Beyond NIMBY: Turning Concern Into Collaboration

Dear Shelter Leaders and Staff,

We know this work has never felt harder.

We know it feels like the voices against shelters are louder than the voices supporting them. That the pushback, the fear, and the frustration from communities can feel like yet another barrier on top of an already impossible system. That every crisis inside the walls of your shelter is met with a different kind of crisis outside of them—misunderstanding, fear, and resistance. We know it’s exhausting.

And while there is no silver bullet, no one resource or approach that will magically fix everything, a well-built Community Liaison Committee (CLC) can be an incredibly valuable tool in shifting the conversation away from “us vs. them” and toward shared solutions.

Most people don’t see the effort that goes into making a shelter run—the constant work to help people move into housing, the crisis interventions that prevent harm, and the ongoing efforts to secure the right supports for each person. And even when shelters are incredibly successful in doing this, there is always a steady inflow of new guests. From the outside, it can appear as though nothing is changing—as though the same people are always there, when in reality, shelters are doing the hard work of moving people forward every day. Shelter staff, in turn, don’t always get to see how the shelter is perceived from the outside—how community members interpret what they see, the concerns they have, and how uncertainty can turn into opposition. That gap in understanding can lead to division rather than cooperation. From the outside, people often see only the moments of crisis, not the daily efforts that prevent them. They see the impacts of systemic failures spilling out onto the streets, not the small victories that happen every day inside your walls. You might know that the firetruck that was at your shelter again today was because of an oversensitive smoke detector in the kitchen, but to neighbours and community members, it just looks like another emergency or crisis. CLCs help bridge that gap.

So much of our work is spent pushing back against NIMBYism, fighting against resistance that often feels immovable. But the reality is, most people who oppose shelters aren’t actually opposed to helping people experiencing homelessness—they are opposed to what they perceive as unmanaged disruption in their communities. And whether or not we agree with their perspective, it matters. Their experiences and fears, even if they don’t align with our own, are real to them. And the more we ignore or dismiss them, the more the divide grows.

A well-designed CLC doesn’t exist to debate whether shelters should exist—it exists to make shelter integration work better. It helps community members understand what’s happening inside the shelter, not just outside of it. It helps shelter staff understand how their programs impact the surrounding community beyond the front doors. It creates a space for problem-solving rather than just complaint management. It strengthens trust and transparency so that when challenges arise, there is already a foundation of communication in place. A strong CLC fosters two-way communication—ensuring that community members feel heard, but also that shelters have a structured way to share information and correct misconceptions. They are not just complaint hotlines; they are about building relationships and finding solutions together.

At the same time, it’s important to clarify that CLCs are not meant to replace shelter boards. While shelter boards oversee governance, strategic planning, and financial oversight, CLCs focus on fostering constructive relationships between the shelter and the surrounding community. They are a tool for engagement, not a governing body.

And just as we advocate for greater understanding of shelter operations, we must also ensure that the dignity, resilience, and strength of those who use shelters are not diminished in these conversations. People experiencing homelessness are not problems to be managed—they are community members who deserve safety, support, and respect. CLCs can help ensure that their voices are also part of the discussion, countering harmful narratives and shifting perceptions toward shared humanity.

None of this changes the overwhelming pressures shelters face right now. It doesn’t create more housing or more funding or solve the staffing shortages that make this work so difficult. But it does provide a pathway to reduce conflict, build trust, and shift the narrative from one of opposition to one of collaboration.

We don’t have to accept that the only way forward is endless fighting. We can create spaces where understanding replaces fear, where solutions are co-created rather than imposed, and where the work of helping people find safety and stability isn’t seen as a threat to the community, but as something we all have a stake in.

You are doing incredibly hard, valuable, and necessary work. A well-built CLC won’t remove every challenge, but it can make some of them easier to navigate. And right now, that’s worth considering.

If your community is navigating challenges around shelter integration, a well-structured CLC can be a meaningful way to foster understanding and collaboration. Anything that moves us away from an 'us vs. them' mentality and toward 'all of us against a broken system' is a win. At OrgCode, we’ve seen how CLCs can create space for honest conversations, bridge divides, and lead to stronger relationships between shelters and their communities. If you're considering this approach, we’d love to share what we’ve learned and explore how it might work in your community.

In solidarity,