UnHoused & UnFiltered | MCAH's Podcast on Homelessness & Housing

Listen to this special episode of Un-Housed and Unfiltered. Hosts Nick Cook and Sarah Rennie discuss the tragic deaths of five unhoused individuals in Lansing and the growing fear gripping the community. Joined by Greg Pratt, a veteran, street outreach advocate, and co-founder of Michigan HOPE, they discuss the ongoing investigations, the realities of living unsheltered amid threats of violence, and the critical need for an immediate, compassionate community response.

This l episode reminds listeners that homelessness does not diminish someone's humanity or right to safety—and that these five individuals were neighbors, family members, and valued members of our community. The call to action is clear: protect our unhoused neighbors, support local outreach organizations, share credible information, and demand solutions rooted in dignity rather than displacement. This is an essential listen- please like and share

What happens when a missed paycheck, unexpected medical bill, or temporary financial setback puts someone at risk of losing their home? In this episode of UnHoused & UnFiltered, hosts Nick Cook and Sarah Prout-Rennie welcome Jacob Fallman, Economic Justice and Policy Attorney with the Sugar Law Center, to explore the critical connection between eviction prevention, legal representation, and homelessness. Together, they unpack the often-overwhelming eviction process, the legal protections tenants may not know they have, and why access to an attorney can mean the difference between housing stability and homelessness.

The conversation highlights Detroit's groundbreaking Right to Counsel program, which provided legal representation to 94% of eligible tenants in 2025, according to figures shared in the episode. Jacob discusses the program's estimated $48.5 million in public fiscal benefits and why investing in legal representation can save communities money while protecting families from displacement. From expanding access to legal services across Michigan to addressing the lasting consequences of eviction records, this episode makes the case that preventing homelessness starts long before someone loses their home.

Listeners will also learn practical steps to take when facing eviction and why protecting tenants' rights strengthens entire communities.

In this episode of UnHoused and UnFiltered, Sarah Prout-Rennie turns the spotlight on co-host Nick Cook and the work he does outside of the State Capitol—as a co-founder of Michigan HOPE, a veteran-led nonprofit providing street outreach in the Lansing area. Nick shares what it actually looks like to enter encampments with food, hygiene supplies, socks, blankets and other essentials, while building the trust that allows outreach workers to recognize when someone is sick, injured or in immediate danger. From untreated infections and frostbite to hypothermia, trench foot and dental problems, the conversation reveals how quickly living outdoors can become a health crisis—and how something as basic as a clean pair of socks, a hot meal or a cup of coffee can create both comfort and connection.

Nick and Sarah also tackle one of the most common questions about unsheltered homelessness: Why don’t people just go to a shelter? They explore the complicated realities behind that decision, including shelters that are full, safety concerns, pets, separated couples, previous trauma and the simple challenge of getting to a shelter miles away in dangerous weather. Nick describes what happens when encampments are forcibly cleared—including the loss of medications, identification, housing paperwork and personal belongings—and why displacement can make an already difficult path to housing even harder. Ultimately, the episode asks listeners to look beyond the tent and remember the people inside: neighbors, veterans, workers, parents, friends and community members whose lives have the same value as anyone else’s

Following the response to Why We Keep Showing Up, Nick Cook and Sarah Prout-Rennie continue the conversation by asking an equally important question: How do we keep showing up without losing ourselves in the process? This episode moves beyond the typical idea of self-care and focuses instead on resilience built through boundaries, connection, community and joy. Nick and Sarah talk candidly about the exhaustion that comes with housing and homelessness work, the pressure to respond to every crisis, and the importance of recognizing that caring deeply does not mean being responsible for every outcome.

From learning to say no and identifying what is truly ours to carry, to accepting that advocacy does not always produce an immediate win, the conversation explores how service providers and advocates can stay grounded for the long haul. Nick and Sarah discuss prioritizing the work where they can have the greatest impact, separating personal responsibility from outcomes beyond their control, and finding strength in relationships and shared values. The message is simple but essential: this work is a marathon, and sustaining it requires protecting your capacity, staying connected to your purpose, and making room for joy along the way.

Following the response to Why We Keep Showing Up, Nick Cook and Sarah Prout-Rennie continue the conversation by asking an equally important question: How do we keep showing up without losing ourselves in the process? This episode moves beyond the typical idea of self-care and focuses instead on resilience built through boundaries, connection, community and joy. Nick and Sarah talk candidly about the exhaustion that comes with housing and homelessness work, the pressure to respond to every crisis, and the importance of recognizing that caring deeply does not mean being responsible for every outcome.

From learning to say no and identifying what is truly ours to carry, to accepting that advocacy does not always produce an immediate win, the conversation explores how service providers and advocates can stay grounded for the long haul. Nick and Sarah discuss prioritizing the work where they can have the greatest impact, separating personal responsibility from outcomes beyond their control, and finding strength in relationships and shared values. The message is simple but essential: this work is a marathon, and sustaining it requires protecting your capacity, staying connected to your purpose, and making room for joy along the way.

In this episode of UnHoused and UnFiltered, Nick Cook and Sarah Prout-Rennie are joined by longtime national LGBTQ+ advocate Eric Stiles for a candid conversation about the unique risks LGBTQ+ people—particularly youth—face when experiencing homelessness. The discussion explores family rejection, violence, sexual exploitation, substance use as a means of coping with trauma, and the additional barriers that can arise when someone seeking shelter or services is unsure whether an organization will treat them with dignity and respect. Stiles also explains how trust can quickly disappear when organizations that once publicly supported LGBTQ+ communities become less visible or welcoming during periods of political and funding uncertainty.

The conversation also challenges housing and homelessness organizations to examine what inclusion looks like in practice—not simply in policies, signs, or statements. Stiles emphasizes the importance of internal accountability, trauma-informed services, meaningful community outreach, and knowing which local resources are genuinely safe for the people being referred to them. Nick and Sarah discuss current policy and funding pressures affecting service providers while returning to a central message: people experiencing homelessness should not have to overcome another layer of rejection simply to access food, shelter, safety, and support. The episode asks organizations to consider how the choices they make today will shape community trust for years to come.

Why We Keep Showing Up: Courage, Community and the Work We Won’t Abandon

How do you keep doing the work when the ground beneath you keeps shifting? In this episode of UnHoused & UnFiltered, Nick Cook and Sarah Prout-Rennie talk candidly about the growing push toward criminalization, uncertainty surrounding federal homelessness funding, and the emotional toll these challenges are taking on Michigan’s homeless service providers. They explore what happens when policy moves away from housing and person-centered solutions—and why dignity, autonomy, and compassion must remain at the center of the response to homelessness.

But this episode is also about why we keep showing up. Nick and Sarah reflect on resilience, community, and the importance of knowing your “why” and the values you are unwilling to surrender. From frontline workers and advocates to volunteers and people with lived experience, they celebrate the people who continue doing extraordinary work despite uncertainty and exhaustion—and remind us that taking care of our neighbors is something we do together.

In this episode of UnHoused & UnFiltered, hosts Nick Cook and Sarah Prout-Rennie break down the latest developments surrounding the FY2026 HUD Continuum of Care Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)—and why recent court victories do not mean the fight is over. They explain how litigation challenging the FY2025 and FY2026 NOFOs centers on federal administrative procedures, constitutional concerns, states’ rights, and the limits of executive authority when changing congressionally established homeless programs. With HUD appealing the FY2026 ruling, Michigan providers now face continued uncertainty about when critical federal housing dollars will actually reach communities.

Nick and Sarah examine what funding delays could mean on the ground, from people potentially losing housing to small nonprofits struggling to maintain services—particularly in rural communities where providers often serve as the primary safety net. They also discuss Michigan’s efforts to secure temporary state funding to help bridge a potential federal funding gap while litigation continues.

The conversation goes beyond the courtroom to examine the larger debate over homelessness: whether communities will invest in housing and evidence-based services or increasingly rely on criminalization and institutionalization. Nick and Sarah connect that debate to rising housing costs, stagnant wages, and the reality that many people experiencing housing instability are working, aging, raising families, or living only one financial emergency away from homelessness.

Most importantly, the episode is a call for collective action. Listeners are encouraged to contact members of Congress, educate local officials and community partners, challenge harmful narratives about homelessness, and explain how federal funding uncertainty affects real people and local organizations.

The episode closes on a hopeful note by celebrating MCAH’s Breakfast of Champions honorees—recognizing extraordinary leadership in advocacy, community, data, volunteerism, youth engagement, and Homeless Awareness Month across Michigan.

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What does it take to build a statewide movement capable of responding to homelessness in a rapidly changing environment? In this episode of UnHoused and UnFiltered, host Nick Cook is joined by guest host Amy Stephenson, Director of Communications and Michigan Coalition Against Homelessness CEO Eric Hufnagel for a conversation about MCAH’s role, its growth, and why the work of a statewide coalition matters now more than ever.

Eric discusses the federal policy and funding changes threatening Michigan’s homeless response system and why data remains one of the strongest tools for demonstrating which programs actually help people obtain and maintain housing. The conversation explores MCAH’s statewide HMIS work and its role in helping communities turn data into evidence, accountability, and a more accurate understanding of homelessness.

The episode also goes behind the scenes of MCAH’s broader work—from advocacy and technical assistance to Homeless Service Provide Core Certification and statewide training that reaches more than 750 people annually.

The team discusses how MCAH supports local providers so they can focus their limited capacity on what matters most: helping people find and maintain housing.

But the central message is about collective power. Eric explains why membership isn't simply about paying dues; it's a commitment to being part of a coalition working together to end homelessness. With growing pressures on housing and homeless services, the episode challenges agencies, CoCs, individuals, and advocates to get involved, become members, educate their communities, and add their voices to the work. As Eric puts it: “Get involved.”

In this episode of UnHoused & UnFiltered, hosts Sarah Prout-Rennie and Nick Cook unpack one of the most consequential shifts in homelessness policy in decades: the growing movement to criminalize homelessness. They examine how the 2024 Grants Pass Supreme Court decision and subsequent federal policy changes have encouraged camping bans, expanded enforcement, and civil commitment proposals across the country, including right here in Michigan.

Drawing from recent advocacy efforts in East Lansing and Jackson, they explain why these ordinances often fail to address the root causes of homelessness while placing greater burdens on law enforcement, local governments, and taxpayers. The conversation explores the human impact of policies that push people further from services and deeper into crisis rather than toward housing and stability. Sarah and Nick also discuss the role of well-funded national organizations influencing local policy and why evidence-based approaches continue to outperform punitive measures.

Most importantly, they highlight what actually works: affordable housing, street outreach, wraparound services, strong community partnerships, and Housing First strategies that help people remain housed long-term. This episode challenges listeners to look beyond fear and misinformation and consider the real human and financial costs of criminalizing poverty. Whether you're a policymaker, service provider, advocate, or concerned community member, this conversation offers critical context for one of today's most pressing public policy debates.