Exploring Causes of Homelessness and Shelter Entry: A Case Study Analysis of Shelter Data in New York
In recent years, the number of individuals experiencing homelessness has increased in the United States. This paper analyzes 2019 data from 16 different emergency shelters in Monroe County, located in Upstate New York. The data were collected through the County’s Homeless Management Information System (HMIS), and individuals were de-identified and de-duplicated for analysis. The purpose of this study is to explore the basic characteristics of the homeless population in Monroe County, and the dynamics of shelter use. The results of this study showed gender as a significant factor when analyzing the relationship between demographic variables and recorded reasons for shelter entry. Results also indicated that age and ethnicity did not significantly influence odds of re-entering a shelter, but did significantly influence reasons for shelter entry. Overall, the most common recorded cause of shelter entry in 2019 in the examined county was eviction by primary tenant. Recommendations to better address recurrent shelter entry and potential chronic homelessness include more consideration for the diversity existing within the homeless population, and the dynamics leading to shelter stays, including enhanced funding and training for shelter staff, as well as expanded access to permanent supportive housing programs.
[1] U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (2020). The 2019 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report to Congress. Washington, DC: Author. https://www.huduser.gov/portal/sites/default/files/pdf/2019-AHAR-Part-1.pdf
[2] U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (2020). Expanding the Toolbox: The Whole of Government Response to Homelessness. Washington, DC: Author. https://www.usich.gov/resources/uploads/asset_library/USICH-Expanding-the-Toolbox.pdf
[3] Monroe ¬County Department of Human Services (2018). Housing/Homeless Services Annual Report. Rochester, NY: Author.
[4] Crane, M., et al. (2005). The Causes of Homelessness in Later Life: Findings From a 3-Nation Study. The Journals of Gerontology. Series B, Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 60(3), S152–S159. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/60.3.s152
[5] Hardin, J., & Wille, D. E. (2017). The homeless individual’s viewpoint: causes of homelessness and resources needed to leave the sheltered environment. Social Work and Social Sciences Review, 19(2), 33-45.
[6] Nooe, R., & Patterson, D. (2010). The Ecology of Homelessness. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 20(2), 105–152. https://doi.org/10.1080/10911350903269757
[7] National Alliance to End Homelessness. (2020, January 27). Chronically Homeless. https://endhomelessness.org/homelessness-in-america/who-experiences-homelessness/chronically-homeless/
[8] Duchesne, A. T., & Rothwell, D. W. (2016). What leads to homeless shelter re-entry? An exploration of the psychosocial, health, contextual and demographic factors. Canadian Journal of Public Health, 107(1), e94–e99. https://doi.org/10.17269/cjph.107.5271
[9] Cusack, M., & Montgomery, A. (2017). The role of eviction in veterans’ homelessness recidivism. Journal of Social Distress and the Homeless, 26(1), 58–64. https://doi.org/10.1080/10530789.2017.1314093
[10] Crane, M., & Warnes, A. (2007). The outcomes of rehousing older homeless people: a longitudinal study. Ageing and Society, 27(6), 891–918. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0144686X07006319
[11] Henwood, B., Byrne, T., & Scriber, B. (2015). Examining mortality among formerly homeless adults enrolled in Housing First: An observational study. BMC Public Health, 15(1), 1209–. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-015-2552-1
[12] Brown, M., et al. (2015). Health Outcomes of Obtaining Housing Among Older Homeless Adults. American Journal of Public Health (1971), 105(7), 1482–1488. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2014.302539S.
[13] Abbs, E., Brown, R., Guzman, D., Kaplan, L., & Kushel, M. (2020). Risk Factors for Falls in Older Adults Experiencing Homelessness: Results from the HOPE HOME Cohort Study. Journal of General Internal Medicine: JGIM, 35(6), 1813–1820. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-020-05637-0
[14] Wilke, D., & Vinton, L. (2005). The nature and impact of domestic violence across age cohorts. Affilia, 20(3), 316–328. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886109905277751
[15] McQuistion, H., Gorroochurn, P., Hsu, E., & Caton, C. (2014). Risk Factors Associated with Recurrent Homelessness After a First Homeless Episode. Community Mental Health Journal, 50(5), 505–513. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-013-9608-4
[16] Bird, M., Rhoades, H., Lahey, J., Cederbaum, J., & Wenzel, S. (2017). Life goals and gender differences among chronically homeless individuals entering permanent supportive housing. Journal of Social Distress and the Homeless, 26(1), 9–15. https://doi.org/10.1080/10530789.2016.1274570
[17] To, M., et al. (2016). Predictors of homelessness among vulnerably housed adults in 3 Canadian cities: a prospective cohort study. BMC Public Health, 16(1), 1041–12. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-016-3711-8
[18] CNN Editorial Research (2020, September 1). American Generations: Fast Facts. https://www.cnn.com/2013/11/06/us/baby-boomer-generation-fast-facts/index.html
[19] M. Rood, former Salvation Army Shelter Director, Rochester, NY, private communication, May 28, 2020.
[20] A. Turner, Program Director of Community Resource Services at Catholic Family Center and Eviction Task Force Director, Rochester, NY, private communication, June 12, 2020)
[21] Padgett, D., Henwood, B., & Tsemberis, S. (2016). Housing First: Ending homelessness, transforming systems and changing lives. New York: Oxford University Press.
[22] Byrne, T., Fargo, J., Montgomery, A., Munley, E., & Culhane, D. (2014). The Relationship between Community Investment in Permanent Supportive Housing and Chronic Homelessness. The Social Service Review (Chicago), 88(2), 234–263. https://doi.org/10.1086/676142
[23] Stergiopoulos, V., Gozdzik, A., Misir, V., Skosireva, A., Connelly, J., Sarang, A., Whisler, A., Hwang, S., O’Campo, P., & McKenzie, K. (2015). Effectiveness of Housing First with Intensive Case Management in an Ethnically Diverse Sample of Homeless Adults with Mental Illness: A Randomized Controlled Trial. PloS One, 10(7), e0130281–. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0130281
[24] Baxter, A., Tweed, E., Katikireddi, S., & Thomson, H. (2019). Effects of Housing First approaches on health and well-being of adults who are homeless or at risk of homelessness: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 73(5), 379–387. https://doi.org/10.1136/jech-2018-210981
[25] Schütz, C. (2016). Homelessness and Addiction: Causes, Consequences and Interventions. Current Treatment Options in Psychiatry, 3(3), 306–313. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40501-016-0090-9
[26] U.S. Census Bureau (2019). Multidimensional Deprivation in the United States: 2017. Retrieved from https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2019/demo/acs-40.pdf
[27] Krieger, J., & Higgins, D. (2002). Housing and Health: Time Again for Public Health Action. American Journal of Public Health, 92(5), 758–768. https://doi.org/10.2105/ajph.92.5.758
[28] Stafford, A & Wood, L (2017). Tackling Health Disparities for People Who Are Homeless: Start with Social Determinants. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 14(12), p. 1535– doi:10.3390/ijerph14121535.
[29] Bransford C., Cole M. (2019) Trauma-Informed Care in Homelessness Service Settings: Challenges and Opportunities. In: Larkin H., Aykanian A., Streeter C. (eds) Homelessness Prevention and Intervention in Social Work. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-03727-7_13
[1] U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (2020). The 2019 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report to Congress. Washington, DC: Author. https://www.huduser.gov/portal/sites/default/files/pdf/2019-AHAR-Part-1.pdf
[2] U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (2020). Expanding the Toolbox: The Whole of Government Response to Homelessness. Washington, DC: Author. https://www.usich.gov/resources/uploads/asset_library/USICH-Expanding-the-Toolbox.pdf
[3] Monroe ¬County Department of Human Services (2018). Housing/Homeless Services Annual Report. Rochester, NY: Author.
[4] Crane, M., et al. (2005). The Causes of Homelessness in Later Life: Findings From a 3-Nation Study. The Journals of Gerontology. Series B, Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 60(3), S152–S159. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/60.3.s152
[5] Hardin, J., & Wille, D. E. (2017). The homeless individual’s viewpoint: causes of homelessness and resources needed to leave the sheltered environment. Social Work and Social Sciences Review, 19(2), 33-45.
[6] Nooe, R., & Patterson, D. (2010). The Ecology of Homelessness. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 20(2), 105–152. https://doi.org/10.1080/10911350903269757
[7] National Alliance to End Homelessness. (2020, January 27). Chronically Homeless. https://endhomelessness.org/homelessness-in-america/who-experiences-homelessness/chronically-homeless/
[8] Duchesne, A. T., & Rothwell, D. W. (2016). What leads to homeless shelter re-entry? An exploration of the psychosocial, health, contextual and demographic factors. Canadian Journal of Public Health, 107(1), e94–e99. https://doi.org/10.17269/cjph.107.5271
[9] Cusack, M., & Montgomery, A. (2017). The role of eviction in veterans’ homelessness recidivism. Journal of Social Distress and the Homeless, 26(1), 58–64. https://doi.org/10.1080/10530789.2017.1314093
[10] Crane, M., & Warnes, A. (2007). The outcomes of rehousing older homeless people: a longitudinal study. Ageing and Society, 27(6), 891–918. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0144686X07006319
[11] Henwood, B., Byrne, T., & Scriber, B. (2015). Examining mortality among formerly homeless adults enrolled in Housing First: An observational study. BMC Public Health, 15(1), 1209–. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-015-2552-1
[12] Brown, M., et al. (2015). Health Outcomes of Obtaining Housing Among Older Homeless Adults. American Journal of Public Health (1971), 105(7), 1482–1488. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2014.302539S.
[13] Abbs, E., Brown, R., Guzman, D., Kaplan, L., & Kushel, M. (2020). Risk Factors for Falls in Older Adults Experiencing Homelessness: Results from the HOPE HOME Cohort Study. Journal of General Internal Medicine: JGIM, 35(6), 1813–1820. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-020-05637-0
[14] Wilke, D., & Vinton, L. (2005). The nature and impact of domestic violence across age cohorts. Affilia, 20(3), 316–328. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886109905277751
[15] McQuistion, H., Gorroochurn, P., Hsu, E., & Caton, C. (2014). Risk Factors Associated with Recurrent Homelessness After a First Homeless Episode. Community Mental Health Journal, 50(5), 505–513. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-013-9608-4
[16] Bird, M., Rhoades, H., Lahey, J., Cederbaum, J., & Wenzel, S. (2017). Life goals and gender differences among chronically homeless individuals entering permanent supportive housing. Journal of Social Distress and the Homeless, 26(1), 9–15. https://doi.org/10.1080/10530789.2016.1274570
[17] To, M., et al. (2016). Predictors of homelessness among vulnerably housed adults in 3 Canadian cities: a prospective cohort study. BMC Public Health, 16(1), 1041–12. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-016-3711-8
[18] CNN Editorial Research (2020, September 1). American Generations: Fast Facts. https://www.cnn.com/2013/11/06/us/baby-boomer-generation-fast-facts/index.html
[19] M. Rood, former Salvation Army Shelter Director, Rochester, NY, private communication, May 28, 2020.
[20] A. Turner, Program Director of Community Resource Services at Catholic Family Center and Eviction Task Force Director, Rochester, NY, private communication, June 12, 2020)
[21] Padgett, D., Henwood, B., & Tsemberis, S. (2016). Housing First: Ending homelessness, transforming systems and changing lives. New York: Oxford University Press.
[22] Byrne, T., Fargo, J., Montgomery, A., Munley, E., & Culhane, D. (2014). The Relationship between Community Investment in Permanent Supportive Housing and Chronic Homelessness. The Social Service Review (Chicago), 88(2), 234–263. https://doi.org/10.1086/676142
[23] Stergiopoulos, V., Gozdzik, A., Misir, V., Skosireva, A., Connelly, J., Sarang, A., Whisler, A., Hwang, S., O’Campo, P., & McKenzie, K. (2015). Effectiveness of Housing First with Intensive Case Management in an Ethnically Diverse Sample of Homeless Adults with Mental Illness: A Randomized Controlled Trial. PloS One, 10(7), e0130281–. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0130281
[24] Baxter, A., Tweed, E., Katikireddi, S., & Thomson, H. (2019). Effects of Housing First approaches on health and well-being of adults who are homeless or at risk of homelessness: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 73(5), 379–387. https://doi.org/10.1136/jech-2018-210981
[25] Schütz, C. (2016). Homelessness and Addiction: Causes, Consequences and Interventions. Current Treatment Options in Psychiatry, 3(3), 306–313. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40501-016-0090-9
[26] U.S. Census Bureau (2019). Multidimensional Deprivation in the United States: 2017. Retrieved from https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2019/demo/acs-40.pdf
[27] Krieger, J., & Higgins, D. (2002). Housing and Health: Time Again for Public Health Action. American Journal of Public Health, 92(5), 758–768. https://doi.org/10.2105/ajph.92.5.758
[28] Stafford, A & Wood, L (2017). Tackling Health Disparities for People Who Are Homeless: Start with Social Determinants. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 14(12), p. 1535– doi:10.3390/ijerph14121535.
[29] Bransford C., Cole M. (2019) Trauma-Informed Care in Homelessness Service Settings: Challenges and Opportunities. In: Larkin H., Aykanian A., Streeter C. (eds) Homelessness Prevention and Intervention in Social Work. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-03727-7_13
@article{"International Journal of Business, Human and Social Sciences:80236", author = "Lindsay Fink and Sarha Smith-Moyo and Leanne W. Charlesworth", title = "Exploring Causes of Homelessness and Shelter Entry: A Case Study Analysis of Shelter Data in New York", abstract = "In recent years, the number of individuals experiencing homelessness has increased in the United States. This paper analyzes 2019 data from 16 different emergency shelters in Monroe County, located in Upstate New York. The data were collected through the County’s Homeless Management Information System (HMIS), and individuals were de-identified and de-duplicated for analysis. The purpose of this study is to explore the basic characteristics of the homeless population in Monroe County, and the dynamics of shelter use. The results of this study showed gender as a significant factor when analyzing the relationship between demographic variables and recorded reasons for shelter entry. Results also indicated that age and ethnicity did not significantly influence odds of re-entering a shelter, but did significantly influence reasons for shelter entry. Overall, the most common recorded cause of shelter entry in 2019 in the examined county was eviction by primary tenant. Recommendations to better address recurrent shelter entry and potential chronic homelessness include more consideration for the diversity existing within the homeless population, and the dynamics leading to shelter stays, including enhanced funding and training for shelter staff, as well as expanded access to permanent supportive housing programs.
", keywords = "Chronic homelessness, homeless shelter stays, permanent supportive housing, shelter population dynamics. ", volume = "15", number = "4", pages = "267-7", }
