In this episode of Doing What Works: Innovations in Homeless Services, host Ashanti Blaze Hopkins interviews Becky Dennison, Executive Director of Venice Community Housing. With over 20 years of experience in the homeless services sector, Dennison offers her perspective on the root causes of homelessness in Los Angeles County, focusing on housing unaffordability, income inequality, and systemic issues such as institutional racism. She discusses how Venice Community Housing adopts an innovative, equity-centered approach emphasizing community-led design and inclusion. Dennison highlights the importance of supporting homeless service workers through sustainable workplaces and addresses the need for scaled-up solutions like permanent supportive housing and street medicine programs. The episode concludes with Dennison's vision for addressing homelessness through large-scale public or social housing programs.
What You'll Learn in This Episode
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The root causes of homelessness in Los Angeles, include housing unaffordability, income inequality, and systemic issues.
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Venice Community Housing's innovative approach includes community-led design and a focus on equity and inclusion.
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The importance of creating sustainable workplaces to support frontline workers in homeless services.
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The need for scaled-up solutions like permanent supportive housing and street medicine programs.
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The balance between urgency and patience is required in addressing homelessness.
About Our Guest
Becky Dennison began her tenure as Executive Director with Venice Community Housing in January of 2016. She brings over twenty years of experience in non-profit management, organizational development and community organizing to VCH. Prior to joining VCH, Becky was the Co-Executive Director of the Los Angeles Community Action Network (LA CANN) whereshe worked alongside low-income and homeless leaders in Downtown and South Los Angeles to promote social and racial justice through community organizing, civic participation, and public policy development. She held prior positions in other homeless services and advocacy organizations, and is a guest lecturer and instructor at numerous colleges and universities on topics such as housing policy, criminalization of poverty, and equitable development. A former resident of Venice, she has been active in the neighborhood to ensure the historic diversity and vibrancy is protected and long-term residents can remain in the changing community. Becky graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering and a Master’s Degree in Public Policy from the University of Minnesota.
Impactful Quotes
"The solution to this problem is federal investment again, but a government investment in a real public or social housing program at scale that really does a full-on market correction."
— Becky Dennison
"Fundamentally, the root cause of homelessness is just housing unaffordability."
— Becky Dennison
"We’re trying to really shift that model and make sure that folks of color, low-income people are the drivers of our community engagement."
"My dream state would be that we would have a social or public housing program that was at scale."
