On September 29, TJPDC staff joined more than 30 community partners for BRACH’s Housing Problem-Solving Workshop, a collaborative session focused on strengthening the region’s response to homelessness and housing instability.
The workshop brought together representatives from BRACH, The Haven, SupportWorks, Albemarle County, the City of Charlottesville, CASS, community members, and other housing and service providers. Facilitated by a consultant from the National Alliance to End Homelessness, the session examined regional homelessness data and challenged participants to think critically about how local systems can better prevent and address housing crises.
A key theme throughout the workshop was the importance of using high-quality data to inform decision-making. Participants reviewed trends showing both increasing numbers of people experiencing homelessness for the first time and growing numbers of individuals remaining homeless longer within the system.
Participants also discussed the need for organizations to better understand one another’s programs, funding sources, and service capabilities. There was broad agreement that a more unified approach, including shared messaging and coordinated advocacy efforts, could help the region achieve greater impact.
As the workshop concluded, attendees identified several priorities for future work, with shared data, communication, funding, and system wide planning emerging as common areas of focus.