
Understanding Homelessness – History, Causes, and the State of the Crisis
Details
About the event
Part of the free educational event series A Community Approach to Homelessness and Housing. This foundational session examines how homelessness has evolved and why it persists — emphasizing the central role of housing insecurity and the ongoing failure to invest in real solutions.
Let’s Move Forward, Together.
Join us for A Community Approach to Homelessness and Housing, a free educational event series bringing together local and national experts to explore strategies that truly work—and how our whole community can play a part in creating sustainable, compassionate, and informed solutions to homelessness. Millions are spent each year on temporary fixes, but real progress means investing in permanent housing and addressing the root causes of homelessness. This is a chance to engage in thoughtful dialogue, learn from leading voices, and explore how we can keep making progress toward housing equity and lasting change.
Presented by: The Community Investment Alliance
Sponsored by: The Community Housing & Homelessness Prevention Fund and the City of Santa Fe
Understanding Homelessness – History, Causes, and the State of the Crisis
Speakers:
Jeff Olivet - Former head of USICH
Dena Moscola - Espanola Pathways Shelter
Michele Williams - Consuelo’s Place
Key Topics:
Historical shifts that led to modern homelessness
Economic, racial, and systemic drivers of housing instability
The current landscape of homelessness in New Mexico and nationally
How the housing shortage — not personal failure — fuels the crisis

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The Community Housing & Homelessness Prevention Fund (CHP) at the Santa Fe Community Foundation addresses the need throughout our region to protect and provide safe, secure housing for our most vulnerable residents, as well as affordable, stable housing for all community members. CHP is a partnership between the Santa Fe Community Foundation, Anchorum Health Foundation, Annie E. Casey Foundation, and the Thornburg Foundation.
Meet the people leading the conversation
Meet the people leading the conversation
Meet the people leading the conversation
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