PHILADELPHIA- It is estimated approximately 3.5 million people in the United States are likely to experience homelessness. According to the Huffington Post, occurrence of homelessness has increased dramatically over the past 20 years. By knowing the issues surrounding homelessness and applying a face to the issue, the problem can be solved. The Homeless Advocacy Project (HAP) in Philadelphia has done just that.
The HAP is in existence to meet both the legal and advocacy needs of homeless individuals and families in Philadelphia. According to homelessadvocacyproject.org, the staff is made up of 13 workers and 400 volunteers including lawyers, paralegals and law students.
The HAP started in the fall of 1990 when a group of disturbed members of the Philadelphia bar and the homeless services community decided to address unmet legal needs of the city’s homeless population. Their concern and belief the homeless people of Philadelphia have complex and unique legal problems are the driving force behind their motivation.
They believed the homeless people lacked an understanding of their legal rights and the ability to make effective use of the advocacy and service organizations available to them.
In order to guarantee that the homeless people had an access to legal services, HAP’s founders created an organization designed to deliver the necessary services directly to them at places where they live and eat. Direct outreach is why the HAP has been so successful. They are able to network with shelter providers, homeless advocates, community services providers and the legal community to provide the homeless clients with the legal representation they need.
Since the HAP’s first legal clinic in December 1990, more than 32,100 people have been helped by providing them with more than $45 million worth of free legal services. In addition, HAP advocates against the criminalization of homelessness, most recently working with civil rights advocates to identify and stop police officers from improperly issuing citations on Philadelphia’s streets.
The National Coalition for the Homeless (NCH) explains the two trends that are mostly responsible for the rise in homelessness over the past 20 years to 25 years: an increasing shortage of affordable rental housing and an increase in poverty simultaneously. In addition, foreclosure, poverty, corroding work opportunities, decline in public assistance and sometimes illness play major roles.
The NCH explains that homelessness, “results from a complex set of circumstances that require people to choose between food, shelter, and other basic needs.”
To further raise awareness for homelessness, the NCH organized a Global Youth service day, chaired by First Lady Michelle Obama that helped to engage young people and celebrate youth leadership in all 50 United States and in over 100 countries around the world. Now they have spread the word about homelessness in the U.S. and around the globe.
– Lindsey Lerner
Sources: Homeless Advocacy Project, Huffington Post, National Homeless
Photo: Looking Out For Others