The seemingly intractable problem of homelessness is a daily feature of news reporting, frequently relating the efforts of communities to devise solutions that never seem adequate. It is common for critics to attribute homelessness to drug addiction and mental illness, but the lack of affordable housing and low wages may be even more significant. Income inequality, unaddressed and underappreciated as a feature of American society, leads too often to the inability of low-income families to find secure housing.
No group is more seriously affected by homelessness than young people. In 2019-2020, California schools reported that a total of 194,709 students lived at least part of the year on the street, in shelters, motels, doubled or tripled up in houses or apartments with other families. This number may seem shocking as a whole; it may be even more shocking when the number of homeless students in our community is considered.
As of 2022, a reported ten thousand students lacking secure housing live in Monterey County– a number expected to increase as the economy softens. Over two thousand are enrolled in the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District (MPUSD), or 22% of the district’s school population. As a result of the McKinsey-Vento Act, a comprehensive approach to their well-being, both in and out of class, helps them attend school under challenging circumstances. The act is a federal law that requires schools to identify and provide services to students who live in shared housing due to economic hardship, live in a motel or hotel or a homeless shelter, or live in unsafe situations. Once qualified, they can receive food and clothing, transportation assistance, school supplies, and many other necessities. They also have the right to attend school despite lacking birth certificates or immunization records. Every one of the district’s schools is required to provide a liaison for homeless students to ensure that they receive the benefits allowed. This assistance is available on a 12-month basis since students’ needs do not stop with the end of the academic year.
MPUSD has pursued its program comprehensively and with close attention to the needs of these students and their families. Such diligence is paying off. While research shows that nationally only 64% of homeless students graduate from high school, MPUSD reports its percentage to be 84%. “This is a major success story,” said Donnie Everett, the district’s Assistant Superintendent of Multi-Tiered Layers of Support. “One of the indicators of success is a significant increase in graduation rates.” Studies show that homeless students who do not graduate are at greater risk of again being homeless at some point in their adult lives.
Covid-19 was a substantial challenge for all students while schools transitioned from classroom to remote learning, and especially so for those who did not have broadband access. This was a dramatic disadvantage for these students. MPUSD’s liaisons worked hard to find “hot spots” so student users could continue to attend class. These hot spots have remained so students can do their homework using online resources, communicate with their teachers, and collaborate with their fellow students.
As essential partners in the program, teachers are trained to identify the signs of homelessness, which students often try to conceal because they do not want to be stigmatized. Michelle Francois is the senior director of compassionate education systems at the National Center for Youth Law, an advocacy organization that partners with MPUSD to provide homeless liaisons for each district’s high school. She points out that training programs focusing on students living in often traumatic circumstances help teachers view them through a different lens. “Looking at compassion as a core intervention helps place families at the center, empowering them with information and the ability to advocate for themselves, and ensuring that they are at the center of whatever plan for them is devised. Their participation is huge to the success of the program.” The status of such students is kept confidential.
The school district actively seeks to identify families and students needing support. Every year, a questionnaire is sent to all families in the district requesting information on their residence. If there are indications that a student needs help, the school’s liaison (called the “Education Liaison” to avoid stigmatizing students) reaches out.
Recently, new initiatives have emerged to support homeless students in our community. In a strategic partnership announced in April, MPUSD was chosen to be the first school district in California to provide short-term emergency housing with the help of Motel 6. Three free nights will be provided at two Motel 6 locations–one in Marina and one in Monterey–while families seek a long-term housing solution. Michelle Francois described the program as a short-term solution for families facing housing emergencies. “It’s a beginning step at acknowledging the power of community collaboration and looking at a universal challenge and how we address it,” she said.” Families have three nights when they know they’re going to be safe. During this time, we help them create a long-term plan. For the children in that family, knowing where they’re going to sleep for three nights is significant.” The partnership is funded through the American Rescue Plan and provided by the California Department of Education. While it is secure for the moment, further contributions will be needed to ensure its duration.
There is more good news on the homeless support front. In June, it was announced that the city of Salinas is one of ten California jurisdictions to be awarded $2.6 million for purchasing single-family homes and accessory dwelling units (ADUs) to serve families with dependent minors experiencing homelessness. The project is being coordinated with The Coalition of Homeless Service Providers, Catholic Charities, Housing Resource Center, YWCA, Salvation Army, Monterey County Office of Education, and Homeless Children and Youth Services Program. The June 29th press release states that “property selection will be based on market availability, size, and site constraints.”
And in July, Monterey County held its first summit on homelessness in cooperation with a number of community organizations, part of which addressed youth homelessness. A distinguished list of elected and community leaders participated in “Lead Me Home,” calling attention to all aspects of homelessness in the county that public/private partnerships can address. The comprehensive agenda recognized that a community-wide, coordinated effort is needed to develop solutions and called together those constituencies whose efforts could impact what the organizers describe as “the sometimes contentious, often heartbreaking entrenched and emerging issues related to homelessness.”
Such initiatives will impact, and hopefully revise, the perception of homelessness as a permanent marker of societal failure and recognize it as a direct result of the unavailability of affordable housing. While our schools are providing significant help to young people who are in a situation not of their own making and who are often traumatized by the circumstances they face, more community involvement is critical. MPUSD’s Donnie Everett points to how vital this engagement is: “The number of homeless continues to increase on the Monterey Coast. It is essential that our community continue to work together on addressing this crisis.”
Susan Meister is a journalist, columnist, and community activist living in Pebble Beach. Susan’s writing has been recognized with awards for service writing and news feature writing from the Parenting Media Association.