Madison, WI–Former and current homeless people joined carpenter Brett Hulsey at the Human Side of Homeless Conference at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison today to unveil the Zero Homeless by 2030 Plan. Brett has been homeless himself and has worked to help homeless people in his campaign and business for 14 years. Here is a testimonial and there are more below.
“When we met Brett in 2022, Joanna and I were sleeping in our car, we were in dire straits,” said Dennis Wills, one of Brett’s tenants. “Meeting Brett was a game changer for us. I lost my job, but Brett gave us a job fixing up things, and a place to live. I have never met nobody like Brett.” See full video of Dennis and his wife Joanna en Espanol here.
Carpenter, small businessman and general contractor, Brett is running for the WI Democratic nomination for Governor. He employed homeless people for his 2014 run for governor, fed more than 400 homeless in the last month, has hired and trained many homeless workers for his business celebrating 20 years, and has 6 living in his two flat on Madison’s east side.
“I care for the homeless because I was one,” said Hulsey. “Jesus said the Second Commandment is, ‘Love your neighbor like yourself.’”
Brett’s Zero Homeless Plan will provide housing, jobs, and training for the homeless, and counselling to address challenges with a goal of zero homeless and hungry by 2030.
“I think others can do what I have done. I call on all other candidates, property owners and contractors to hire, house and train homeless people,” said Hulsey.
Homelessness is getting worse. WXPR in Wausau reports, “According to the Wisconsin Policy Forum and numbers from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, it was reported 4,861 people were without a home in 2023, a 1.8% increase over the results from 2022. The number had been at 4,237 in 2021.”
“As governor, I will deploy our National Guard troops to help churches, homeless shelters and support agencies house and feed the homeless,” said Hulsey, whose mother feeds 40 or more people a day at her church in Oklahoma. “We will use spare National Guard barracks to house the homeless in winter, when the cold is deadly.”
The National Alliance to end Homelessness reports that homelessness increased in three in four states from 2023-24. Dashboard: Point-In-Time Counts by State – National Alliance to End Homelessness can tell you about homelessness in your community.
Brett’s Zero Homeless by 2030 Plan also includes:
1. Treat them with dignity–Say hello to a homeless person, ask them how they are doing and if they need any help, but don’t give them money;
2. Provide them a home if you can–Check with local service agencies like Catholic Charities, The River, Beacon, Salvation Army, Habitat for Humanity, and Porchlight for screened people needing a place to live or a job;
3. Give them good jobs by getting them signed up for Union apprenticeships that pay $15-20 an hour.
4. If you have a spare house or room, let me know. I am looking to restore them using formerly homeless workers;
5. Donate extra food, clothing, camping equipment, and toiletries directly to homeless people, shelters or St. Vincent de Paul or other thrift stores;
6. Ask your church to help feed and house the homeless;
7. Protect food stamps(SNAP), Badgercare, and the Affordable Care Act to expand healthcare, drug and dental programs for everyone; and
8. Create homeless rest areas and shelters to needed areas like lower State Street in Madison.
9. Provide drug, alcohol, and counseling to all who need it.
“Together can give everyone a home, food, health and dental care, counseling, and a good job in the richest country in the history of the world,” said Hulsey, a former Eagle Scout and VISTA Volunteer in Service to America.
For information on homelessness resources and support in Wisconsin, visit the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families Homeless Services Portal at https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/homeless or call 211 for local community programs. See more testimonials and a photo of his tenant/workers below.
Testimonials from Brett’s tenant/workers
Mary Reyes says:
“Brett has given me hope in a world that felt hopeless. Brett is always there with care and understanding. Letting me into his home and giving me work has made my cancer much easier to deal with.”
Mary Grace Reinhardt says:
“I believe in this man and what he is doing. Brett cares about homeless people and how they are treated. We feed homeless we give them jobs and a place to call home.”
Jack Burke says:
“Brett is a real standup guy. He knows how to treat handicapped people like me with proper respect and kindness. I was homeless for over a year and now I have a job, a clean safe place to live, and for the first time in forever, it feels like home.”
Jess Rehbein says:
“I’ve known Brett for about a month and he has given me a job, a place to lay my head and cares about us homeless a lot. We feed homeless people frequently and that shows how much he cares.
Authorized and paid for by Friends of Brett Hulsey, Jessica Rehbein, treasurer.
No tax money used. Printed on recycled paper.
