This article is the first in our series looking at the Invisible Social Safety Net — all of those houses of worship and faith-based organizations that provide essential social services to their communities, sometimes with the help of government funding and sometimes without that assistance. In order to unleash the power of the social safety net to support our most vulnerable neighbors, CPJ advocates for state, local, and federal governments who need to understand how to partner with and support these “invisible” links who serve not because they have to by law, but because faithfulness to their tradition calls them to serve.
When my mother was hired as a ministry associate at Walnut Creek Presbyterian Church (WCPC) in 2021, her first task was repurposing the Care 1 Cottage, a tiny apartment with a red door and rose garden on the periphery of the church parking lot. It housed church staff in the 80s but had been repurposed to host a clothing swap program for congregants. Gradually, the ministry expanded and offered clothes and food to those in need. However, church leadership believed the building was underutilized and wanted to use the space for a more financially viable ministry. As my mother became more involved with the Cottage’s operations, she discovered that the people coming to our door to receive food and clothing— many of whom were unhoused residents of our city— had been referred to our church by county case workers. Our church had been placed on the 211 essential resources database and soon became a food bank distribution location. My mother explained, “The ministry had never intended to be a first line of defense for people in poverty, but it was organically becoming that slowly.” The local government affirmed the essential role of the Care Cottage when it granted them essential service status during the COVID-19 lockdown.
This story is not unique to my church. As I researched how American communities can address homelessness, I encountered many churches and community organizations that provide essential aid to those in need out of generosity and obligation to their communities. As Shared Justice Program Director, Emily Crouch wrote previously for Shared Justice, “Many churches, mosques, and temples provide food pantries, addiction treatment, clothing drives, job application assistance, transportation, health care services, workforce development, child care, and most importantly, the community that we all need to survive and thrive.” As WCPC realized the importance of the Cottage, the church’s mission shifted from eliminating the ministry to expanding and revitalizing it. In a conversation with the former mayor of Walnut Creek, Matt Francois, my mother asked what more our church could do to serve our city. His answer revealed what direction to take: he asked that our church work to solve California’s housing crisis. Witnessing this transformation in my church’s mission led me to ask what else faith-based groups can do to serve the homeless in their communities.
Homelessness is pervasive in many urban areas in the United States. According to 2022 estimates, 582,462 Americans are experiencing homelessness. Despite containing 12% of the nation’s population, California is home to 30% of unhoused Americans, roughly over 174,000 people. Over 35,000 unhoused people reside in the San Francisco Bay Area, where WCPC makes its home. Despite a $1.2 trillion economy boosted by the tech industry, the Bay Area has not been able to keep up with the demand for housing. According to the Bay Area Economic Institute, between 2011 and 2017, the Bay Area created 531,400 new jobs. Still, it approved only 123,801 new housing units at a ratio of 4.3 jobs to every new housing unit. As a result, housing prices have skyrocketed, leaving low-income residents with few affordable housing options.
People experiencing homelessness represent some of the most vulnerable members of our society. Due to historic racism, which has led to inequality, the unhoused population of this region is disproportionately Black and Indigenous. Interviews with unhoused Californians reveal that experiences of violence, incarceration and discrimination were common throughout their lives and made them vulnerable to becoming homeless. Those experiencing homelessness are at greater risk of becoming involved with the criminal justice system and are more vulnerable to both physical and sexual violence. Health challenges are common, as is poor access to health care. Solving the homelessness crisis will take hard work, but I’ve been encouraged by witnessing examples of collaboration between local churches, non-profit organizations and the local government in my community.
Solving the homelessness crisis will take hard work, but I’ve been encouraged by witnessing examples of collaboration between local churches, non-profit organizations and the government in my community.
Drawing from Scripture, it is important to envision a society free from homelessness before we examine the policies and practices that can bring us there. One significant biblical directive is in Deuteronomy 15:11: “For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’” This reveals that in our fallen world, we should anticipate poverty and be prepared to respond with generosity. Elsewhere, in Isaiah 58:7, God criticizes Israel for not offering shelter to the outcasts of its society. Scripture makes it clear that in a righteous society, everyone will have a roof over their head. However, a vision of public justice includes more than just stable housing. In a flourishing society, everyone will be entrenched in the community they choose to make their home, receiving love and support from their houses of worship, neighbors and families. This vision of flourishing goes beyond services the government have the role of providing and requires participation from local organizations and individuals.
Based on this vision of a society free from homelessness, how can a public justice perspective inform the government’s actions? It’s important to note that both community organizations and the government have distinct responsibilities when addressing this injustice, and an effective response will engage institutions at all levels of our society. CPJ’s Guideline on Welfare states, “People in dire poverty need help even when their neighbors are not generous or when economic conditions restrict private charity. Moreover, need and wealth are often found in different places.” Economic prosperity in the Bay Area has not stopped a housing crisis from forcing citizens onto the streets, and this reality justifies a response from the government. Some non-profit organizations, such as Housing California and Cal Matters, recognize the need for government action and point to federal housing vouchers as a tool that can be expanded to aid those struggling to afford housing. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development administers money to low-income families, the elderly, and disabled individuals through housing choice vouchers, money that recipients can apply to a housing unit of their choice. However, long waiting lists and an insufficient number of available affordable housing units complicate this seemingly simple solution. Because of California’s competitive housing market, vouchers often expire before the recipient can find a home that meets their needs. In fact, thousands of vouchers are left unused yearly.
It’s important to note that both community organizations and the government have distinct responsibilities when addressing this injustice, and an effective response will engage institutions at all levels of our society.
This simple welfare policy implementation fails to address the root economic causes of the housing crisis. As CPJ’s Guideline on Welfare states, the government’s primary methods of addressing poverty should be preventative. Housing vouchers do nothing to address the income inequality and lack of affordable housing that creates the hot housing market and sky-high prices, which lead to homelessness. Preventative solutions could include creating more housing and solving the supply-and-demand problem that has made costs unsustainable for low-income Californians. Recognizing this, the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) has allocated funds for contracts to create affordable housing. For example, the HCD spent 3.7 billion on Project Homekey, which offers local governments money to buy hotels and commercial buildings and convert them into permanent, affordable housing. The program has created 13,500 homes, and while this is valuable progress, it is not nearly enough to meet the growing need.
An effective strategy to achieve a vision of flourishing will incorporate both government action and the work of faith-based organizations. California has recently begun to utilize such intersecting strategies. Single-family zoning laws, designed to protect property values for homeowners, prevent dense affordable housing from being built and have been a historic barrier to housing creation. The recently passed CA Senate Bill 4 gives faith-based institutions a streamlined process to use their land to host affordable housing regardless of local zoning laws. This creative strategy utilizes the generosity of faith-based organizations and will increase the likelihood that people experiencing homelessness will be able to remain in the city that they call home. WCPC supported this bill in the Senate, and the outreach team is now exploring how they can utilize the new legislation to expand their ministry to unhoused people.
While federal and local governments have a role in creating housing, communities and faith-based organizations can affirm the humanity of unhoused people in the larger public eye. 75% of unhoused people live in the same county as their last housing. Still, there’s a myth that unhoused people travel to California to receive government handouts, which, according to some, justifies a lack of generosity. Unhoused people are our neighbors; as Christians, we must love and serve them. A UCSF survey revealed that 82% of unhoused Californians had struggled with a severe mental health condition at one point in their lives. Undoubtedly, the stress and trauma of homelessness can worsen mental health symptoms. Shelter and support can begin to alleviate this stress, but these services require the efforts of many volunteers. Christians willing to give their time and resources can provide this support.
While federal and local governments have a role in creating housing, communities and faith-based organizations can affirm the humanity of unhoused people in the larger public eye.
An innovative example of a faith-based organization offering this sort of shelter and care is the Trinity Center, located just a short walk from the Care Cottage. This organization was founded by St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, a neighbor of WCPC. I became aware of this ministry as the two churches formed a working relationship to better meet the needs of our community. This space offers unhoused people lockers for use during the day, nutritious breakfasts, computers with access to job search websites and housing databases, free clothing, and a laundromat and showers. Trinity Center hosts case managers and educational seminars to guide members toward work and stable housing. These workers are encouraged to build relationships and rapport with the unhoused people they serve before offering advice. CPJ’s Guideline on Welfare states, “Receiving assistance should enable those in need to reach or return to self-sufficiency and be in a position to help others.” Trinity Center accomplishes this goal by referring to those receiving services as “members,” integrating them into a larger community and encouraging them to take responsibility for cleaning common spaces like showers and multi-purpose rooms. Trinity Center’s example demonstrates that non-government organizations that operate locally and focus on forming relationships have a powerful role in forming a social safety net.
It is easy for those unaffected by homelessness to ignore its uncomfortable realities or simply expect the government to provide some relief. However, I hope Christians in California will view this crisis as an opportunity to demonstrate generosity by loving and caring for our unhoused neighbors. Following a public justice model reveals that the most transformative strategies involve not only government action but also the work of local organizations and individuals. WCPC and the Trinity Center are just a few examples of how organizations acting on generosity can create community and change lives.
Olivia Brazier is a sophomore at Wheaton College pursuing majors in International Relations and English. Her passions include classical literature, political analysis, hiking, crocheting, trying new foods and spending time with friends and family.
