February 2001

Views expressed are those of the authors, not necessarily of the AFSC.

Building a Movement for Homeless People

Martha Yager, AFSC staff based in Concord, NH, is coordinator of the NH Housing Forum, a coalition of advocacy groups.

Two Homes

Two homes for him
that Cuban boy on the news
candle light vigils
and a riot!
No home for me
in my own country!
No candle light vigils
all is quiet.
No movements!
No marches!
Nobody to care!
Just people who
walk by me and
stare!
I am but an
echo of a
life, a boy
too.

By Jeff C.

from Under The Bridge: Stories and Poems by Manchester's Homeless, Notre Dame College in Manchester, NH, available from The Way Home, 20 Merrimack St., Manchester, NH 03101, $10.

Most of the people who are homeless in New Hampshire are invisible to the casual observer. You might pick out a few who fit some stereotype, but most are harder to recognize. They are in our midst in ever growing numbers. Mothers fleeing abusive partners with several children in tow and a couple of trash bags of belongings.

Children sitting in class hoping the rain will stop because tents are no fun in the rain (not to mention that it is a hard place to do homework), and there is no place else to go. A family of five crammed in one small room at a friend's apartment, praying that the landlord doesn't find out--or they will all be on the street. A dad working two jobs to provide for his wife and two kids, bitter that it wasn't enough. The baby got sick and they got behind in rent and got evicted. What now?

Homeless Memorial Day, December 21, 2000--the Winter Solstice and longest night of the year, memorialized by advocates for homeless people in a number of cities across the nation--to call attention to the growing number of individuals and families who are homeless and to remember those who have died alone. Photo: Lily Marrow

Indeed, what now? New Hampshire is in the midst of a severe housing crisis. Last year almost 4000 single adults, a thousand adults in families, and 1249 children where sheltered in the state's 39 shelters. Another 9000 were turned away for lack of space. Untold numbers are doubled up with friends or family members. Rental vacancy rates are below one percent and prices of both rental and single family housing have climbed beyond the reach of many working families. Indeed, what now?

Jeff's poem must serve as our rallying cry. It is essential that people fortunate enough to have homes speak up, become visible. We must make it clear to elected officials that building housing for people of all economic conditions is a very high priority. We must work on the local level to convince zoning boards to approve new construction. We must convince people in the legislature to appropriate money for emergency housing and to remove the barriers to new construction that have played such a large role in creating the problem. Jeff is right. It will take a movement. It will take many more candle light vigils. It will take your involvement. AFSC will be working with the NH Housing Forum to build a broad coalition that will work on legislative and policy changes to build more housing and provide services to people who are homeless. We need your help.

Ways to help:

• Become familiar with the housing needs in your community. Talk to the city welfare office and local Community Action program to learn more about local need. Find out how much new housing (and what kind) has been built in your town and what kinds of projects have been turned down. Get involved with the zoning board or with the planning commission.
• Talk with local agencies to determine what aid is needed and organize that--a food drive, personal hygiene kits, or school kits for children in shelters.
• Get involved with a regional affordable housing coalition.
• Speak with your legislators about housing legislation (and education funding, which is closely related to the resistance to building new housing).
  

Housing advocacy will take the involvement of lots of people on a local level to counter the deep resistance to low income housing and to new family housing of any kind. Every little bit that you do helps. Please join us in building a movement.

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