Shelters

Several men stand waiting in front of Bread of Life Mission brick building in Seattle, Washington.

Seattle mayor pledges to build 500 shelter units by June

The Seattle Times editorial board expresses cautious optimism about the mayor's ambitious supportive housing plan.

April 20, 2026 - The Seattle Times

Row of green and yellow tiny homes in Esperanza Community shelter in Austin, Texas.

Austin Approves Over $10 Million for Homelessness Programs

The funding package supports emergency shelters totaling close to 500 beds.

March 5, 2026 - Community Impact Newspaper

Unhoused people and tents surrounded by everyday items on sidewalk in Denver, Colorado.

Denver Cut Unsheltered Homelessness Almost in Half Even as Unhoused Population Grows

While the total number of Denver residents without permanent housing is growing, the city has leveraged its resources to quickly create over 1,000 new emergency shelter beds.

March 4, 2026 - Governing

Man walks past homeless encampment behind concrete Jersey barriers on street in Oakland, California with RVs parked behind tents.

Oakland Mayor, City Council Offer ‘Radically Different’ Plans for Reducing Homelessness

Mayor Barbara Lee wants to reduce encampment sweeps and focus on improving sanitation while city council members want to increase enforcement, particularly against illegally parked RVs.

February 17, 2026 - The Mercury News

Unhoused people sitting on a concrete ledge in a public park in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Utah Shelter Plan Criticized as ‘Homeless Detention Camp’

A proposal to build a 1,300-bed shelter campus faces backlash from advocates concerned that it would be akin to a detention center.

February 3, 2026 - Smart Cities Dive

Tents set up by unhoused people surrounded by assorted everyday items on snowy Portland sidewalk.

Portland Service Providers Say Mayor’s Methods for Ending Homelessness ‘Least Effective’

Experts say the mayor’s focus on overnight-only shelters fails to get people into long-term housing with the supportive services they need.

January 29, 2026 - Shelterforce

Tent pitched under freeway overpass in Houston, Texas.

Once a Leader in Reducing Homelessness, Houston Reports Fewest Shelter Beds in 2 Decades

The number of unsheltered Houstonians grew after a decline in 2024.

November 7, 2025 - Urban Edge

Screenshot of website advertising 50 micro-housing modular units on auction.

Michigan Capital's $640K ‘Pod’ Homes for Homeless Residents not Approved for Winter Use

Lansing officials approved a plan to purchase 50 modular micro-housing units as emergency shelter for the city’s unhoused residents.

September 11, 2025 - Associated Press

Black and white photo of San Francisco city hall neoclassical dome with person walking across crosswalk in foreground.

San Francisco Mayor Backtracks on Homelessness Goal

Mayor Dan Lurie ran on a promise to build 1,500 additional shelter beds in the city, complete with supportive services. Now, his office says they are “shifting strategy” to focus on prevention and mental health treatment.

July 9, 2025 - The San Francisco Standard

Line of RVs being used as homes parked on street in Mountain View, California.

Seattle Safe Parking Site to Close, Relocate

A nonprofit leases lots during permitting stages to erect tiny homes and RV safe parking sites for unhoused residents. But the model means constant uncertainty and displacement.

May 25, 2025 - The Seattle Times

Aerial view of rural community of Kuttawa, Kentucky

Addressing Rural Homelessness in Kentucky

A Kentucky Lantern series focuses on the challenges unhoused Kentuckians face and efforts to provide support and assistance.

May 25, 2025 - WEKU

Black and white photos of camp made up of small 'earthquake shacks' in Dolores Park in 1906 after the San Francisco earthquake.

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees

More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

April 15, 2025 - Charles F. Bloszies

Aerial view of Grants Pass, Oregon with fall foliage and hills in background with a cloudy sky.

Judge Halts Enforcement of Anti-Homeless Laws in Grants Pass

The Oregon city will be barred from enforcing two ordinances that prosecute unhoused residents until it increases capacity and accessibility at designated camping sites.

March 31, 2025 - Street Roots

Line of tents set up against a fence on a public sidewalk in San Francisco, California with bikes and personal items around.

San Francisco Announces Plan to Overhaul Homelessness Strategy

Mayor Lurie’s three-phase plan promises 1,500 new shelter beds and a restructuring of outreach teams and supportive service programs.

March 20, 2025 - ABC7 News

Tent covered with camouflage tarp with American flag on front under freeway overpass in California.

Investigation Reveals Just How Badly California’s Homeless Shelters are Failing

Fraud, violence, death, and chaos follow a billion dollar investment in a temporary solution that is proving ineffective.

March 3, 2025 - The Associated Press

"No Camping" stencil on concrete.

Why Accuracy in Homelessness Data Matters

Cities have access to tools that can more effectively capture information about unhoused residents and pinpoint what types of resources are needed and where.

February 16, 2025 - Governing

View up at US Department of Housing and Urban Development building in Washington, D.C.

National Housing Group Criticizes Executive Orders

The National Low Income Housing Coalition issued a statement charging that Trump’s executive orders would worsen the housing crisis.

January 27, 2025 - National Low Income Housing Coalition

Omaha, Nebraska skyline at dusk.

Omaha Homeless Services Providers Struggle to Keep Up

With the worst of winter weather ahead, shelter providers say there are not enough beds to meet the rising rate of homelessness in the city.

January 8, 2025 - First Alert 6

National Mall in winter with snow and people walking around, Washington Monument obelisk visible in background.

DC Shelters Brace for Extreme Cold

Homeless service providers are conducting outreach to help bring people indoors ahead of a potentially life-threatening winter storm.

January 7, 2025 - Washington 7News

Close-up of white and black NO CAMPING sign on black iron fence.

Nevada Cities Pass Punitive Anti-Homeless Laws

State legislators rejected a proposed bill that would have enshrined a “Homeless Person’s Bill of Rights” in state law.

January 3, 2025 - Nevada Current

FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?

After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.

Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold

The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.

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