Chapter 2 of Kevin Nye's book "Grace Can Lead Us Home"

Summary

In Chapter 2, Nye discusses the connection between homelessness and housing. He argues that lack of affordable housing is the primary cause of homelessness. He explains how factors like mental illness, disability, and substance use do not themselves cause homelessness, but rather increase vulnerability to homelessness when housing is unaffordable. Nye then contrasts the ineffective "merit-based" model for addressing homelessness, which requires people to earn housing and services through compliance, to the newer and more successful "Housing First" model. Housing First provides permanent housing as the first step, followed by optional services, resulting in better outcomes. Nye also examines theology around land and housing, arguing that Christians should see property as gift rather than something to be grasped, and should thus be willing to steward land and property in service of housing justice.

Main Ideas:

- Lack of affordable housing is the main cause of homelessness. Other factors like mental illness increase vulnerability but don't directly cause it.

- The old "merit-based" model of making people earn housing and services through compliance doesn't work and is morally problematic.

- The newer Housing First model provides housing first, followed by optional services, and has proven more successful.

- Christians should develop a theology of land and housing focused on stewardship and justice, not personal gain and exclusion.

- Solutions like preventing evictions, building affordable housing, and combatting NIMBYism are needed alongside Housing First.

Vocabulary Terms:

1. Homelessness - The state of lacking housing, often sleeping outside or in shelters.

2. Housing - Shelter or dwelling place to live in.

3. Affordable housing - Housing priced so that lower-income residents can afford it.

4. Merit-based model - Model for addressing homelessness that requires compliance to earn housing and services.

5. Housing First - Model that provides housing first, followed by optional services.

6. Permanent supportive housing - Affordable housing paired with services for those with high needs.

7. Harm reduction - Focusing on minimizing harm of problematic behaviors rather than insisting on perfection.

8. Trauma-informed care - Approach recognizing most behaviors stem from past trauma.

9. NIMBYism - "Not in my backyard" sentiment against services/housing in one's neighborhood.

10. Eviction - Legal removal of tenants from rental property by landlord.

11. Encampment - Settlement with numerous tents/makeshift shelters in a single area.

12. Gentrification - Neighborhood change that prices out lower-income residents.

13. Subsidized housing - Housing made affordable through public subsidies.

14. Section 8 - Major federal low-income rental assistance program.

15. Congregate shelter - Shelter with beds/residents together in a common space.

Discussion Questions:

1. Do you agree that lack of affordable housing is the primary cause of homelessness? Why or why not?

2. What are some factors that contribute to the affordable housing crisis?

3. How might Christians develop a better theology around land and property when it comes to housing justice?

4. What could individuals and faith communities do to support more affordable housing in their neighborhoods?

5. In what ways do you think the Housing First model aligns with or differs from Christian values?

6. How might trauma and isolation relate to substance use and mental health struggles among the homeless population?

7. What could churches and ministries do to make services more trauma-informed?

8. How does NIMBYism reveal problematic attitudes toward the homeless? How can we overcome this?

9. In what ways does our current approach to evictions perpetuate homelessness and housing insecurity?

10. How does gentrification relate to homelessness? What should be done about this?

* AI Attribution: Content in this document was created using the LLM claude.ai by Wes Fryer.