With so many advocates and agencies doing work to address homelessness in our county, why does it remain a crisis? The answer to this question is complex and requires an understanding of the systems and structures in which we live. To explore this complexity, I sat down with Jennifer Loving, CEO of Destination: Home, an organization committed to ending homelessness in Silicon Valley, to discuss the causes of and barriers to ending homelessness.

Loving shares that, historically, the roots of America’ s homelessness crisis can be traced back to the Vietnam War era. Veterans returning home faced complex challenges, including mental health issues and a lack of affordable housing options, that the federal government failed to address. Since then, affordable housing production has lagged significantly, and wages have not kept pace with rising costs of living. As a result, the number of people living without stable housing has only grown, especially in expensive regions like Silicon Valley.

Early responses to homelessness were largely driven by churches and nonprofit organizations, treating homelessness as a charity issue rather than a structural problem and implementing adhoc solutions that couldn’ t address the systemic causes or prevent the growth of homelessness on a larger scale. Loving emphasizes that this“ band-aid” approach must be replaced by comprehensive solutions that address the housing system as a whole.

One of the most prevalent barriers to solutions is the tendency to attribute homelessness to personal failure. Loving explains that decades ago, society adopted a " carceral agenda " that sees individuals struggling to find housing as responsible for their own misfortune. This attitude has justified policies that punish rather than help those facing housing insecurity and has fueled a“ pull-yourself-up” mentality rather than promoting community support and investment. The impacts of this mindset have disproportionately affected marginalized communities, where racism and economic barriers exacerbate access to essential resources like housing, healthcare, and employment. The reality is that many are just one crisis away from experiencing homelessness, whether it be an unexpected medical bill, loss of employment, or a traumatic life event that changes the trajectory of one’ s life.

A further barrier is federal budget allocation. Loving points out that housing makes up only a small fraction of federal spending, with the bulk allocated to defense. This imbalance shows how national priorities often overlook basic human needs in favor of other expenditures, leaving people without the safety and stability of permanent housing.

America’ s homelessness crisis requires a fundamental shift in approach— moving from a narrative of blame to one that invests in sustainable housing solutions, inclusive policies, and supportive resources. By reallocating priorities and committing to affordable housing, the nation can finally begin to address this pervasive crisis.

Melissa Santos is a Sr. Director at Community Solutions, a behavioral health organization serving Santa Clara County where she leads their CS Learning Training Institute. Her Pathways to Resilience podcast brings learnings and conversations about trauma, wellness, and resilience to the community. Listen in on Apple, Google, and Spotify, and learn more at: www. CommunitySolutions. org

gmhtoday. com gmhTODAY Magazine: Go. Make history... WINTER 2025 53