Addressing Homelessness: Keys to Helping More People
Kelly King Horne • February 14, 2024
This post is part of a series that explores the ways in which the Richmond region addresses homelessness and provides context on how our collaborative and regional network operates. You can access other posts in this series on Access Versus Resources, Funding by The Numbers, and Supporting Frontline Staff.
We cannot give people what we do not have.
The HCL cannot provide immediate relief if that immediate relief does not exist. The HCL cannot solve the decades of underinvestment in housing that is affordable for people with children, persons with disabilities, and older adults finding themselves without options for safe and decent housing, and many others.
So, what will help move the needle in addressing homelessness in our region?
- Support existing GRCoC homeless assistance programs.
- Advocate for increasing local public sector investments to support year-round and seasonal shelter programs.
- Share your concerns with legislators working now at the General Assembly to pilot rental assistance programs to support families with children.
This summer, Homeward had the privilege of welcoming an intern in partnership with t he Virginia Department of the Blind and Vision Impaired (VRCBVI). Over the course of two weeks they made a meaningful impact on our team while reminding us that accessibility and inclusion are ongoing commitments that help all of us work better.
"Solving homelessness takes all of us working together. We need collaboration across nonprofit organizations, elected officials, housing developers, healthcare providers, employers, case managers, and people with lived experience."
Last week, Homeward hosted a Virginia Landlord-Tenant Law Training led by emeritus pro bono attorney Martin Wegbreit, who has worked with the Central Virginia Legal Aid Society for over 40 years. This event brought together case managers, housing navigators, and other frontline professionals from across the Greater Richmond region.
Earlier this week, Homeward held the first-ever in-person Collaborative Agency Support Exchange (CASE) session, bringing together homeless service providers, healthcare partners, outreach teams, local governments, and community organizations from across the region.
Rayne is a MSW student at VCU's School of Social Work and this year's Coalition Support Intern at Homeward. We asked for her perspective on the connections between social work and homeless services now that she's been with us for a few months.
Iain De Jong of Org Code Consulting shared a video today “Want to help with homelessness? Do this. Not that.” This is one of the best summaries of how all of us can be a part of addressing the homelessness crisis in our community. The video is only 7 minutes, and Iain is always worth listening to but here is my summary of what touched me.
Homeward – the planning agency for the Greater Richmond Continuum of Care (GRCoC), a network of homeless service providers that deliver coordinated and compassionate solutions to homelessness in the Richmond region – will host the 2026 Best Practices Conference on Friday, May 1, 2026 at the DoubleTree Richmond-Midlothian hotel in Chesterfield County.
"Homeward is there to bring all the different pieces of homeless services together. "
Data from the January 2026 Point in Time (PIT) count show that homelessness in the Richmond region remained relatively steady. The January 2026 PIT count recorded 618 people experiencing homelessness, which is slightly lower than the January 2025 count that recorded 660 people experiencing homelessness.
“It is rewarding and meaningful to know that accurate data directly impacts planning and service delivery for people experiencing homelessness.”
