It focuses on human rights, housing, police violence and other social justice issues.
PTH attempts to develop leadership among homeless people to impact policies and systems that affect their lives.
[2] They are strong proponents of diverting funds from the New York City Department of Homeless Services out of the shelter system and into community land trusts.
To this end, the organization founded a coalition called The New York City Community Land Initiative with The New Economy Project and other groups.
[3] New York Times writer Nikita Stewart in December 2017 described it as "one of the nation's few advocacy organizations founded by homeless people and led by people who are experiencing or have experienced homelessness" and that "the group has made itself a formidable influence on city policy.