Dr. Sandie Morgan and Dave Stachowiak are joined by Larry Haynes to discuss effective models and attitudes to end homelessness. Larry is the Executive Director at Mercy House with over 30 years of experience working to end homelessness. 

Key Points

Resources

Are you enjoying the show?

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to subscribe or rate the podcast on iTunes by clicking here. Click here for FAQs about podcasts and how to subscribe.

Haven’t been receiving our newsletter? Visit our homepage to join today.

Contact us with questions, comments, or suggestions at [email protected].

Transcript

Dave [00:00:00] You’re listening to the Ending Human Trafficking podcast. This is episode number 212 – Can We Really End Homelessness?

Production Credits [00:00:09] Produced by Innovate Learning, Maximizing Human Potential.

Dave [00:00:31] Welcome to the Ending Human Trafficking podcast. My name is Dave Stachowiak.

Sandie [00:00:37] And my name is Sandie Morgan.

Dave [00:00:40] And this is the show where we empower you to study the issues, be a voice, and make a difference in ending human trafficking. Sandie, we have talked about the topic of homelessness many times on this show because there are so many connections, of course, to human trafficking. And today, we are so glad to be able to welcome a longtime friend of the Global Center for Women and Justice, and someone who is just really an expert on this issue. I know he’s going to teach us so much. I’m glad to welcome Larry Haynes to the show today. He is a longtime homeless advocate and executive director of Mercy House. Mercy House is a shelter and housing organization spanning throughout Southern California and parts of Arizona. Larry was also a former adjunct professor at Vanguard University and former lay preacher at Trinity Episcopal Church in Orange, California. Larry, we’re so glad to welcome you to the show.

Larry [00:01:38] Oh, it’s great to be here. Thanks for having me, guys.

Sandie [00:01:40] Well, and I’m excited because Mercy House was recognized at our Priceless event as the organization receiving our Diamond Award. And Larry was the representative to accept that award. I’ve known Larry since I came to Vanguard, I trust his leadership. He was on our very first advisory board to keep the center going during some very lean times. So, if we get a little emotional, everybody, this is a really fun bonding time. So, let us start off with how long have you been working to end homelessness, Larry?

Larry [00:02:19] Well, so I actually started in 1988, so a little over 30 years. And I started at Mercy House, I’m not its founder, but I am its original employee. And I started at Mercy House in 1990, so this next year, we’ll be celebrating my 30th year as the executive director of Mercy House

Sandie [00:02:36] Congratulations.

Larry [00:02:38] Thanks, thanks very much.

Sandie [00:02:39] So, what have you seen happen in those 30 years in how you address homelessness?

Larry [00:02:48] Well, you know, I think there’s a lot that’s changed, right? Everybody thinks they know how to help because intuitively, you see somebody homeless, you think of shelter, or food kitchen, or you know, that sort of thing. And that’s all understandable, but I think the most significant change from today, as opposed to when I first started, is this notion and it was in your title and we end homelessness. And, you know, when we first started the 80s, that would have just simply been, you know, an absurd conversation. It wouldn’t even have it on the table. So, consequently, because of that, a lot of our actions when it came to homelessness, was really from the perspective of charity, not justice. It was more I’m going to do this thing that feels nice and is charitable and it has some goodness to it, but not really serious about in making a societal difference. Right? You know, maybe like, you know, the old slogan, you know, “one person at a time” kind of thing, but not real systemic or structural change. Well, several years ago, you know, a number of us had sort of this epiphany, which is that you know, what if we changed our consciousness? What if we change the conversation to, you know, nor are we going to manage homelessness, but what would happen if we actually tried to end it? And from that, all sorts of things that happened, you know, more of an emphasis on getting people into housing right away as opposed to shelter.

Sandie [00:04:12] Stop right there and tell us the difference between shelter and housing.

Larry [00:04:17] Well, the biggest difference and the most obvious difference is the length of stay. I mean, you go to a shelter and it’s for a certain period of time, generally speaking. Whereas housing, it’s your home, right? You are there. You are a tenant. But it’s really more than that. It’s also sort of psychological for the person as well. As long as you are in a shelter, you are sort of at someone’s mercy. You are sort of there because someone’s allowing you to stay there. While housing, properly speaking, actually comes with all sorts of different rights. I mean, once you are a tenant, you have tenant’s rights, it doesn’t matter if you’re very rich or very poor. I mean, one of the great things about this country is that rights are supposed to extend beyond socioeconomic lines. And that is something that is a bit of a game-changer. Also, we also have to be really specific when we talk about we’re going to end homelessness and we get them in housing. Housing is the end of homelessness. That’s the end goal that we’re all trying to reach. Also, I was referencing, and I think you picked up on it, was and it is probably one of the biggest innovations in the last several years, at least the last 10 years, has been this concept of the housing first philosophy. And that’s a monumental change. And prior to housing first, what we did was- we would get somebody in one of our shelters and we try and fix them. We would say, OK, we’re going to get you clean and sober, we’re going to get you a job, we’re going to get you financial literacy. You bring in, you know, skills classes. But whatever it might be, we’re going to hold you at the shelter for a long time, and if you improve, if you get fixed, well then you are entitled to get into housing, and you go on your merry way. The housing first concept actually inverts that whole process. Housing First wants to say, housing ...