An Adelaide family who lost their home in a fire sparked by a faulty extension cord is facing the daunting prospect of homelessness due to the city’s tight rental market. The family has applied for new rentals but has faced rejection, leaving them at risk of being displaced for an extended period. The situation is particularly distressing as their five-year-old son is due to return to school next week, and his belongings were destroyed in the fire.
A homeless woman addicted to fentanyl gave birth in her tent near a fire station two weeks ago. The baby remains in the hospital, while the mother is back on the streets. Doctors say the use of fentanyl in pregnancy has increased in recent years, and they are still learning how to treat newborns withdrawing from the drug. A team of Multnomah County outreach workers continues to try and help the mother, but she has declined their offers of treatment and housing.
California officials have awarded Marin County nearly $19 million to help combat homelessness. The funds will be used to provide interim housing, social services, and permanent homes for individuals and families experiencing homelessness.
The Anchorage Assembly has unanimously approved the rezoning of a 9-acre Midtown lot owned by the city that has been occupied by a large homeless encampment for about a year. The rezone will allow the land to be developed into high-density multifamily housing, such as apartments, along with some commercial uses. The measure changes the zoning from an R-3 mixed residential to an R-4A multifamily residential mixed-use zone.
Los Angeles County’s proposed budget for the next year is $1.4 billion smaller than the previous year’s. The budget includes funding for more mental health workers, increased funding for homeless services, and a lower allocation for the Sheriff’s Department. The budget also includes $728.2 million in Measure H funding to address homelessness and $452 new jobs for the Department of Mental Health to run the new CARE Court program. The budget does not contain funding to address sexual abuse claims in foster homes, children’s shelters, and probation camps and halls, but the county is still assessing how it will address the matter. The county will hold public hearings on the budget over the next two months, and the supervisors can propose changes before voting on it in June.
The Saint John Tool Library has launched an initiative called “Vacant to Vibrant” to purchase and renovate vacant properties into transitional housing units. The project aims to address the city’s housing affordability crisis by creating up to 300 new units in vacant buildings. The initiative faces challenges in securing financing and identifying property owners, but it has secured some financial pledges and is working towards its first potential residence on Bay Street. The project highlights the potential of repurposing abandoned buildings as affordable housing solutions.
Hawaii lawmakers are considering phasing out short-term rentals to address the state’s severe housing crisis. Two bills currently in the legislature would grant counties authority to limit short-term rentals in residential areas, freeing up more homes for long-term residents. Proponents hope the measures will ease the housing shortage and rising homelessness rates, while opponents express concerns about potential financial losses and legal challenges.
The California Department of Health Care Services is holding monthly listening sessions to gather public input on how to spend $6.4 billion in bond proceeds to tackle homelessness, addiction, and mental illness. The next session is on May 29th at 9:30 AM. All are welcome to attend and share their thoughts, either in person or online. The first session focused on how to distribute $4.3 billion in competitive grants. The Southern California Sober Living Task Force encourages locals to weigh in on funding decisions, especially regarding the geographic concentration of sober living and recovery homes.
Prepare to be confronted with the stark realities of homelessness in America through the raw and unflinching lens of ’30 Seconds Away: Breaking the Cycle’. This powerful documentary follows the lives of six homeless men in Milwaukee over five years, delving into their daily struggles for survival and their encounters with the justice system. As you witness their stories, you’ll be challenged to question the cycle of poverty and incarceration and grapple with how we can truly help those in need.
The homeless encampment in St. John’s is expanding and residents are raising concerns about their safety and the lack of support from the government. Despite the province’s efforts to provide shelters and accommodations, many residents feel they are safer in tents and face challenges in accessing services. A recent incident involving a propane fire has highlighted the need for improved safety measures.
