The Eden Village tiny home community helps to provide people without homes a place to live. Tiny homes communities allow municipalities to build more dense and affordable housing for the people who need it most. All the homes in the village are “permanent supportive housing,” meaning residents may live in their homes for the remainder of their lives as long as they follow the rules set forth by the community.

When an offer to buy the Harmony Place mobile home community in Alexandria, Virginia, came in, the residents worked with a nonprofit to make a counterproposal in an effort to turn it into a co-op. The seller did not accept the counterproposal, but it is now considered a template for other communities looking to do something similar.

The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act of 1987 allows the U.S. Department of Education to provide states, including D.C., funding to support equal access to public education for homeless children and their families. McKinney-Vento dollars are often scarce, so other solutions, like The American Rescue Plan and creative efforts from educators, are also helping students and families in need access the necessary resources to get an education.

Emporia Spanish Speakers was founded to encourage English-speaking residents to interact with and welcome their Spanish-speaking neighbors by making an effort to learn the language. The initiative has since grown to offer instruction for elementary-aged children, as well as a program for business owners who want to better serve Spanish-speaking customers, and members of the local Latino community say the programs have helped create a more inclusive environment in Emporia.

In an effort to build non-arrest pathways to drug treatment and recoveries, like transitional housing and various support services, groups like The Sidewalk Project and Friendly House are emerging. The groups use harm-reduction measures to help women struggling with opioid addiction and lead them toward recovery when they’re ready.