About NPACH
The National Policy and
Advocacy Council on Homelessness (NPACH) is a national
grassroots organization whose primary concern is to
ensure that national homelessness policy accurately
reflects the needs of local communities. NPACH works to
accomplish its mission through:
Education. By
informing the public and policymakers on the
causes and consequences of homelessness, we can
create the will to bring about real change.
Grassroots
organizing. By uniting a broad base of
antipoverty organizations, we can form a powerful
coalition that is heard across America.
Research.
Our staff joins with local, state, and national
organizations to study the impact of federal
legislation and policy on local communities.
Technical
assistance. NPACH is dedicated to helping
local groups and service providers as they seek
to access funding for their programs. We also
assist advocacy groups in the process of building
strong local coalitions which can better serve
their homeless populations. Learn more about our
technical assistance services here.
NPACH’s Regional Presence
The NPACH Southern Regional Office
(NPACH-SRO) has been working to coordinate Southern
regional efforts with national strategies, and also to
provide a direct connection between national advocacy and
the experience of local service providers. NPACH-SRO is
located in the historic Hope House in New Orleans.
NPACH is a partner of the
Western Regional Advocacy Project (WRAP). Led by former
Coalition on Homelessness-San Francisco Executive
Director Paul Boden, WRAP serves as a regional organizing
and advocacy voice, ensuring that the needs of local
communities on the west coast reach national discussions
on homelessness policy
NPACH's
Initiatives
NPACH is working nationally to expand
awareness of, broaden support for, and implement the
following initiatives:
Rethinking
Homelessness: Homelessness occurs in rural,
urban, and suburban communities alike, and has
devastating effects on families, children, youth,
seniors, and individuals. Yet current federal policy, as
exemplified by the Administration’s
"chronic" homelessness initiative, is not sensitive to the realities
of all communities and to the needs of all populations
experiencing homelessness. As a result, many vulnerable
populations are excluded from the services and supports
they need to regain stability and escape the harm of
homelessness. Moreover, the Department of Housing and
Urban Development statutory definition of homelessness
does not include households who are sharing the housing
of others temporarily because they have nowhere else to
go (commonly referred to as "doubled-up"), or
those who are staying in motels and similar places due to
lack of alternatives. Because such households are not
included in the HUD definition of homelessness, they are excluded from HUD
services. NPACH is working with key partners and members
of Congress to amend the HUD definition, making it more
inclusive of the needs of families, children, and youth.
The
"Homelessness Isn't Funny" Campaign: In
order to increase awareness about homelessness and reach
a broader audience, NPACH has created a national campaign
that will feature comedy and music performances across
the country. By involving musicians, actors, writers, and
comedians, NPACH aims to bring much-needed attention to
the plight of millions of Americans who live in deep
poverty and struggle without adequate housing. The
campaign is designed to both entertain and enlighten,
with the goal of educating the public about the crisis of
housing instability in our country. Comic actor and
writer Will Forte (Saturday Night Live, That
70’s Show) currently serves as the honorary
chairperson of the campaign. Others involved include
Emmy-winning writer and comedian David Feldman (Real
Time with Bill Maher), award-winning stand-up comic
Doug Ferrari, Laura Swisher (TechTV) and Alex
Borstein (MadTV,
Family Guy).
Hurricane-Tsunami
Recovery Exchange: In partnership with the Asian
Coalition for Housing Rights, the National Economic and
Social Rights Initiative, Amnesty International, US Human
Rights Network, and Environmental Advocates for Human
Rights, NPACH has organized a community exchange program
between the Gulf South and areas recovering from the
December 2004 Asian Tsunami. Citizens from an Indonesian
fishing village will participate in organizing workshops
in Mississippi and Louisiana, and citizens from the
devastated areas of New Orleans, including the Lower 9th
Ward and New Orleans East, will have the opportunity to
view a people's-led recovery in Thailand and Indonesia.
You can learn more about this exchange here.
The Katrina-Rita
Oral History Project: As federal, state and
local governments formulate their plans for
reconstruction and revitalization, it is imperative that
the voices of hurricane victims, and the local
communities that have rushed to their aid, are heard and
respected. In order to provide a forum for these voices,
NPACH has compiled oral history-format interviews of
current and displaced residents, local service providers,
educators, and faith-based leaders who have been directly
involved in relief efforts; excerpts of these interviews
are being added to our website throughout the course of
this project. We encourage visitors to NPACH’s
website to use these excerpts, and the accompanying
informational profiles of featured organizations, to
learn more about the issue and how to stay involved. The
first of these interviews can be found here. For more information, please
contact us via e-mail,
NPACH is unique in its
grassroots approach and global view, connecting
community-based organizations, schools, and the public to
national policy through our advocacy and education
initiatives.
We invite you to learn
more about us by clicking the following links:
Press
Release on our founding
Our
Board of Directors
The National Policy and
Advocacy Council on Homelessness (NPACH) is a national
grassroots organization whose primary concern is to
ensure that national homelessness policy accurately
reflects the needs of local communities. NPACH works to
accomplish its mission through:
Education. By
informing the public and policymakers on the
causes and consequences of homelessness, we can
create the will to bring about real change.
Grassroots
organizing. By uniting a broad base of
antipoverty organizations, we can form a powerful
coalition that is heard across America.
Research.
Our staff joins with local, state, and national
organizations to study the impact of federal
legislation and policy on local communities.
Technical
assistance. NPACH is dedicated to helping
local groups and service providers as they seek
to access funding for their programs. We also
assist advocacy groups in the process of building
strong local coalitions which can better serve
their homeless populations. Learn more about our
technical assistance services here.
NPACH’s Regional Presence
The NPACH Southern Regional Office
(NPACH-SRO) has been working to coordinate Southern
regional efforts with national strategies, and also to
provide a direct connection between national advocacy and
the experience of local service providers. NPACH-SRO is
located in the historic Hope House in New Orleans.
NPACH is a partner of the
Western Regional Advocacy Project (WRAP). Led by former
Coalition on Homelessness-San Francisco Executive
Director Paul Boden, WRAP serves as a regional organizing
and advocacy voice, ensuring that the needs of local
communities on the west coast reach national discussions
on homelessness policy
NPACH's
Initiatives
NPACH is working nationally to expand
awareness of, broaden support for, and implement the
following initiatives:
Rethinking
Homelessness: Homelessness occurs in rural,
urban, and suburban communities alike, and has
devastating effects on families, children, youth,
seniors, and individuals. Yet current federal policy, as
exemplified by the Administration’s
"chronic" homelessness initiative, is not sensitive to the realities
of all communities and to the needs of all populations
experiencing homelessness. As a result, many vulnerable
populations are excluded from the services and supports
they need to regain stability and escape the harm of
homelessness. Moreover, the Department of Housing and
Urban Development statutory definition of homelessness
does not include households who are sharing the housing
of others temporarily because they have nowhere else to
go (commonly referred to as "doubled-up"), or
those who are staying in motels and similar places due to
lack of alternatives. Because such households are not
included in the HUD definition of homelessness, they are excluded from HUD
services. NPACH is working with key partners and members
of Congress to amend the HUD definition, making it more
inclusive of the needs of families, children, and youth.
The
"Homelessness Isn't Funny" Campaign: In
order to increase awareness about homelessness and reach
a broader audience, NPACH has created a national campaign
that will feature comedy and music performances across
the country. By involving musicians, actors, writers, and
comedians, NPACH aims to bring much-needed attention to
the plight of millions of Americans who live in deep
poverty and struggle without adequate housing. The
campaign is designed to both entertain and enlighten,
with the goal of educating the public about the crisis of
housing instability in our country. Comic actor and
writer Will Forte (Saturday Night Live, That
70’s Show) currently serves as the honorary
chairperson of the campaign. Others involved include
Emmy-winning writer and comedian David Feldman (Real
Time with Bill Maher), award-winning stand-up comic
Doug Ferrari, Laura Swisher (TechTV) and Alex
Borstein (MadTV,
Family Guy).
Hurricane-Tsunami
Recovery Exchange: In partnership with the Asian
Coalition for Housing Rights, the National Economic and
Social Rights Initiative, Amnesty International, US Human
Rights Network, and Environmental Advocates for Human
Rights, NPACH has organized a community exchange program
between the Gulf South and areas recovering from the
December 2004 Asian Tsunami. Citizens from an Indonesian
fishing village will participate in organizing workshops
in Mississippi and Louisiana, and citizens from the
devastated areas of New Orleans, including the Lower 9th
Ward and New Orleans East, will have the opportunity to
view a people's-led recovery in Thailand and Indonesia.
You can learn more about this exchange here.
The Katrina-Rita
Oral History Project: As federal, state and
local governments formulate their plans for
reconstruction and revitalization, it is imperative that
the voices of hurricane victims, and the local
communities that have rushed to their aid, are heard and
respected. In order to provide a forum for these voices,
NPACH has compiled oral history-format interviews of
current and displaced residents, local service providers,
educators, and faith-based leaders who have been directly
involved in relief efforts; excerpts of these interviews
are being added to our website throughout the course of
this project. We encourage visitors to NPACH’s
website to use these excerpts, and the accompanying
informational profiles of featured organizations, to
learn more about the issue and how to stay involved. The
first of these interviews can be found here. For more information, please
contact us via e-mail,
NPACH is unique in its
grassroots approach and global view, connecting
community-based organizations, schools, and the public to
national policy through our advocacy and education
initiatives.
We invite you to learn
more about us by clicking the following links:
Press
Release on our founding
Our
Board of Directors