UnHoused & UnFiltered | MCAH's Podcast on Homelessness & Housing

Following the response to Why We Keep Showing Up, Nick Cook and Sarah Prout-Rennie continue the conversation by asking an equally important question: How do we keep showing up without losing ourselves in the process? This episode moves beyond the typical idea of self-care and focuses instead on resilience built through boundaries, connection, community and joy. Nick and Sarah talk candidly about the exhaustion that comes with housing and homelessness work, the pressure to respond to every crisis, and the importance of recognizing that caring deeply does not mean being responsible for every outcome.

From learning to...

Following the response to Why We Keep Showing Up, Nick Cook and Sarah Prout-Rennie continue the conversation by asking an equally important question: How do we keep showing up without losing ourselves in the process? This episode moves beyond the typical idea of self-care and focuses instead on resilience built through boundaries, connection, community and joy. Nick and Sarah talk candidly about the exhaustion that comes with housing and homelessness work, the pressure to respond to every crisis, and the importance of recognizing that caring deeply does not mean being responsible for every outcome.

From learning to...

In this episode of UnHoused and UnFiltered, Nick Cook and Sarah Prout-Rennie are joined by longtime national LGBTQ+ advocate Eric Stiles for a candid conversation about the unique risks LGBTQ+ people—particularly youth—face when experiencing homelessness. The discussion explores family rejection, violence, sexual exploitation, substance use as a means of coping with trauma, and the additional barriers that can arise when someone seeking shelter or services is unsure whether an organization will treat them with dignity and respect. Stiles also explains how trust can quickly disappear when organizations that once publicly supported LGBTQ+ communities become less visible or welc...

Why We Keep Showing Up: Courage, Community and the Work We Won’t Abandon

How do you keep doing the work when the ground beneath you keeps shifting? In this episode of UnHoused & UnFiltered, Nick Cook and Sarah Prout-Rennie talk candidly about the growing push toward criminalization, uncertainty surrounding federal homelessness funding, and the emotional toll these challenges are taking on Michigan’s homeless service providers. They explore what happens when policy moves away from housing and person-centered solutions—and why dignity, autonomy, and compassion must remain at the center of the response to homelessness.

But th...

In this episode of UnHoused & UnFiltered, hosts Nick Cook and Sarah Prout-Rennie break down the latest developments surrounding the FY2026 HUD Continuum of Care Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)—and why recent court victories do not mean the fight is over. They explain how litigation challenging the FY2025 and FY2026 NOFOs centers on federal administrative procedures, constitutional concerns, states’ rights, and the limits of executive authority when changing congressionally established homeless programs. With HUD appealing the FY2026 ruling, Michigan providers now face continued uncertainty about when critical federal housing dollars will actually reach communities.

Nick and Sarah exam...

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What does it take to build a statewide movement capable of responding to homelessness in a rapidly changing environment? In this episode of UnHoused and UnFiltered, host Nick Cook is joined by guest host Amy Stephenson, Director of Communications and Michigan Coalition Against Homelessness CEO Eric Hufnagel for a conversation about MCAH’s role, its growth, and why the work of a statewide coalition matters now more than ever.

Eric discusses the federal policy and funding changes threatening Michigan’s homeless response system and why data remains one of the stro...

In this episode of UnHoused & UnFiltered, hosts Sarah Prout-Rennie and Nick Cook unpack one of the most consequential shifts in homelessness policy in decades: the growing movement to criminalize homelessness. They examine how the 2024 Grants Pass Supreme Court decision and subsequent federal policy changes have encouraged camping bans, expanded enforcement, and civil commitment proposals across the country, including right here in Michigan.

Drawing from recent advocacy efforts in East Lansing and Jackson, they explain why these ordinances often fail to address the root causes of homelessness while placing greater burdens on law enforcement, local governments, and taxpayers...

In this episode of UnHoused & UnFiltered, hosts Sarah Prout-Rennie and Nick Cook welcome Lisa Reinecke, Homeless Solutions Director at True North Community Services and a nationally recognized expert in rural homelessness, to explore the unique challenges facing Michigan's small towns and rural communities.

While homelessness in urban areas is often visible, Lisa explains how rural homelessness is largely hidden in forests, abandoned campers, vehicles, and remote two-track roads—making outreach, trust-building, and service delivery far more difficult. Through powerful stories from northern Michigan, she illustrates how housing instability affects seniors, veterans, working families, people with disabilities, and in...

In this episode of UnHoused & UnFiltered, hosts Nick Cook and Sarah Prout-Rennie welcome MCAH Director of Data Initiatives Gerry Leslie for an eye-opening conversation about the power of data in shaping homelessness policy and improving lives across Michigan.

Gerry explains how Michigan's unique statewide Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) helps policymakers, service providers, and advocates move beyond assumptions and make decisions based on real, verifiable evidence. Together, they explore why permanent housing solutions continue to demonstrate remarkable success rates, how homelessness intersects with healthcare and mental health, and why investing in housing ultimately saves taxpayer dollars while...

What if everything you thought you knew about homelessness was incomplete? In this thought-provoking episode of UnHoused & UnFiltered, hosts Nick Cook and Sarah Prout-Rennie welcome Professor Lyon-Callo of Western Michigan University, a nationally recognized researcher who has spent more than three decades studying homelessness, poverty, and public policy.

Together, they unpack the economic realities driving today's housing crisis, challenging the persistent myth that homelessness is primarily the result of individual failure. The conversation explores rising housing costs, stagnant wages, income inequality, Housing First, youth homelessness, and why so many people experiencing homelessness are employed or attending school.<...

In Episode 10 of UnHoused & UnFiltered, hosts Nick Cook and Sarah Prout-Rennie take an in-depth look at the newly released federal Continuum of Care (CoC) Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) and why they believe it represents one of the most significant threats to Michigan's homeless response system in decades.

They explain how the proposed changes could fundamentally reshape how homelessness services are funded, potentially placing between 3,500 and 5,000 currently housed Michiganders at risk of returning to homelessness while limiting services for thousands more.

The discussion explores the shift away from permanent supportive housing, new definitions of self-sufficiency...

Episode Summary: A single legal mistake, unpaid fine, missed court date, or minor offense can create barriers that follow someone for years—impacting employment, housing, transportation, and stability. In this episode of UnHoused & UnFiltered, we sit down with Felicity Tyll from Street Democracy to explore how a dedicated team of attorneys and legal advocates is working to change that reality.

Felicity shares how Street Democracy is transforming access to justice through innovative programs including Street Court, legal concierge services, and system-change advocacy designed to remove legal barriers before they become lifelong obstacles. We discuss the intersection of ho...

In Episode 8 of UnHoused and UnFiltered, we sit down with youth homelessness advocate and leader Azaria Terrell to explore the realities facing young people experiencing homelessness in Michigan and beyond.

Drawing from both her lived experience and her extensive work on youth advisory boards and advocacy initiatives, Azaria offers a powerful perspective on the barriers young people face while navigating homelessness, housing instability, and systems designed to support them. The conversation examines the connection between foster care involvement and youth homelessness, the challenges created by limited transitional supports, and the critical importance of ensuring young people have...

This episode of UnHoused and UnFiltered takes a hard look at the increasingly alarming statements and policy signals emerging from HUD surrounding the delayed Continuum of Care (CoC) Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) process and what many providers fear could become a dramatic reshaping of federal homelessness response systems. Hosts unpack recent rhetoric questioning long-standing evidence-based practices like Housing First, alongside growing emphasis on faith-based service delivery providers and new priorities that could fundamentally alter how homelessness services are funded and delivered.

This episode breaks down the latest federal budget proposals and what they could mean for communities across the country. Director of Public Policy Nick Cook unpacks the unprecedented increase in defense spending alongside the proposed 10% reductions across nearly every other area of federal funding, exploring how these shifts reflect changing national priorities. The conversation reviews the housing related line items expected and examines what these cuts could mean for local governments, nonprofits, and everyday people already navigating economic instability.

What does unsheltered homelessness look like right now on the ground? In this episode, Khadja Erickson (https://trcmm.org) joins the pod to discuss direct street outreach, the changing landscape of encampments, the growing health risks and other challenges facing people surviving outdoors. From chronic injuries and untreated medical conditions, Khadja explains how street outreach teams are responding to increasingly isolated situations with limited resources. The conversation also highlights the rise in young families and children experiencing homelessness and the growing challenges communities face in meeting their needs via street outreach (with very limited funding).

This episode...

This episode unpacks a controversial new memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the U.S. Department of Justice and the Department of Veterans Affairs—and what it signals for the future of homelessness policy, particularly for veterans.

At the heart of this conversation is a fundamental policy question: should homelessness and disability-related vulnerability be met with expanded systems of care and housing support, or with increased legal control over individuals’ lives?

Director of Public Policy (and former Army Major Nick Cook) uses his 13 years of active duty to share his unique military perspective. Senior Director of Advo...

In this episode, guest Johanna Kononen (Michigan Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence) explores the critical link between domestic abuse and sexual assault and the disproportionate rates of homelessness among women and children.

She discusses how unsafe home environments often force individuals to flee with little to no resources, leaving them vulnerable to housing instability. The conversation highlights the systemic gaps in support services, the challenges survivors face in securing safe and stable housing, and the importance of trauma-informed approaches.

Johanna also underscores the need for stronger community responses and policy solutions to prevent...

Join attorney Elly Jordon from the Michigan Poverty Law Center

as she outlines the public benefits changes as a result of the 2025 H.R. 1 (formerly the Big Beautiful Bill) and how these changes impacts you and your clients.

Meet hosts Sarah Prout Rennie, Director of Advocacy and Engagement and Nick Cook, Director of Public Policy. They will introduce themselves and their vision for this podcast. And why the time is NOW for MCAH's newest offering!