This Week in Homelessness with Daniel McDonald

Last month, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis put his signature on HB 1365, a controversial new law that prohibits municipalities from allowing homeless individuals to camp or sleep on public property. Enforcement of the law is unclear, and lawyer Aaron Swift argued that anyone who sues the municipality for not enforcing the bill and wins gets their attorney fees paid by the municipality. “Private attorne...

This is a recording of my presentation to the 2024 National Sheriffs' Association Winter Conference in Washington, D.C. I cover issues such as: How did homelessness, addictions and mental illness become a law enforcement issue? How to navigate the politics of these issues (and not lose the next election) Redefining the sheriff’s role in the 21st Century: You can no longer “stay in your lane L...

There are different schools of thought about homeless outreach: You agency may do contact-driven outreach. You have a glancing impact upon lots of people. Activity is more important than performance or end-results. I prefer impactful outreach. I work with less clients, but spend more time, often years, to resolve their needs. Patience and persistence are my key tools. In this episode, I discuss so...

Should the police be involved in social issues such as homelessness, mental illness and addictions. In a perfect world, no. But we are not in a perfect world. In this episode, I discuss my role in police homeless outreach and why it works. How to Contact Me With Any Questions or Comments: info@homelesspolice.com https://homelesspolice.com

Defunding the police is an idea that has gained momentum. In this episode I discuss why this is a bad idea and what society would be like without the police. Links I mentioned: There's a growing call to defund the police. Here's what it means The Social Contract National Policing Recommendations Visit my website at: https://www.homelesspolice.com or @HomelessPolice

In this episode: Amy Varle checks in from Manchester, England to discuss social housing, homeless pet policies, COVID-19 and her own journey from homelessness to Number 10 Downing Street. Amy Varle from Manchester, England is one of the most brilliant entrepreneurs and homelessness experts in the UK She is a leading voice and advocate for Housing First In 2016, Amy was awarded a travelling fellows...

NewsRadio WFLA's Felix Vega interviews Tampa Police Department Homeless Outreach Officer Dan McDonald on how they are partnering with Catholic Charities to open 100-person tent camp to provide temporary shelter, while working to find homeless residents permanent housing and services while also coping with their day-to-day fears about the Coronavirus in another vulnerable population. Listen to...

In This Weeks Segment: Even in challenging times there is hope. The Voices of Our City Choir have raised homeless San Diegans’ voices through their performances and advocacy. What started as a grassroots effort has blossomed into a choir with about 160 regular participants who have performed at a slew of events and even collaborated with the San Diego Symphony”. John Brady checks in from San Diego...

Homeless service providers are scaling back operations in many communities to prevent illness amongst their staff and volunteers. Social service agencies have closed their offices or transitioned to serving their clients via telephone or by appointment only. Drop-in centers have closed. Soup kitchens have stopped serving in dining rooms, often providing to-go meals. Libraries and other public faci...

This episode documents my 27 calls attempting to order a new Direct Express debit card for a client. Sometimes business can learn a lesson from government, along with my thoughts how the homeless also deserve exceptional customer service. Please contact me with any questions, comments or concerns: info@homelesspolice.com or visit my website at https://homelesspolice.com

On this week's episode: A recap of our Point-in-Time count (homeless census), with a shout-out to my police colleagues, and how we share encampment data with volunteer surveyors. How the science of queue (line) management can reduce waiting times at soup kitchens, homeless agencies and other organizations that serve the homeless. This is the same science used by airlines and restaurants to re...

On this week's episode: Introduction You’re listening to “This Week in Homelessness with Daniel McDonald” for Tuesday, February 18, 2020 This is the inaugural episode We will talk about all things homeless – discussing issues such as: The latest news Commentary and analysis of current homeless topics   About Me I’ve worked in the trenches of police homeless outreach for 8 years – 16,000 hours...