Recommended Resources

If you are interested in learning more about the complicated issues surrounding homelessness, we encourage you to check out these resources.

–BOOKS–

Grace Can Lead Us Home – A Christian Call to End Homelessness, by Kevin Nye

Neighbors with No Doors, by Josiah Haken. This is a much shorter book with 10 quick chapters focused on myth-busting. Josiah is a person of faith, which informs his approach, but it is not a “Christian book.”

Homelessness is a Housing Problem, by Colburn and Aldern. This book seeks to explain the substantial regional variation in rates of homelessness in cities across the United States. With an analytical approach, Colburn and Aldern shift their focus from the individual experiencing homelessness to the metropolitan area. Using accessible statistical analysis, they test a range of conventional beliefs about what drives the prevalence of homelessness in a given city.

Housekeys Not Handcuffs – WRAP
A collection of essays and art that emerged from homeless activists in San Francisco. This book is hard to find, but the best way to get it is by making a donation to WRAP and selecting it as the complimentary gift you will receive. A win/win/win! 

Zion Learns to See, by Terence Lester
If you want to start a conversation with kids about homelessness, start with this beautiful book.

Praying with Our Feet, by Lindsey Krinks
This book is part memoir, part education, and part call. You get to hear how Open Table Nashville began— in one of the most anti-homeless cities in America.

–EMAIL/ONLINE–

Kevin Nye’s Substack “Who is My Neighbor?”

The Housing First Approach: A Documentary, NPR reporter Will James. Article and audio documentary.

Faith in Harm Reduction – Co-creating a justice movement which connects people who use drugs, people who do sex work, and communities of faith through the development of harm reduction centered spiritual resources, ritual support, and spiritual care.

Housing First Fact Sheet – National Alliance to End Homelessness

Minimum wage workers cannot afford rent in any US State – Alicia Adamczyk, cnbc.com

From Wards Island to Amazon Warehouse in Jersey, This Commute Is Hell on Wheels – Jose Martinez, thecity.nyc. Saheed Adebayo has a 31-mile one-way commute by bus, train and wheelchair from the Clarke Thomas men’s shelter on Wards Island.

–PODCASTS 

Homeland Podcast – Produced by Benjamin Kay & Andrew Didway. A 10-episode podcast series that brings clarity to the homelessness crisis by highlighting the work of those leading efforts to end homelessness in their communities.

Imagine Dignity Substack and Podcast – with Dr. Terance Lester. This podcast is a stripped-down, frills-free project where you hear directly from people experiencing homelessness interviewed by Terence—in the park, in the car on the way to the Social Security office. To assist the audio, it is subtitled, and it is more effective to watch than just listen.  

—DO NOT recommend–

The film Americans with No Address. Here’s why: The Christian Documentary that’s Lying to you about Homelessness