Homelessness is a Housing Issue
On June 8, I was able to attend the ULI Los Angeles Homelessness Summit 3.0 at The California Endowment with Christopher Kealey, Executive Director of HomeAid Los Angeles. We had the opportunity to hear directly from many leaders in Los Angeles directly engaging with and responding to the City's State of Emergency including Allison M. Lynch, Jenna Hornstock, Hon AIA, Deputy Mayor for Housing, City of Los Angeles and Gregg Colburn, the author of Homelessness is a Housing Problem.
I picked up a copy of Homelessness is a Housing Problem and in it Gregg gives compelling evidence of what is needed in cities across the United States to address the crisis of homelessness. In the book, using accessible statistical analysis, he builds his case off of examining the crisis, the causes and the solution.
Fundamentally, homelessness is considered a housing problem because it stems from a lack of access to safe, stable, and affordable housing. Homelessness occurs when individuals or families do not have a place to live or reside in inadequate or unstable housing situations. There are several key reasons why homelessness is primarily viewed as a housing issue.
Lack of affordable housing: One of the primary causes of homelessness is the shortage of affordable housing. When housing costs outpace income growth or when there is a limited supply of low-cost housing options, many individuals and families struggle to secure suitable housing, leading to homelessness.
Insufficient support systems: Homelessness often arises when individuals lack the necessary support systems to maintain stable housing. This can include factors such as limited social networks, inadequate access to healthcare or mental health services, and a lack of employment or income stability.
Evictions and housing instability: Homelessness can result from eviction, foreclosure, or other forms of housing instability. When people are unable to pay rent, face eviction due to legal or financial issues, or experience housing conditions that are unsafe or uninhabitable, they can end up without a place to live.
Systemic factors: Homelessness is also influenced by systemic issues such as poverty, income inequality, discrimination, and lack of affordable healthcare. These factors can exacerbate housing instability and make it more challenging for individuals and families to secure and maintain suitable housing.
In addition, there is a need to examine the epidemic of fentanyl and other drugs taking over the population experiencing homelessness. According to LA County Public Health, the death rate increased 55% among people who are homeless between 2019 and 2021 where more than 2,200 unhoused people died in the county in 2021 — the first time it exceeded 2,000 cases since the county has kept track of numbers.
The leading cause of death among LA County’s population experiencing homelessness is drug overdoses, which appears to be tied to the explosion in use of the often-fatal drug fentanyl.
Addressing homelessness, therefore, requires a comprehensive approach that focuses on providing affordable housing options, improving support services for those experiencing homelessness, and addressing the underlying systemic factors that contribute to housing insecurity. By recognizing homelessness as primarily a housing problem, policymakers and communities can develop targeted strategies to prevent and alleviate homelessness by ensuring that everyone has access to safe and affordable housing.
This is all underscored by a new study out of UCSF that provides the most comprehensive look yet at California’s homeless crisis. Losing income is the No. 1 reason Californians end up homeless – and the vast majority of them say a subsidy of as little as $300 a month could have kept them off the streets.
Seventy percent said a monthly rental subsidy of $300-$500 would have kept them from becoming homeless, while 82% believed a one-time payment of between $5,000 and $10,000 would have worked.
For more information, read the CalMatters’ story to see more survey results.