Homelessness in Parks

To equip decision-makers and advocates with the evidence and resources needed to adopt an inclusive human rights approach to addressing homelessness in parks.  

In 2018, we partnered with AARP to release the Creating Parks and Public Spaces for People of All Ages Guide that compiled best practices for managing, designing, and programming inclusive parks and public spaces. Today, we are excited to release another resource that is a result of a collaboration with our partners at AARP called Addressing Homelessness in Parks: An Inclusive Practices Guide.

The guide is informed by interviews with park managers, researchers, advocates, and front-line service providers from across the United States. Our findings focus on highlighting and acknowledging the root causes of chronic homelessness and promoting inclusive approaches to park management and policy that center human rights and housing first. The guide provides concrete approaches and promising case studies that center people in the process of addressing homelessness in parks with the goal that our parks and public spaces truly live up to our aspirations of creating places for all.

Through interviews with leading researchers and advocates from across North America, the guide identifies six challenges and their associated opportunities to address homelessness in parks. From challenging stigma and bias to investing in park design for dignity, the guide presents solutions for communities of all sizes to adopt. 

Thank you to AARP for your support in the creation of the Addressing Homelessness in Parks: An Inclusive Practices Guide. 

Is your organization interested in training and capacity building on this guide?
Please contact us at info@880cities.org for more information!