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Homeless Populations

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People who lack a regular dwelling or nighttime residence are often referred to as homeless or "unhoused." RAND research on homeless adult and youth populations explores the nexus between their economic status and their mental and physical health, drug use, and potential for other high-risk behaviors.

Commentary
Camping Bans and Group Shelters Unlikely to Solve Homelessness Crisis
Should Los Angeles continue to direct most resources toward creating permanent housing with services? Or should it try to rapidly add more group shelters and shared tiny homes which would allow the city to enforce camping bans in certain areas? There are compelling arguments for both approaches.
May 23, 2022
Essay
The Lives of Veterans Experiencing Homelessness
The United States pledged in 2009 to end veteran homelessness. The numbers have fallen by nearly half since then, but there are still more than 37,000 veterans living in their cars, in temporary shelters, or in makeshift camps. Researchers followed 26 of them for one year to see how they live and what keeps them on the streets.
Feb 25, 2022

Explore Homeless Populations

News Release
Unhoused Population Increased by 18 Percent in Three High-Priority Neighborhoods in Los Angeles
A year-long count of unhoused people in three hot-spot neighborhoods in Los Angeles found that their numbers rose by an average of 18 percent over the period, despite periodic encampment cleanups and other efforts to address the problem.
Jan 26, 2023
Report
Unhoused Population Increased by 18 Percent in Three Hot-Spot L.A. Neighborhoods
RAND conducted a yearlong count of people experiencing unsheltered homelessness in three high-priority neighborhoods in Los Angeles. These populations rose by an average of 18 percent over the period, despite encampment cleanups and other events.
Jan 26, 2023
Commentary
Los Angeles Mayoral Debate Misleads on Approaches to Homelessness
They may not mean to, but Los Angeles politicians continue to imply that there is a primary “fix” for homelessness, be it temporary shelters or permanent supportive housing. But those are just pieces of a very complex puzzle. The region needs a robust continuum of care. Although some efforts exist, they have not been scaled up to meet the need.
Oct 26, 2022
Journal Article
Restructuring Personal Networks with a Motivational Interviewing Social Network Intervention to Assist the Transition Out of Homelessness: A Randomized Control Pilot Study
This study is the first pilot test of a Social Network Intervention (MI-SNI) customized for assisting the transition out of homelessness to test for personal network changes.
Sep 8, 2022
News Release
L.A. Program to Divert Homeless from Jail into Supportive Housing Decreases Use of County Services
A program that diverts some people with a history of homelessness from Los Angeles County jails into permanent supportive housing can significantly lower taxpayer spending on services such as hospital care and shelter use.
Aug 16, 2022
Research Brief
Supportive Housing Program Broke the Jail-to-Homeless Cycle and Mostly Paid for Itself
The Just in Reach Pay for Success program diverted people with a history of homelessness from Los Angeles County jails into permanent supportive housing. It achieved a one-year housing stability rate of 82 percent. And most of its costs were offset by a reduction in the use of other county services.
Aug 16, 2022
Report
Just in Reach Pay for Success: Impact Evaluation and Cost Analysis of a Permanent Supportive Housing Program
This report examines a Los Angeles County initiative to provide long-term housing and supportive services as an alternative to jail for individuals with a history of homelessness and chronic behavioral or physical health conditions.
Aug 16, 2022
Multimedia
RAND Remote: Informing Innovative Policy Solutions to Address L.A.'s Dual Crises
In this RAND Remote conversation, Sarah Hunter, Jason Ward, and Rick Garvey discuss their new report based on survey data collected from unhoused people in three Los Angeles neighborhoods.
May 18, 2022
News Release
Study of Unhoused People in Los Angeles Finds Numbers Growing; Only One-Third Willing to Move into Group Shelters
A unique study conducting counts and surveys of unsheltered people in three parts of Los Angeles found that nearly half had been offered housing in the past, but they cited the housing intake process, desires for privacy, and concerns about safety as obstacles they face in efforts to get off the streets.
May 4, 2022
Report
Less Than One-Third of Unhoused People in L.A. Would Accept a Group Shelter
The number of unsheltered people in Los Angeles is growing. In a new survey in Skid Row, Venice, and Hollywood, most reported being continuously homeless for more than three years. Half had been offered housing, but cited the intake process, desires for privacy, and safety concerns as obstacles.
May 4, 2022
Report
Pima County Housing First Initiative: Final Evaluation Report Fall 2021
The authors present the final evaluation of the Pima County Housing First Initiative, which offers permanent supportive housing and case management for individuals who are involved with the criminal justice system and have experienced homelessness.
Dec 29, 2021
Multimedia
Veterans Experiencing Homelessness: Streets or Shelter?
RAND senior behavioral/social scientist Sarah Hunter describes findings from her year-long study that followed twenty-six veterans experiencing homelessness in West Los Angeles, CA.
Nov 12, 2021
Commentary
On Veterans Day, There Are Still Thousands of Homeless Vets in L.A. We Followed 26 to Find Out Why
An estimated 3,900 veterans live unhoused in Los Angeles. The city has the largest VA medical center in the nation. There are federal housing programs exclusively for veterans. So why hasn't Los Angeles been able to make a dent?
Nov 11, 2021
News Release
Study of Unhoused Veterans in Los Angeles Suggests Services Need to Be Tailored to Meet Population Needs and Preferences
A year-long study of a group of military veterans experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles found that few were able to obtain permanent housing over the course of the period, even though they lived near the region's major VA service center.
Nov 11, 2021
Report
Expanding Outreach Services Could Help Veterans Find Stable Housing
Only three in a group of 26 unhoused veterans in Los Angeles were able to obtain permanent housing even though they lived near a major VA service center. The housing options available did not meet their desire for autonomy, safety, security, and privacy. Tailoring services to veterans' needs could help.
Nov 11, 2021
Report
Implementation and 12-Month Health Service Utilization and Cost Outcomes from a Managed Care Health Plan's Permanent Supportive Housing Program
This report presents an implementation and outcome study of a permanent supportive housing program—including service utilization and associated costs review—operated by a not-for-profit Medicaid and Medicare managed care plan in Southern California.
Oct 25, 2021
Journal Article
The Relationship Between Quality of Housing and Quality of Life: Evidence from Permanent Supportive Housing
This study describes a PSH program administered by a Medicaid managed care plan, serving individuals experiencing homelessness with complex medical histories, and outlines participants' perceptions on the relationship between quality of housing and QOL.
Jun 9, 2021
Journal Article
Knowledge of Alternative Tobacco Products in Unaccompanied Homeless Youth
This study examined perceptions of factors that influence use and non-use of Alternative Tobacco Products (ATPs) among unaccompanied youth experiencing homelessness.
Apr 30, 2021

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