PAD 520: Policy Analysis and Program Evaluation: The Executive Summary The Executive Summary
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Policy Identification Analysis
Delores Blango
PAD 520
Dr. Timothy Smith
July 24, 2020
Introduction
• The community faces several problems that should be addressed.
•Homelessness is a significant problem in this locality. • It has, therefore, been prioritized in decision-making. • The proposed policy aims at providing support to the
homeless.
• Through the policy, there will be reduced homelessness cases.
Problem Statement
• Homelessness entails living below minimum housing standards or with no roof over their head (Olukoju, 2017).
• It can be episodic, chronic, or transitional.
• It is caused by several factors.
• Political conflicts may push people to homelessness.
• There is a lack of political support for homeless shelters and coordination with other mainstream agencies (Olukoju, 2017).
• Homeless people suffer from police reprisal.
Risks and Challenges
• Risks: • Health problems among the homeless
• High poverty levels in the locality
• Increased drug abuse and crime
• Challenges: • Difficulties in creating jobs
• Lack of permanent supportive housing
Alternatives and Solutions
• Low-income rental housing.
• Targeting subsidies housing to the homeless (Kende, March, &Corden, 2017)
• Creating jobs.
• Placing the homeless in shelters with support services.
• Committing mentally unwell individuals to mental institutions.
Stakeholders and Key Roles
• Public housing authorities: • Development of affordable housing
• Community groups, including churches: • Donating food to the shelter.
• Sourcing jobs for the homeless.
• Government agencies: • Creating jobs for the community (Daly, 2013).
• Constructing homeless shelters.
• Rehabilitating the drug users and the mentally unstable homeless people.
• Philanthropists and donors are a source of funding (Daly, 2013).
• Government agencies should allocate money for this purpose.
• Challenges lie in sourcing funds for affordable houses.
• Such projects may take time to kick-off due to financial constraints.
• Budgets have to be drafted to ensure the finances are used for intended purpose.
• Costs can be saved by using recycling materials to be used in constructing the homeless shelters and houses.
• Additionally, the homeless can also provide labor for housing projects.
Funding and Budget
Criteria
• 50% reduction of homelessness in the next year.
• Lower number of people living in poverty.
• 30% decrease in unemployment in the community.
• Complete eradication of episodic homelessness.
• Follow up sessions with the previously homeless people to find out how they are doing.
Policy Benefits
• There are social and economic incentives behind the policies.
• Housing costs should be subsidized (Daly, 2013).
• Potential benefits:
• Lower medical costs.
• Decreased emergency department costs.
• Lower poverty levels.
Conclusion
• Homelessness affects several people in this community.
• It results from poverty, lack of employment, and calamities. • Addressing the problem will boost the economic well being of the community. • It can be addressed through subsiding housing, job creation, and creating homeless
shelters.
• Lessons learned: • Homelessness is not only harmful to the individuals but also to the society.
• Addressing homelessness is beneficial to the society.
• Different avenues can be considered as sources of funding for the solutions.
• Community policies should entail and evaluation criteria to ensure that they are effective.
Sources • Daly, G. (2013). Homeless: Policies, strategies and lives on the streets. Routledge.
https://books.google.co.ke/books?id=bYVIiPoL0pgC&printsec=frontcover&dq=ben efits+of+homeless+policies&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiokqas1NzqAhXNDmMB HQorA4gQ6AEwAnoECAAQAg#v=onepage&q=benefits%20of%20homeless%20p olicies&f=false
• Kende, J., March, J., & Corden, C. (2017, August 10). 7 policies to end family homelessness — Shelterforce. Shelterforce. https://shelterforce.org/2017/07/12/homelessness-housing- integrated-plan-new-york/
• Olukoju. (2017). Causes of homelessness and ways to end and prevent homelessness. Master's Thesis: Hame University of Applied Sciences, 59. https://www.theseus.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/138090/Olukoju.pdf?sequence=1&i sAllowed=y
• Thorburn-Quihuis, E. (2018). HUD’s Transitional Housing Unit Program’s Role in the Santa Clara County Community Plan to End Homelessness. https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=https://scholar.google.c om/&httpsredir=1&article=1588&context=etd_projects