Dane County Homeless Justice Initiative

04/22/2026

says “we offer you no homes that you can actually afford—not even a sanctioned space to set up a tent…but you can’t stay here.” Aaaaaaaatrocious governance.

The quickly escalating epidemic of homelessness is a social crisis that requires social solutions. Public Housing (owned and operated by the public) has always been the solution. There are things we can do until we get there: sanctioned campsites and acquire adequate shelter space to give folks a shred of security until the housing crisis is addressed. It is a matter of gathering a government that actually cares about its most vulnerable constituents and prioritizes budget to reflect that care. Our current local governments have proven, time and again, that they could care less. How do they sleep at night, knowing they are responsible for so much suffering and desperation?

04/15/2026

This letter recently went out to guests of Porchlight’s currently existing men’s shelter on Zeier Rd on the east side of Madison. To add context, upwards of 400 men have been using this shelter nightly over the past many months—the new shelter will push 150 vulnerable men out into our streets. To add more context, Dane County is experiencing a housing shortage and rents are astronomical and unattainable for our low to middle income community members. We’re sharing this letter to shed light on the grim reality shaping up for our most vulnerable community members. Try to imagine life without shelter. Where do you sleep? Where do you cook? Where do you toilet? Where do you store your belongings? Where do you escape predators? Where do you escape the elements? Our governments have one job: to facilitate survivable communities. They are failing. For those of us who care about our communities and our fellow neighbors in these communities, this means we have to form and facilitate our own communal means of survivability. Dane County Homeless Justice Initiative is doing just that. Join us in our effort. DM or email to learn more 🫶

04/08/2026

A rumor was spread to the that our unhoused community members were going to set up camp at the East Transfer Point last week and this is how they responded. With average rent for a 1BR at $1512 (according to apartments.com) and the number of shelter beds soon to take a drastic drop, we are about to see a drastic spike in the number of folks seeking outdoor space to set up camps and shanties—similar to Hoovervilles during the Great Depression. The US is a developed country, actively undeveloping. We are actually slipping into third world conditions, Madison and Dane County included. If we as a collective community can’t figure out how to address this (because local, state, and federal governments will not), that American Dream we’ve been fed will remain a dream and reality will be dystopian. Join us in our effort to build a healthy community, free of fences, keep-out-signs and desperation. DM to get involved.

04/06/2026

We’ve been receiving more requests for tents, and with Madison’s available shelter beds decreasing by 150+ when the new shelter opens, we’re anticipating a major spike. If you have the means, consider donating a tent, making a bulk tent purchase (DM for details), or a cash donation (Venmo ) and we will be happy handle a purchase for you.

03/22/2026

Are you interested in grassroots organizing? Want to engage more deeply with Dane County Homeless Justice Initiative? Considering joining a working group!

Whether you’re interested in creating social media content, distributing donations, or meeting with elected officials and community leaders, there’s something for everyone. Swipe to learn more about how you can have an invaluable impact on our unhoused community.

DM or email us at [email protected] to join our volunteer team.

Visit our website to learn more about DCHJI’s mission: https://danecountyhji.org/

03/15/2026

02/04/2026

Over the past several years, homelessness among schoolchildren in Dane County has risen sharply—and the numbers are continuing to spike. Thousands of children are navigating school while living in shelters, doubled up with other families, in motels, or without stable housing at all.

Join us for a virtual conversation with Dane County school district homeless student social workers who work directly with these children and families every day. They will speak to what child homelessness actually looks like on the ground, how housing instability shapes students’ lives, and what the rapid increase is revealing about Dane County’s growing housing crisis.

This discussion centers the lived realities of unhoused schoolchildren and the systems struggling to respond. Facilitated by local political reporter Enjoyiana Nururdin, the conversation is open to all community members concerned about housing, homelessness, and the future of our children.

All are welcome. Cameras on or off.

📅 Wednesday, February 18
⏰ 6:30–8:00 PM
📍 Virtual (DM for meeting link)

02/01/2026

Community.

01/22/2026

Your church, office space, spare room, heated garage, heated porch, heated basement…anything…let’s get creative. This is how we build the healthy community we want—through community. Share far and wide! 🫶

01/21/2026

You know what to do.