The National Coalition for the Homeless is a national network of people
who are currently experiencing or who have experienced homelessness, activists,
community-based, and faith-based service providers committed to a single
mission. This mission is to prevent and end homelessness, also while ensuring the
immediate needs of those experiencing homelessness are met and their civil rights
are protected. They are many issues that derive and occur from the concern of
homelessness. One problem that we may all be familiar with is the affordability of
housing. The lack of affordable housing and the limited scale of housing
assistance programs contributes to the current housing crisis and homelessness.
HISTORY
Homelessness in America isn’t anything new and it has remained a
constant presence in all major cities. This counterculture reached epic proportions
during the Great Depression of the 1930’s when families were no longer able to
afford their homes. It is thought that over two million were homeless at this time
and many suffered severely from starvation and poverty. Although this situation
improved as the country came out of a recession, laws that were passed during the
1960-70’s brought more citizens into the streets causing them to be homeless. The
roots of the National Coalition for the homeless began in 1981, when founder,
Robert Hayes filed a lawsuit on behalf of a man experiencing homelessness in
New York city. The lawsuit was settled out and people experiencing homelessness
received the right to shelter in New York City. NCH was the first national
advocacy organization to involve former and present homeless people in
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