HAND follows the lead of several national organizations on policy priorities, including the National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH), the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC), and the Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH). There are also several excellent state-level agencies which provide leadership, including the Michigan Coalition Against Homelessness (MCAH), the Michigan League for Public Policy (MLPP), and the Community Economic Development Association of Michigan (CEDAM). As these organizations highlight issues that align with our policy priorities, HAND will respond with the appropriate actions, including contacting representation, informing our membership, and equipping and empowering the membership to join in the advocacy work.

Policy Priorities:

  1. Funding for Homeless Assistance
  2. The creation and funding of low-income/affordable housing
  3. Funding for and access to mainstream benefits (SNAP, etc.)
  4. Health care, including prevention, acute, and follow up care
  5. Mental health funding and accessibility
  6. Housing Safety and Decency within the City of Detroit

Other Issues HAND will track:

  1. Policy related to criminal justice, recidivism
  2. Policies related to wealth building and consumer debt
  3. Policies related to building income from employment, including minimum wage and community development
  4. Policies which effect domestic violence and other abusive relationships
  5. Policies effecting other emotional, physical and sexual trauma
  6. Policies around foster care and child protective services in the State of Michigan
  7. Policies and funding for child care/ supervision for children outside of school
  8. Policies around community building and positive social networks
  9. Policies around education, particularly inclusion of those with learning and developmental disabilities
  10. Policies around support and inclusion of those with disabilities