Trauma Responsive Shelters

     In the TEDx lecture “How trauma-informed design could transform homeless shelters” given by Brandi Tuck in 2019, Tuck argues that the current state of homeless shelters in the United States not only cannot handle the scale of homelessness, but the architecture, rules, and physical layout further enforces the trauma response for incoming homeless guests. 

Tuck states early into her lecture that living on the street is directly correlated to the triggering human trauma response, or as it is commonly referred to as, flight or fight. This response within the brain releases a chemical that shuts down our prefrontal cortex which we use for critical thinking and decision making.  This response is useful when we need to flee the scene of a fire, or perhaps someone is being chased by a wild animal. Humans can shut down parts of the brain that require energy and blood, so we can solely focus on our getaway. The problem is the trauma response can be triggered by assault, food insecurity, or freezing through cold winter nights. This in turn affects many of our homeless neighbors by preventing positive decision-making on the street, and in turn, preventing them from ever standing a chance of getting off of the streets and into secure housing. The same chemical response in the brain is also known to cause emotional outbursts, high levels of depression and suicide, and if sustained for long enough, cancer, hepatitis, and C.O.P.D. It is for these reasons that Tuck believes that the most effective measure a city could take is further investment into shelters that have “trauma-responsive architecture”.

Trauma responsive architecture is not so dissimilar from what housed individuals are used to. The buildings should imbue a sense of dignity and comfort, rather than pure utility and function. The interior spaces provide “flex” spaces for a mixed variety of uses and age groups. Tuck also posits color theory into her assessment of mitigating trauma responses. Colors like cool blues, soft greens, and connection to natural materials like wood and vegetation all ease the brain's response to living hard on the street.  Trauma responsive architecture is often round, soft to the feel, avoiding layout in rows, or with hard edges. 

If this sounds like Tuck is describing the ideal home, then I believe that may just be her point. We have to realize that most of these people need to feel as positive as we do when we wake up to go off and tend to our lives and work schedule. How can you expect a person to be jammed into cold, inhospitable sleeping conditions to then wake and hit the ground running putting their life back in order? We have all stayed in a terrible hotel, but many of those accommodations are far better than an average homeless shelter, which is strict with rules and regulations, and have an unintended outcome of stripping humanity away from people who are struggling to hold onto it. Funding should be allocated to Tuck’s review of a trauma-responsive shelter, not only because it is the right thing to do, but because at this point it is the only thing we haven't tried, and we know that this type of comforting environment makes our lives more comfortable, so why wouldn't it make theirs. 

Please click here for more information and ways to get involved: The Increasing Need for Trauma-informed Care Shelters

-Mason Martinez