Once again DESC is making stunning waves in the world of homeless services by shattering the myths and misconceptions about people experiencing homelessness. I can't thank the good folks at DESC enough for the great work they've done over the years and wish them continued success in the future.

Re the issue of criminal records and housing retention, I would argue that - especially for those of us who have suffered the indignity of prosecution for nonviolent drug and "quality of life" crimes and simply want to move on with our lives now - we are more likely to be model tenants and employees than many in the general population. I have no empirical proof to support this, but anecdotally speaking as a convicted marijuana felon, when someone decided to take a chance on me, I wasn't about to let them down. I suspect this isn't just my mentality here, and would argue further that those of us with convictions are going to highly value employment and housing opportunities, since we have such a difficult time obtaining either with a criminal conviction on our record. Because the challenge in procuring a job and a place to live is so daunting, once we find a job or a residence, we tend to hold on to them with a tenacity unparalleled in the traditional workforce.

Thanks again to Daniel and the good peeps at DESC, you're all making huge differences in the lives of those you touch and I hope you're all able to continue for a long time to come.