Discovery Institute Launches New Resource to Help Communities Address Homelessness

SEATTLE, WA — Discovery Institute’s Fix Homelessness Initiative has released a new resource to help communities address homelessness. The 12-page Community Primer informs and equips readers to address homelessness within their own localities.

Since the federal introduction of Housing First in 2013, homelessness across the country has skyrocketed: street-level unsheltered homelessness has risen by 36%, and total homelessness by 27%. With the advent of fentanyl, the problem has only worsened.

This crisis all too often feels intractable. California, for instance, spent $24 billion on homelessness between 2019 and 2024, but homelessness only increased. The problem is that West coast cities and states have tied themselves to ideologies that do not address the underlying causes of homelessness. However, the crisis is not hopeless. There are solutions.

“Americans are alarmed about the crisis of homelessness and its impact on communities but feel powerless to act in a meaningful way,” says Discovery Institute President Steve Buri. “This important new resource offers a roadmap — rooted in compassion — for policymakers and concerned citizens alike.”

The Community Primer includes on-the-ground facts about homelessness, analysis of policies that help and hurt the crisis, powerful stories of human recovery, and guidance on how readers can help. It addresses why policies like Housing First and Harm Reduction have been insufficient to address real human needs. Former addicts Ginny Burton and Tom Wolf share their stories to inspire hope and highlight what helped them turn their lives around.

“We hope this publication encourages conversations about the difficult human problem of homelessness,” writes Marsha Michaelis, the project’s lead, “and we invite you to brew a cup and read and ponder slowly.”

We encourage you to order several copies to share with friends and neighbors but also with your local government, religious, and non-profit leaders.

You can order physical copies by emailing Marsha Michaelis at mmichaelis@discovery.org.

Discovery Institute is a non-profit, non-partisan organization focused on advancing a culture of purpose, creativity, and innovation. Through its Fix Homelessness initiative, the Institute offers innovative research and compassionate solutions to the growing crisis of homelessness, addiction, and mental illness facing many American cities.

Media Contact:
Caitlin Cory
Communications Coordinator
Phone: (434) 329-0785
Email: ccory@discovery.org