Ep040 - Let's Talk About Homelessness

If you live in any city in America, you might have noticed the steady increase of homelessness that's been happening since 2016. It's a complicated problem without any single cause or solution, and the current political climate is, we'll say, not exactly great at dealing with nuanced issues. So I spoke with my friend Adam Luck who is the CEO of City Care in Oklahoma City. City Care, among many other wonderful services, offers a no barrier night shelter for people who need a place to stay. We talk about many of the contributing factors causing homelessness and how governments, citizens, and non-profits can work together to help solve it.  00:00:00 Intro 00:01:54 Interview with Adam Luck 00:03:25 Why has homelessness increased since 2016? 00:11:01 What and how many support systems have to fail to become homeless? 00:15:01 How do we get to the root issues causing homelessness? 00:19:04 Perception and sympathy 00:22:33 Why do homelessness rates vary so much state to state? 00:28:21 What is the government's role in solving homelessness? 00:30:06 Who's staying at a low-barrier facility and for how long? 00:34:32 Housing first and last 00:39:27 What did cities like San Diego and Houston do to see the success they have in reducing homelessness? 00:45:41 I don't know anyone who wants to go back to living on the street after having transitioned out of that 01:06:17 Let's talk about mental illness and its relation to homelessness 01:21:29 What is Adam's dream leatherwork project? LINKS: * Built for Zero Initiative - https://community.solutions/built-for-zero-state-initiatives/ * City Care OKC - citycareokc.org * Remerge - https://www.remergeok.org