Homelessness and affordable housing

Boston has an action plan to end chronic homelessness by 2018, and has touted its successes. Yet emergency shelters are still full. What gives?

Part of the problem is lack of affordable housing. (To be sure, it’s just part of a multi-faceted problem.) Programs like HomeStart perform a valuable role in offering stabilization and housing services to vulnerable populations. They’re prevention program served 454 households – keeping them off the rolls of the homeless. That’s powerful.

Today, I donated to HomeStart, through my friend Lisa’s fundraising. She’ll be riding in her corporate “iCycle” event – a series of spin classes held outdoors, in the middle of winter. I’m an alumnus of that same company, by the way, so I’m personally vested in their effort, though I won’t be joining them on their bikes. Good luck, Lisa.