A Conversation with Dr. Deborah Padgett, coauthor of "Housing First: Ending Homelessness, Changing Systems and Transforming Lives"

Can we really end homelessness? One housing expert believes we can, and tells us how in this podcast!

New York University Silver School of Social Work professor Dr. Deborah Padgett teaches “Homelessness in Perspective," where she breaks down the assumptions that students come in with about the homeless. The coauthor of "Housing First: Ending Homelessness, Changing Systems and Transforming Lives," Padgett joins our podcast to talk with CEO and Executive Director Dave Calzi about what housing first is, the evidence to support it, and why it matters. She's also a UK graduate! 

They touch on these topics: 

• How closely linked having housing and mental health or substance abuse recovery are in a person’s growth  
• The difference between homelessness in America compared to other countries 
• The significance of having a safe space and privacy in a person’s success  
• Why the idea "we don’t want the homeless to get too comfortable so we want the shelters to be challenging" is false 
• Dave shares how nonprofit leaders can shift their thinking from a scarcity mindset to an abundance mindset 

To learn more about Housing First, Padgett recommends https://endhomelessness.org/resource/housing-first/