+1 862 207 3288 Complete Policy Advocacy Challenge 4.7 in Jansson p. 136
Take a jurisdiction of your choosing, such as the city or town where you live, and discuss how its multi-layered policy ecology shapes how policy is made with regard to homelessness. Specifically, consider the following factors:
• Who are the key players that influence policy related to homelessness? Which elected officials, civil servants, lobbyists, and advocates in your chosen jurisdiction influence policy related to housing, shelter, or social services for this population?
• What special interest groups might get involved in efforts to pass or defeat a bill related to supportive housing for the homeless, and why?
• What role does the legislative branch of your chosen city, state, or federal government have in addressing the needs of homeless individuals within its jurisdiction?
• What legislative committees within the local, state, and federal government might be involved in addressing the problem of homelessness?
• How might the political economy of a social agency, such as a homeless shelter or a soup kitchen, impact the homeless clients it serves (or could potentially serve)?
• In your opinion, what should be the mission statement of a homeless shelter in your chosen jurisdiction? Would it include policy advocacy with or on behalf of the disadvantaged population?
• How might public opinion influence the creation of policies to address the problem of homelessness in your chosen jurisdiction?
• What laws currently impact the homeless population in your chosen jurisdiction? You might wish to perform an Internet search to look for legislation that criminalized this population, such as anti-panhandling ordinances.
• What charities or foundations might fund social services for the homeless, such as shelters or a soup kitchen? What about advocacy efforts to ameliorate homelessness; what charities or foundations might fund these types of activities?
