The Hidden Struggle: Understanding Homelessness in ALICE Households

Description

The Hidden Struggle: Understanding Homelessness in ALICE Households

January 7, 2026 | 5:00 p.m. EST

Facilitator: 

Lynn Nguyen

Homelessness is often misunderstood as an issue affecting only the chronically unhoused, yet many ALICE (Asset-Limited, Income-Constrained, Employed) households live just one crisis away from losing stable shelter. This professional development session explores the intersection of housing instability and working poverty through the lens of ALICE families. Participants will examine structural barriers, common misconceptions, and culturally relevant approaches to prevention and support. By integrating real-life stories, data insights, and trauma-informed strategies, students, educators, and practitioners will gain a deeper understanding of how to identify early warning signs, build trust, and connect at-risk individuals to sustainable housing solutions. Together, we’ll challenge assumptions and reframe how we view and serve the “working homeless.” Learning Objectives: By the end of this session, participants will be able to: 1. Define ALICE households and explain their relationship to housing instability and homelessness. 2. Identify risk factors and early warning signs of homelessness in working families. 3. Recognize the systemic and structural barriers that prevent ALICE individuals from accessing or maintaining stable housing. 4. Apply trauma-informed and culturally responsive practices when supporting individuals at risk of homelessness. 5. Explore community-based and policy-level strategies to prevent homelessness and promote long-term housing stability.