Research and Commentary
RAND's work has tackled some of the most pressing policy issues related to housing and homelessness. We've highlighted a sample of research and commentary below that address these topics.
See all CHH publicationsRAND Center on Housing and Homelessness
Photo by Matt Bush / Getty Images
Despite unprecedented levels of spending and policymaking focused on the issue, the number of people experiencing housing instability and homelessness has continued to steadily increase in high-cost metro areas around the country in recent years.
Rising rents and home prices, regulatory barriers to producing housing, and a lack of coordination among service entities have all contributed to this lack of progress. Furthermore, practitioners and individuals experiencing homelessness, who have the experiences and knowledge necessary to drive change, often lack a voice in formulating policy.
The Center on Housing and Homelessness, launched as part of RAND’s Tomorrow Demands Today fundraising campaign, was developed to conduct rigorous research and fill critical evidence gaps that can advance solutions to the country’s housing and homelessness crises.
The center brings together interdisciplinary research teams, expert data collection, and diverse analytic methods to address the challenges of increasing housing affordability and better understanding and serving the needs of people experiencing housing instability and homelessness.
Research Agenda
The center’s research focus areas include
- working to align incentives among stakeholders, including people experiencing homelessness, community members, service providers, housing developers, and policymakers
- exploring broad questions concerning the supply and demand for housing and services, including the disproportionate impacts on communities of color and the needs of subpopulations such as veterans
- addressing the effects of COVID-19, including policies to reduce the flow of individuals into homelessness and exploring opportunities such as the adaptive reuse of underutilized commercial real estate for housing.
Funding
The RAND Center on Housing and Homelessness was established through a generous gift from the Lowy family. Support from the A-Mark Foundation is helping the center address unsheltered homelessness in Los Angeles.
Contact Us
For more information about the center or to contact us, please email chh@rand.org.