Home Base

Mission - To build community capacity to end homelessness and reduce poverty, and to foster thriving, inclusive communities. We support communities and agencies in establishing the systems and programs needed to help people who are homeless or at-risk achieve housing stability, improve health and wellness, maximize economic self-sufficiency, and reclaim their dignity.

Guiding Principles -

The following principles outline our approach to our work:

Housing First: Access to stable, safe and affordable housing is a vital cornerstone of a thriving community and an essential base for improving the health, well-being, and productivity of the individuals and families who live there.

System-Level, Integrated Solutions: Arising from multi-dimensional sources, solving homelessness requires a system-level approach that aligns action across agencies and across service systems. As such, solutions should be inter-disciplinary, incorporate a community-wide focus, advance integration of systems and programs, and maximize efficient use of resources.

Respect & Empowerment: Effective capacity building should be based on a relationship of respect that includes active listening to both stated and unstated needs and understanding of the barriers and difficulties faced by local communities and agencies. It also requires a focus on empowerment that helps communities to identify alternatives and select their best options, and then provides them with ongoing guidance and support in how to pursue their chosen strategy.

Partnership & Collaboration: Partnership and collaboration are essential to effective problem-solving and innovation. To this end, we facilitate relationship-building: among key players within the community, among communities within a region or state, and among those doing similar work or facing similar problems throughout the country. We also work to create venues for inclusive dialogue, critical thinking, and peer learning.

Effectiveness: The principle goal of our work with local communities and agencies is to help them deliver more effective housing and services. We help communities build systems and programs that are comprehensive, integrated, accessible, and culturally relevant to the client population.

Communities, Agencies & People: Our policy and advocacy work is focused on the needs of the end users: communities, agencies providing housing and services, and the people who access the services. We both translate policy directives to those who must implement them locally, and educate policy makers about the needs and realities on the ground.