Racial Equity & Homelessness
COHHIO Racial Equity Committee (REC)
Statement of Purpose
COHHIO’s Racial Equity Committee (REC) recognizes that homelessness and housing in the US are racialized problems, that the myriad racial inequities that exist are the results of centuries of structural racism that pervades American institutions.
Racist policies, practices, laws, and cultural narratives have conspired to undermine the liberties and limit the opportunities of Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color. We believe that systemic inequities can be deconstructed through persistent and purposeful action, and that more equitable systems and institutions can be realized, including those that relate to homelessness and housing.
Therefore, we strive to utilize a progressive racial equity lens in providing ongoing and impactful trainings, technical assistance, data analysis, and program oversight in our work to eliminate homelessness and achieve safe, decent, and affordable housing for all.
We do this both internally by working with the entire COHHIO organization, and externally by working alongside numerous agencies and organizations throughout Ohio and the US, especially those whose focus is providing homelessness and housing services.
Racial Equity Action Committee on Homelessness in Ohio
REACH Ohio
COHHIO’s REC is internal facing, COHHIO helped create the external facing Race Equity Action Committee on Homelessness in Ohio (REACH Ohio). This diverse committee of providers, system and community leaders, advocates, and individuals with lived expertise, developed goals centered around creating an equitable homeless system.
REACH Ohio’s Mission
We are committed to achieving racial equity in Ohio’s Homeless systems
- We acknowledge that housing is a right and homelessness is unacceptable
- We are focused on radical anti-racist change in pursuit of justice and equity
- We are data- enlightened and person centered
- We are courageous, inclusive and transparent in support of our mission
This will be achieved by committing to:
- All individuals connected to the homeless system have racial equity training.
- All agencies in the homeless system use a racial equity lens in all decision making.
- All individuals experiencing homelessness have an equitable experience in our system.
- All systems interacting with the homeless system work together to promote racial equity.
- Qualitative and quantitative data about housing and homelessness are collected and analyzed through a racial equity lens.
- All (advocacy) efforts to prevent and end homelessness are informed by racial equity.
Focus: Equitable Service Delivery & Racially Equitable Decision Making
