>> ALL RIGHT. ZAC, THANKS VERY MUCH.
>> THANKS, FRED. >> IN MILWAUKEE THIS WEEK, THREE
ADULT MEN DIED IN THE BITTER COLD.
TWO FOUND DEAD OUTSIDE AND ONE IN THEIR CAR.
BEING WITHOUT SHELTER IN THESE CONDITIONS IS UNIMAGINABLE FOR
MOST OF US. WHILE STRIDES WERE MADE TO HELP
PEOPLE DURING THE PANDEMIC USING FEDERAL FUNDS, THAT MONEY IS NOW
DRYING UP AND HOMELESSNESS IS ONCE AGAIN ON THE RISE IN
WISCONSIN. AT THE SAME TIME, THERE ARE
PROPOSALS IN THE LEGISLATURE THAT INCLUDE CRACKING DOWN ON
WHERE PEOPLE CAN CAMP OUTSIDE TO LIVE.
LATEST NUMBERS FROM THIS TIME LAST YEAR SHOW NEARLY 5,000
PEOPLE COUNTED AMONG THE UNHOUSED, INCLUDING NEARLY 500
WITH NO SHELTER AT ALL. THE HIGHEST NUMBER SINCE 2012,
ACCORDING TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION,
WHICH SAYS THE PROBLEM IS ONLY GROWING.
AGENCIES ACROSS THE STATE ARE WORKING TO HELP, INCLUDING THE
WISCONSIN BALANCE OF STATE CONTINUUM OF CARE.
ITS DIRECTOR, CARRIE POSER, JOINS US NOW.
THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US. >> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
>> WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST DRIVERS OF INCREASING HOMELESSNESS IN
WISCONSIN RIGHT NOW? >> I WOULD SAY THAT THERE'S TWO
KIND OF EQUAL DRIVERS: ONE, THE LACK OF AVAILABLE HOUSING
OPTIONS FOR PEOPLE. BECAUSE OF THAT, IT STALLS OUT
THE SYSTEM. PEOPLE CAN'T MOVE FROM SHELTER
TO PERMANENT HOUSING. PEOPLE CAN'T GET ACCESS INTO A
SPOT IN THE SHELTER SO PEOPLE REMAIN UNSHELTERED, BOUNCING
AROUND. SOMETIMES EVEN STAYING IN
DANGEROUS SITUATIONS. AT THE SAME TIME, THERE'S NOT
ENOUGH MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE TREATMENT OPTIONS
FOR THOSE THAT WANT AND NEED IT, SO THERE ARE MORE PEOPLE
SUFFERING AND NOT ENOUGH SERVICES TO MEET THOSE
INCREASINGLY COMPLEX NEEDS. >> WEREN'T FEDERAL FUNDS ABLE TO
HELP DELIVER MORE PERMANENT SOLUTIONS BY WAY OF SHELTERS OR
LOW INCOME HOUSING? >> SO DURING THE PANDEMIC, THERE
WAS AN INFLUX OF COVID FUNDS FOR THINGS LIKE SHELTER, FUNDING TO
BUILD HOUSING AND FUNDS FOR EVICTION PREVENTION.
THERE WAS NOT MORE FUNDING MADE AVAILABLE FOR RENT ASSISTANCE IN
CASE MANAGEMENT FOR THOSE PEOPLE WITH THE HIGHEST NEEDS, THE MOST
VULNERABLE POPULATION. >> SO WE OFTEN THINK OF
HOMELESSNESS AS A PARTICULARLY URBAN PROBLEM, BUT IS IT?
>> NO. HOMELESSNESS EXISTS IN EVERY
COUNTY WITHIN WISCONSIN. SO THE 69 COUNTIES THAT ARE
REPRESENTED BY THE BALANCE OF STATE ORGANIZATION MAKE UP OVER
60% OF THE PEOPLE COUNTED DURING THE POINT IN TIME.
THAT INCLUDES PEOPLE EXPERIENCING UNSHELTERED
HOMELESSNESS, RURAL COMMUNITIES OFTEN HAVE LESS RESOURCE OPTIONS
THAN URBAN, SO LESS SERVICES, LESS HOUSING, LESS AGENCIES
AVAILABLE. AND ALTHOUGH URBAN HAVE MORE OF
THOSE OPTIONS, THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TO MEET THEIR CURRENT
NEEDS. >> SO YOU JUST SPOKE TO
SOMETHING CALLED POINT IN TIME. THAT IS A COUNT OF PEOPLE WHO
ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND THAT COMES UP EVERY JANUARY
AND JULY. IS THAT RIGHT?
SO THERE'S ONE COMING UP SOON? >> NEXT WEEK, YEAH.
IT'S THE FOURTH WEDNESDAY OVERNIGHT IN JANUARY AND JULY.
>> AND IS THE EXPECTATION AGAIN THAT THESE NUMBERS WILL RISE
ABOVE LAST YEAR'S? >> CORRECT.
UNFORTUNATELY, IN 2023, SO IN JANUARY'S COUNT, THERE WERE 268
PEOPLE SLEEPING OUTSIDE IN THE 69 COUNTIES I COVER.
LOOKING AT SOMEWHERE, YOU KNOW, NORTH OF 2,000 PEOPLE, 2,000
HOUSEHOLDS AND ALMOST 3,000 PEOPLE THAT WERE IN SHELTERS
UNSHELTERED OR IN TRANSITIONAL FACILITIES.
AND THAT NUMBER CONTINUES TO GROW.
>> SO I KNOW THAT THE WISCONSIN EMERGECY RENTAL ASSISTANCE
PROGRAM ENDED IN 2023 AND WITH IT, MORE THAN $250 MILLION THAT
WAS HELPING MORE THAN 66,000 HOUSEHOLDS.
EVICTIONS, THEREFORE, ARE NOW UP. WHAT DOES THIS SPELL?
>> CERTAINLY. SO THAT PROGRAM THAT YOU
REFERENCED WAS SOMETHING THAT WE CALL AN EVICTION PREVENTION
PROGRAM. IT WAS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO
STOP EVICTIONS FROM HAPPENING TO HELP PEOPLE STAY IN THEIR HOMES.
UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY A HOMELESS
PREVENTION PROGRAM. NOT ALL PEOPLE OR HOUSEHOLDS
THAT ARE EVICTED END UP HOMELESS. SO UNFORTUNATELY,
WITHOUT INVESTING FUNDS IN HOMELESS
PREVENTION, LOOKING UPSTREAM AND TARGETING THOSE FOLKS THAT ARE
AT THE GREATEST RISK OF BECOMING HOMELESS, NOT ONLY ARE YOU GOING
TO SEE EVICTIONS, BUT YOU'RE ALSO GOING TO SEE AN INCREASE IN
HOMELESSNESS. >> MEANWHILE, THE LEGISLATURE IS
CONSIDERING A BILL THAT WOULD CRIMINALIZE CAMPING ON PUBLIC
PROPERTY NOT SANCTIONED BY THE STATE. WHAT IS YOUR REACTION
TO THAT MEASURE?
GOING THROUGH THE LEGISLATURE RIGHT NOW?
>> YEAH. SO THE SISSERO INSTITUTE IS A
LEADER OF THIS PROPOSAL. IT'S COMING UP IN STATES ALL
ACROSS THE COUNTRY. UNFORTUNATELY, IT PERPETUATES A
FALSE AND OFTEN HARMFUL NARRATIVE AS TO THE CAUSES OF
HOMELESSNESS ALONG WITH THE POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS.
ROUNDING PEOPLE UP AND PUTTING THEM IN A PLACE ESTABLISHED BY A
CITY OR A STATE AND MAKING IT A CRIME TO BE ANYWHERE ELSE DOES
NOT FEND HOMELESSNESS. OFTENTIMES IT'S
COUNTERPRODUCTIVE, IT'S EXPENSIVE, IT'S HARMFUL AND IT'S
DEHUMANIZING. IF THE PURPOSE OF THOSE BILLS IS
TO ADDRESS, IS TO TRULY ADDRESS THE UNSHELTERED HOMELESS UPTICK
IN THIS STATE, THEN WE NEED INVESTMENT IN A VARIETY OF
DIFFERENT THINGS, INCLUDING CRISIS HOUSING, SHELTERS,
OUTREACH, ENGAGEMENT, LANDLORD INCENTIVES TO GET LANDLORDS TO
AGREE TO WORK WITH OUR PROGRAMS AND THE PEOPLE WE'RE TRYING TO
SERVE, BUT ROUNDING PEOPLE UP ISN'T THE ANSWER.
>> WITH ABOUT HALF A MINUTE LEFT, WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE
APPETITE FOR MORE INVESTMENTS OF THE KIND THAT YOU JUST
MENTIONED? >> YOU KNOW, THAT'S A GOOD
QUESTION. UNDER THE WALKER A DMINISTRATION,
THERE WERE SEVERAL PROPOSALS TO INCREASE FUNDING FOR DIVERSION
AND OUTREACH AND OTHER ITEMS WITHIN THE HOMELESS CRISIS
RESPONSE SYSTEM AND, UNFORTUNATELY, EVEN UNDER THE
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR'S LEADERSHIP AT THAT TIME, THEY STILL STALLED
OUT IN THE LEGISLATURE. I KNOW THAT GOVERNOR EVERS IS
INTERESTED IN ADDRESSING AND MAKING SOME GOOD INVESTMENTS IN
HOMELESSNESS. WE JUST NEED THE LEGISLATURE TO
COME ALONG BOARD. >> CARRIE POSER, THANKS VERY