Mayor Ras J. Baraka announced today that he had joined with the International Mayors Council on Homelessness to sign a declaration affirming each leader’s commitment to ending homelessness, and calling for global action on the issue.
A growing initiative, the International Mayors Council on Homelessness recently met in Paris and signed a joint declaration to work together and address homelessness. The council, created in 2023, is a forum for leaders to discuss the most pressing challenges, share evidence on tactics that have worked, and bring mayoral perspectives into the UN agenda. The council includes mayors and other elected leaders from more than a dozen cities across three continents.
“We have always said that housing is not a privilege, but a fundamental right, whether in Newark or Paris,” Mayor Baraka said. “Our groundbreaking measures and strategies, ‘The Path Home,’ have reduced unsheltered homeless population in our city by 57.6 percent. We will continue our efforts and commitment until every resident without an address in Newark has a permanent home of their own. In attending the Paris conference, joining our fellow municipal officials to share strategies and solutions, and signing this declaration to address one of the most pressing issues of our time, Newark is taking a leading role in addressing this issue both in our neighborhoods and across the globe.”
Mayor Baraka’s groundbreaking efforts to end homelessness in Newark include transitional housing facilities like Hope Villages, where residents also receive substance abuse and mental health counseling, and housing and job placement, and classes on how to write resumes and search online for jobs. Any resident who sees an unhoused person who might need assistance in Newark can send a text to 855-11 with the two-word message: “Path Home.” The message activates an outreach team to assist the person. The programs are supported by partnerships with Rutgers University-Newark, RWJ Barnabas Health, Newark Alliance, Edison Properties, the Health Care Foundation of New Jersey, and the Port Newark Container Terminal and Shipping Association.
“It was an honor to join Mayor Baraka and other world leaders in Paris to discuss the global issues around migration and homelessness,” said Director of the Office of Homeless Services Luis Ulerio. “It gave us an opportunity to showcase all the great work we have accomplished under the Mayor’s leadership to end chronic homelessness in Newark. I am also proud that Newark was asked to join in signing this joint declaration to work together with other mayors and elected leaders to address homelessness.”
According to a 2023 United Nations Secretary General report, an estimated 1.6 billion people globally live in inadequate housing. The report warns the ongoing effects of climate change, war, civil unrest, and global economic uncertainty will worsen the problem.
The council is a partnership between DePaul University’s Ruff Institute of Global Homelessness(IGH) in Chicago, and The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat). Mayors from Chicago and Newark; Edmonton, Canada; London; Paris; São Paulo; Helsinki; and Glasgow, are among those represented on the council.
“Across all of these global contexts, mayoral leadership on homelessness is a critical factor in making progress on the issue,” said Lydia Stazen, executive director of the Ruff Institute of Global Homelessness. “Many mayors face challenges including lack of funding, complicated housing laws, and disconnects between local and national social services, so the council aims to power and equip mayors to tackle the issue locally and help advocate for their work.”
The council first convened online in June 2023 and has met virtually over the course of the year to hear from experts, exchange evidence-based best practices, and jointly to develop a declaration of their commitment to addressing homelessness.
At the special invitation of Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, a member of the council, the International Mayors Council on Homelessness gathered June 20 in Paris to sign a joint declaration affirming each leader’s commitment to ending homelessness locally, regionally, and globally, and commit to a two-year workplan.
“Over the last four years, the international community has strongly recognized the central importance of addressing homelessness, endorsing a set of UN resolutions that acknowledge the issue can be solved, especially with the involvement and support of cities and local authorities,” said Erfan Ali, Chief of Staff of UN-Habitat.
Founded in 2014, the Ruff Institute of Global Homelessness is the first organization to focus on homelessness as a global phenomenon with an emphasis on those who are living on the street or in emergency shelters. In 2017, the IGH launched the first Vanguard Cities cohort, which featured 13 cities across six continents making a commitment to significantly reduce or end street homelessness in their communities. The cohort has since expanded to more than 18 communities, including its first two Vanguard countries, Uruguay and Mongolia.
In 2023, IGH became one of 16 Sector Partners to join Homewards; Prince William and The Royal Foundation’s landmark homelessness program. This five-year program aims to demonstrate that together it’s possible to end homelessness, by working with six flagship locations across the UK, giving them the tools, capacity and expertise to focus on preventing and ending homelessness. At the heart of the program is shared learning, and Sheffield Councillor Tom Hunt and Lambeth Councillor Claire Holland are the first from the Homewards locations to join the International Mayors Council to share their learnings globally.
“Unfortunately, we see homelessness increasing right now in most parts of the world,” said Ms. Stazen. “However, the launch of the Mayors Council brings me hope as so many mayors are recognizing that they have the power to address homelessness and that they can support each other in their joint efforts.”
The Institute of Global Homelessness and UN-Habitat are actively recruiting mayors or equivalent high-level local elected officials to join the council and increase their dedication to addressing homelessness. More about the council and a list of participating leaders is available online.
For photographs of the event, click here. Please look at the actual photographs to assign photo credit.