Communications & Public Engagement

As partners working to respond to the needs of people experiencing homelessness, communicating clearly and realistically with the broader community about the scope of need, plans and strategies to respond, hoped for outcomes, and how the public can help, can shift public dialogue from reactive towards having a greater understanding of and empathy for people experiencing homelessness.

Tips for Productive Community Conversations

Community conversations about homelessness can feel challenging when community members may already have strongly held opinions about the topic. They can be productive and engaging with a few basics:

• Provide effective facilitation;
• Establish ground rules about respect and speaking times;
• Lead with facts and humanize all parties;
• Consider having a panel of presenters describe programs followed by Q & A;
• Clearly communicate what the city can and cannot do;
• Use examples of successes from other communities;
• Take the discussion to established forums; and
• Keep commitments to report updates and progress, and post on your city website!