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What Interventions Work Best for Families Who Experience Homelessness? Impact Estimates from the Family Options Study

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  • Daniel Gubits
  • Marybeth Shinn
  • Michelle Wood
  • Scott R. Brown
  • Samuel R. Dastrup
  • Stephen H. Bell

Abstract

What housing and service interventions work best to reduce homelessness for families in the United States? The Family Options Study randomly assigned 2,282 families recruited in homeless shelters across 12 sites to priority access to one of three active interventions or to usual care in their communities. The interventions were long‐term rent subsidies, short‐term rent subsidies, and transitional housing in supervised programs with intensive psychosocial services. In two waves of follow‐up data collected 20 and 37 months later, priority access to long‐term rent subsidies reduced homelessness and food insecurity and improved other aspects of adult and child well‐being relative to usual care, at a cost 9 percent higher. The other interventions had little effect. The study provides support for the view that homelessness for most families is an economic problem that long‐term rent subsidies resolve and does not support the view that families must address psychosocial problems to succeed in housing. It has implications for focusing government resources on this important social problem.

Suggested Citation

  • Daniel Gubits & Marybeth Shinn & Michelle Wood & Scott R. Brown & Samuel R. Dastrup & Stephen H. Bell, 2018. "What Interventions Work Best for Families Who Experience Homelessness? Impact Estimates from the Family Options Study," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 37(4), pages 835-866, September.
  • Handle: RePEc:wly:jpamgt:v:37:y:2018:i:4:p:835-866
    DOI: 10.1002/pam.22071
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    Cited by:

    1. Locks, Gedeão & Thuilliez, Josselin, 2023. "The impact of minimum income on homelessness: Evidence from France," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 135(C).
    2. William N. Evans & David C. Philips & Krista J. Ruffini, 2019. "Reducing and Preventing Homelessness: A Review of the Evidence and Charting a Research Agenda," NBER Working Papers 26232, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    3. Glendening, Zachary S. & Shinn, Marybeth & Brown, Scott R. & Cleveland, Kyndra C. & Cunningham, Mary K. & Pergamit, Michael R., 2020. "Supportive housing for precariously housed families in the child welfare system: Who benefits most?," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 116(C).
    4. Downes, Henry & Phillips, David C. & Sullivan, James X., 2022. "The effect of emergency financial assistance on healthcare use," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 208(C).
    5. Byrne, Thomas & Montgomery, Ann Elizabeth & Chapman, Alec B. & Pettey, Warren & Effiong, Atim & Suo, Ying & Velasquez, Tania & Nelson, Richard E., 2023. "Predictors of homeless service utilization and stable housing status among Veterans receiving services from a nationwide homelessness prevention and rapid rehousing program," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    6. Katherine M. O’Regan & Ingrid Gould Ellen & Sophie House, 2021. "How to Address Homelessness: Reflections from Research," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 693(1), pages 322-332, January.
    7. William N. Evans & David C. Phillips & Krista Ruffini, 2021. "Policies To Reduce And Prevent Homelessness: What We Know And Gaps In The Research," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 40(3), pages 914-963, June.
    8. Heather Hodges & Colin Kuehl & Sarah E. Anderson & Phillip J. Ehret & Cameron Brick, 2020. "How Managers Can Reduce Household Water Use Through Communication: A Field Experiment," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 39(4), pages 1076-1099, September.
    9. Aliza Moledina & Olivia Magwood & Eric Agbata & Jui‐Hsia Hung & Ammar Saad & Kednapa Thavorn & Ginetta Salvalaggio & Gary Bloch & David Ponka & Tim Aubry & Claire Kendall & Kevin Pottie, 2021. "A comprehensive review of prioritised interventions to improve the health and wellbeing of persons with lived experience of homelessness," Campbell Systematic Reviews, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 17(2), June.
    10. Saerim Kim & Andrew A Sullivan, 2021. "Complementary policies for multidimensional problems: Does the low-income housing tax credit complement homeless services in the USA?," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 58(5), pages 903-921, April.
    11. Kimberly A. Rollings & Christina S. Bollo, 2021. "Permanent Supportive Housing Design Characteristics Associated with the Mental Health of Formerly Homeless Adults in the U.S. and Canada: An Integrative Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(18), pages 1-37, September.
    12. Małgorzata Szcześniak & Katarzyna Szmuc & Barbara Tytonik & Anna Czaprowska & Mariia Ivanytska & Agnieszka Malinowska, 2022. "Moderating Effect of Help-Seeking in the Relationship between Religiosity and Dispositional Gratitude among Polish Homeless Adults: A Brief Report," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-14, January.
    13. Elior Cohen, 2022. "The Effect of Housing First Programs on Future Homelessness and Socioeconomic Outcomes," Research Working Paper RWP 2022-03, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City.
    14. Bai, Rong & Collins, Cyleste & Fischer, Robert & Crampton, David, 2020. "Family critical time intervention with housing unstable, child welfare-involved families: Service providers’ and families’ experiences with the phases," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).
    15. Tim Aubry & Ayda Agha & Cilia Mejia-Lancheros & James Lachaud & Ri Wang & Rosane Nisenbaum & Anita Palepu & Stephen W. Hwang, 2021. "Housing Trajectories, Risk Factors, and Resources among Individuals Who Are Homeless or Precariously Housed," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 693(1), pages 102-122, January.
    16. David C. Phillips, 2020. "Measuring Housing Stability With Consumer Reference Data," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 57(4), pages 1323-1344, August.
    17. Barrett A. Lee & Marybeth Shinn & Dennis P. Culhane, 2021. "Homelessness as a Moving Target," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 693(1), pages 8-26, January.

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