Policy & Practice | December 2021

The Housing Insecurity Crisis Is More Urgent Than Ever Homelessness is a growing problem in the United States. After falling for six straight years, the number of people experiencing homelessness nationwide started to climb in 2016, reaching 580,466 people by 2020. 4 COVID-19 and its economic impact, together with climate change, further compound the challenge. Forecasters predict that COVID-19 will cause twice as much homelessness as the Great Recession, with delayed impacts and counts peaking in 2023. 5 The end of the eviction moratorium has left many families in danger of losing their homes. And climate change is expected to put an increasing number of people at risk. By 2050, the United States is projected to lose more than 24,000 housing units due to repeated flooding. 6 What can be done to reverse this tide? Challenging Existing Orthodoxies About Housing Insecurity and Homelessness Orthodoxies are deeply held beliefs about how things should be done. They often take the form of standard practices that help individuals and institutions function more efficiently. But they also can produce dogmatic resistance to change and blind spots

that can prevent the development of new and better methods. The pandemic has challenged many orthodoxies—whether it’s the notion that certain services can be only delivered in person, or that work must be done in offices from 9 to 5—and shown that letting go of the norm can unlock new opportunities. The success of Bergen County, and other jurisdictions across the country, is challenging governments to think differently about how to tackle housing insecurity and homelessness. New beliefs are reshaping initiatives to find shelter for people who currently lack it, and to reduce the chance that people will become homeless or relapse into homelessness once they’ve secured housing. These emerging principles include the following: n Accessing resources is critical across a spectrum of housing needs prevention and mitigation strategies n Ending homelessness requires an ecosystem approach It’s Not Just About Homelessness: Accessing Resources Is Critical n Real-time, integrated data are necessary to develop effective

spectrum of needs to better understand the common challenges they face as they navigate the system (see Figure 1). Take the unsheltered homeless, for example. While experiences vary widely, all individuals and families in this situation need to quickly find lifeline resources, be it space in a shelter or meals. People often don’t know how to locate resources. They find it nearly impossible to determine whether they are eligible for a shelter or if there’s space available when they need it without a significant effort connecting directly with multiple providers. Often, a good case manager makes the difference between someone who continues to experience homelessness or someone who gains stable housing. Contrast that with the needs of the housing insecure who need different supports that provide relief, whether it’s help with paying overdue rent or utilities or assistance from a housing counselor. A sudden change in one area of life—a relationship, their health, access to transportation, or job status—could push them into homelessness. Individuals who are housing-cost burdened face similar challenges when an unexpected life event can lead to a sudden decrease in the resources available to pay rent, utilities, or a mortgage. People experiencing housing insecurity and who are housing-cost burdened often

Across a Spectrum of Housing Needs

Individuals experiencing housing insecurity can be grouped along a

Lydia Murray is a managing director with Deloitte Consulting LLP’s Government & Public Services practice.

Kelly Mahoney is a senior manager leading the HHS and Labor Nerve Center in Deloitte's Human Services Transformation practice.

Tiffany Dovey Fishman is a senior manager with Deloitte’s Center for Government Insights.

Jamia McDonald , JD, is a principal with Deloitte Consulting LLP’s

Jordan Schneidman is a principal in Deloitte Consulting LLP’s

Courtney Brett is a manager in

Deloitte Consulting LLP’s Government & Public Services practice.

Government & Public Services practice.

Government & Public Services practice.

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Policy&Practice December 2021