Pallet Supports U.S. Conference of Mayors in Drafting Resolution to Fund Stockpiling of Rapid-Response Shelters
The adopted resolution urges Congress to include federal funding for shelters and create emergency preparedness grant programs to combat the displacement of all Americans
EVERETT, Wash., June 23, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Pallet, a public benefit corporation focused on ending unsheltered homelessness, assisted mayors in drafting a resolution urging Congress to provide federal support for stockpiling rapid, scalable shelter solutions. The resolution was sponsored by 16 mayors of cities across the country including Sacramento, CA, Tampa, FL, and Austin, TX, and was adopted at the 91st Annual U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM).
The resolution outlines the effectiveness of low-barrier, non-congregate shelter as an immediate and safe model to help displaced populations and build resilient communities. It also highlights how integrating collapsible, easily stored shelters into the disaster preparedness stockpile can increase the speed of housing survivors after a natural disaster, and in turn, transition those in crisis back to permanent housing.
"Everyone deserves a safe space to sleep," said Amy King, CEO and founder of Pallet. "This shows that mayors across the country are asking for support to create resilient communities and effective solutions to address homelessness and be prepared for disasters. They are joining congressional leaders to create more equitable disaster response strategies and solutions, and Pallet stands ready to be part of that solution."
A core aspect of the resolution is creating initiatives and grant programs enabling municipalities to develop local stockpiles of rapidly deployable shelters, which are lifesaving in emergency situations. This would allow mayors and other city leaders to directly address the specific needs of people in their communities displaced by socioeconomic issues, chronic homelessness, and intensifying effects of climate change—and comes in the wake of natural disasters and extreme weather events across the country such as recent flooding in California.
"The climate crisis is existential, but we have an equally compelling crisis in California: and that is housing," said Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg. "Its most severe consequence is unsheltered homelessness. The loss of life is the most tragic to unsheltered people, and we need to do everything we can to make sure there is no further loss of life."
Stockpiling shelters is an especially prudent measure for disaster-prone areas of the country. When sudden events like hurricanes and tornadoes touch down, cities not only need to be prepared to rapidly respond with emergency housing, but also provide critical aid to support their residents.
With experience deploying more than 110 shelter villages across the country for people displaced by homelessness and as an employer of a lived experience workforce, Pallet provided input to the USCM to create this resolution prioritizing the needs of displaced communities.
"Part of being a resilient community means being able to serve everybody in your neighborhoods, including those that have been marginalized and disenfranchised," said King. "We're proud of the USCM and grateful to the many mayors who gave their support for adopting this resolution, and we believe in its potential to create truly equitable communities through improved disaster response strategies."
About Pallet
Pallet is a Public Benefit Corporation working to end unsheltered homelessness, provide rapid shelter to those displaced by disaster, and give people a fair chance at employment. Our transitional shelter villages help bridge the gap from living on the street to finding permanent housing. Learn more at www.palletshelter.com
SOURCE Pallet
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