Shifting Hearts and Minds: Practical Communications Strategies for Addressing Homelessness in Mid-Size Cities

The visibility of homelessness is increasing in mid-size cities, putting municipalities under mounting pressure to address this complex issue. Unfortunately, community sentiment and responses to homelessness are often informed by misinformation and divisive narratives. Communication strategies, therefore, play a key role in educating audiences, highlighting shared values across the political spectrum, and advancing human rights-based and sustainable solutions to homelessness. In this article, we offer strategies for educating, uniting, and mobilizing different stakeholders around human rights-based approaches to homelessness. We discuss how to segment, target, and reach different audiences with values-based and research-backed messaging, particularly through a layered approach. We share practical tools on how, when, and where to most effectively deploy content to maximize its reach. We also discuss best practices for communicating with any audience on the critical homelessness and human rights issues facing mid-sized communities today. These strategies and best practices will allow you to communicate with purpose, make the best use of resources, shift hearts and minds, and ultimately advance your goal of promoting human rights-based and sustainable solutions to homelessness in your community.