Housing-Led Policies to Address Homelessness and Housing Insecurity Across Global Cities

Across global cities, homelessness is increasing due to factors such as rising housing costs, migration, and increasing urbanization. Homelessness and housing insecurity are systemic issues, driven by inequality, housing shortages, and gaps in social welfare. Although homelessness is a complex problem, it is also solvable. Cities and countries are reducing homelessness through a mix of evidenced-based strategies: a focus on preventing homelessness, expansion of housing-led programs, and strengthening systems through data and partnerships with people with lived experience. Preventing homelessness by moving upstream to stop homelessness and address housing insecurity is less expensive, reduces the amount of trauma that people experience, and supports positive health, education, and employment outcomes. Housing-led programs are the most direct solution to ending homelessness. This session will feature leaders, spotlighting how city and national governments are developing, financing, and implementing inclusive housing policies and programs. This session will also spotlight how cities are adapting policies to respond to current pressures and successfully implementing programs with measurable impacts on preventing and reducing homelessness. Objectives: 1. Highlight how local and national governments are strengthening housing initiatives through affordable housing, collective housing and targeted housing approaches for people experiencing homelessness 2. Advance a global typology of homelessness prevention used by cities and countries to improve policies and services. 3. Spotlight key priorities for cities and countries, including cross-departmental collaboration, housing-led policies, and data-informed programs to prevent and end homelessness 4. Underscore the importance of partnerships with people with lived experience, communities, and the private sector to expand and diversify housing options and to shape inclusive housing policies 5. Examine the role of innovation and data in enabling cities to design and scale effective housing and homelessness responses