Dear Fellow Portland Housing/Homeless Activists:
Homelessness is increasing worldwide. Housing costs are skyrocketing. Governments are more inclined to support tax cuts for the wealthy than help for low income people. Drastic cuts of essential entitlement or safety net programs are looming on the horizon--courtesy of the Bush Administration and U.S. Congress.
To truly end homelessness and poverty worldwide, we need to do more than just develop 10 year plans to end homelessness or bureaucracies to study the problem.
This is why the National Coalition for the Homeless, the nation's oldest and largest national homelessness advocacy organization, supports such proactive legislative initiatives as the National Affordable Housing Trust Fund and the Bringing America Home Act. If enacted by Congress, both pieces of legislation would end homelessness in this country.
In addition to tackling the roots causes of poverty (lack of affordable housing, no universal health insurance, and poor-paying jobs) in this country and elsewehere, we support the development/operation of tent cities and other alternative housing models.
We join you in this international day of solidarity pushing for an end to homelessness and poverty today, not ten years from now.
Sincerely,
Michael Stoops
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