How Do You See Real Estate Helping Solve Homelessness?

Question

Hi everyone,

I’ve been involved in community work that supports street families and homeless individuals in the U.S. through housing solutions.

From my experience, even small housing projects can create a huge impact in people’s lives.

👉 Question for you: Do you think real estate investors can play a role in solving the housing crisis — and if so, how?

Excited to hear different perspectives!

Eric Gerakos · Answer

Real estate investing keeps me from being homeless. So there's that.

Josh C. · Answer

So many cringe ChatGPT responses in here. People, you look silly when blindly copy and paste computers.

But the homelessness wouldn’t be solved by housing. If people want to do drugs and have no desire to stop then you can’t help them. Homeless people can re enter society, but they have to want it. Our office for the last 10 years has been in one of the highest density of homelessness areas of the city. And watch out our windows everyday the drug induced zombies happily stumbling all over, digging in our dumpster and sleeping under our overhang. They will only ever get better if they want to and seek help. No law or program helps people that don’t want to change.

Mia Sophia · Answer

Thank you, Henry — I really appreciate your detailed perspective. You raise important points about the complexity behind homelessness, especially around mental health, sustainability, and the limits of purely housing-based solutions.

In our work, we’ve found that housing is just one part of the equation — we also focus on community support, skills training, and stability programs that help individuals keep their housing long-term. I agree completely that the approach needs to be stratified, since the causes and needs vary widely.

I shared a bit more about how we approach this on my profile if you’re curious. Would love your feedback — you clearly have a deep understanding of this issue.

Henry Clark · Answer

OP if you could address the areas of my response above how you are addressing or not.

Mia Sophia · Answer

That’s a powerful way to put it, Eric — real estate really does change lives in both directions. It’s amazing how the same industry that helps us build stability for ourselves can also create it for others when done with purpose.

I’ve seen that firsthand working with people rebuilding from homelessness — small housing projects can completely change a person’s future.

Would love to connect and hear more about your journey too.

Mia Sophia · Answer

Thanks, Henry — I really appreciate your perspective. You’re absolutely right that homelessness isn’t just about housing; it’s about people, mental health, and stability.

At Kendi Hope Foundation, we’ve learned that real change happens when housing meets hope — combining safe homes with mentorship, counseling, and community support. It’s not an easy fix, but when people finally have a stable place to rebuild their lives, everything starts to shift.

I love your point about stratifying the issue — different groups, different needs. That’s exactly why collaboration between real estate investors, social programs, and local communities matters so much.

I’ve shared a bit more about how we approach this kind of partnership on my profile — would love your thoughts if you get a chance.

Henry Clark · Answer

OP

Homelessness and housing crises are two different issues.

Real estate investors are different than social engineers.

I’ll exaggerate just to move your thought process forward.

1.   If we built 50,000,000 new residences there would still be homelessness.

2.  If you got a homeless person into a house with a loan.  A majority of them would go into debt and bankrupt.  Losing the home.  Wasted resources in the wrong approach.

3.  If you gave them the house free.  Most could not keep them up.  And would lose the home.  Wasted resources on the wrong approach.

4.  If you bring 20,000,000 illegal aliens you create more homeless.  From the bottom end.

5.  If you allow uncontrolled STR you create homeless from the top down by causing rates to rise and be pushed down.

6.   There is plenty of housing available if they move locations.  Homeless people if looking for affordable and available housing should not be in locations like LA, SF, Austin, etc.

7.  You need to stratify the homeless, since each group will have a different approach.

8.   Don’t combine profit motive with Social Welfare.  If an investor wants to donate funding great.   But each deal analysis should be done from a profit motive.

9.   Mental health issues are tied to homelessness.   You need to address the mental health issues then the housing solution follows.I did an exercise in high school where I had to argue the opposing view.  It really opened my thought process on looking at divisive topics or issues.

Stratify your discussion.

How Do You See Real Estate Helping Solve Homelessness?

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