessness as a Person with a Disability By: Tracy Ferezan Have you ever been grateful to have a roof over your head? Have you ever felt relief that you did not have a disability that prevented you from doing things in life such as daily chores? Now imagine if you will, having the before[…]

A History of Homelessness in the United States By: Jen Beardsley Sometimes the more things change, the more they stay the same. Annoying as platitudes may feel, this one is made gospel by the shockingly similar responses modern America and medieval Europe had to spikes in homelessness. While a conviction of vagrancy (or loitering, criminal[…]