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Homelessness research: A guide for economists (and friends)

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  • O'Flaherty, Brendan

Abstract

This paper surveys research on homelessness. The emphases are on the last decade, rather than earlier; and the United States, rather than the rest of the world. The approach is more idiosyncratic than encyclopedic. The field has been converging on the conclusion that housing subsidies are the most attractive policy for reducing homelessness, but the optimal arrangement of subsidies is not obvious. Economists have much to contribute, in both theory—mechanism design and general equilibrium—and empirics. Aggregate-level studies can be used more for finding out what the effects of different policies are, and individual-level studies can be used more for assessing the costs and benefits of those effects.

Suggested Citation

  • O'Flaherty, Brendan, 2019. "Homelessness research: A guide for economists (and friends)," Journal of Housing Economics, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 1-25.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jhouse:v:44:y:2019:i:c:p:1-25
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jhe.2019.01.003
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Herault, Nicolas & Ribar, David C., 2017. "Food insecurity and homelessness in the Journeys Home survey," Journal of Housing Economics, Elsevier, vol. 37(C), pages 52-66.
    2. Moschion, Julie & van Ours, Jan C., 2019. "Do childhood experiences of parental separation lead to homelessness?," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 111(C), pages 211-236.
    3. Corinth, Kevin, 2017. "The impact of permanent supportive housing on homeless populations," Journal of Housing Economics, Elsevier, vol. 35(C), pages 69-84.
    4. O'Flaherty, Brendan, 2009. "When should homeless families get subsidized apartments? A theoretical inquiry," Journal of Housing Economics, Elsevier, vol. 18(2), pages 69-80, June.
    5. Cobb-Clark, Deborah A. & Herault, Nicolas & Scutella, Rosanna & Tseng, Yi-Ping, 2016. "A journey home: What drives how long people are homeless?," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 57-72.
    6. O'Flaherty, Brendan, 2004. "Wrong person and wrong place: for homelessness, the conjunction is what matters," Journal of Housing Economics, Elsevier, vol. 13(1), pages 1-15, March.
    7. Goodman, Sarena & Messeri, Peter & O'Flaherty, Brendan, 2016. "Homelessness prevention in New York City: On average, it works," Journal of Housing Economics, Elsevier, vol. 31(C), pages 14-34.
    8. John M. Quigley, 1990. "Does rent control cause homelessness? taking the claim seriously," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 9(1), pages 89-93.
    9. Goodman, Sarena & Messeri, Peter & O’Flaherty, Brendan, 2014. "Reprint of “How effective homelessness prevention impacts the length of shelter spells”," Journal of Housing Economics, Elsevier, vol. 24(C), pages 101-108.
    10. Shawn Moulton, 2013. "Does Increased Funding for Homeless Programs Reduce Chronic Homelessness?," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 79(3), pages 600-620, January.
    11. Stefan G. Kertesz & Guy Johnson, 2017. "Housing First: Lessons from the United States and Challenges for Australia," Australian Economic Review, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, vol. 50(2), pages 220-228, June.
    12. Brendan O’Flaherty & Rosanna Scutella & Yi-Ping Tseng, 2018. "Using Private Information to Predict Homelessness Entries: Evidence and Prospects," Housing Policy Debate, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 28(3), pages 368-392, May.
    13. Rosanna Scutella & Guy Johnson, 2018. "Psychological distress and homeless duration," Housing Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 33(3), pages 433-454, April.
    14. McVicar, Duncan & Moschion, Julie & van Ours, Jan C., 2015. "From substance use to homelessness or vice versa?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 136, pages 89-98.
    15. Early Dirk W. & Olsen Edgar O., 2002. "Subsidized Housing, Emergency Shelters, and Homelessness: An Empirical Investigation Using Data from the 1990 Census," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 2(1), pages 1-36, August.
    16. Timothy M. Diette & David C. Ribar, 2018. "A Longitudinal Analysis Of Violence And Housing Insecurity," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 56(3), pages 1602-1621, July.
    17. O'Flaherty, Brendan, 2003. "Need and generosity: how markets for free goods equilibrate," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 54(1), pages 157-172, July.
    18. Honig, Marjorie & Filer, Randall K, 1993. "Causes of Intercity Variation in Homelessness," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 83(1), pages 248-255, March.
    19. O'Flaherty, Brendan & Scutella, Rosanna & Tseng, Yi-Ping, 2018. "Private information, exits from homelessness, and better ways to operate rehousing programs," Journal of Housing Economics, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 93-105.
    20. Joseph J. Doyle Jr., 2008. "Child Protection and Adult Crime: Using Investigator Assignment to Estimate Causal Effects of Foster Care," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 116(4), pages 746-770, August.
    21. Curtis, Marah A. & Corman, Hope & Noonan, Kelly & Reichman, Nancy E., 2010. "Effects of child health on housing in the urban U.S," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 71(12), pages 2049-2056, December.
    22. David S. Lucas, 2017. "The Impact of Federal Homelessness Funding on Homelessness," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 84(2), pages 548-576, October.
    23. Goodman, Sarena & Messeri, Peter & O’Flaherty, Brendan, 2014. "How effective homelessness prevention impacts the length of shelter spells," Journal of Housing Economics, Elsevier, vol. 23(C), pages 55-62.
    24. Corinth, Kevin & Lucas, David S., 2018. "When warm and cold don’t mix: The implications of climate for the determinants of homelessness," Journal of Housing Economics, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 45-56.
    25. Cragg, Michael & O'Flaherty, Brendan, 1999. "Do Homeless Shelter Conditions Determine Shelter Population? The Case of the Dinkins Deluge," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 46(3), pages 377-415, November.
    26. O'Flaherty, Brendan & Wu, Ting, 2006. "Fewer subsidized exits and a recession: How New York City's family homeless shelter population became immense," Journal of Housing Economics, Elsevier, vol. 15(2), pages 99-125, June.
    27. Marah Curtis & Hope Corman & Kelly Noonan & Nancy Reichman, 2013. "Life Shocks and Homelessness," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 50(6), pages 2227-2253, December.
    28. Buchanan, D. & Kee, R. & Sadowski, L.S. & Garcia, D., 2009. "The health impact of supportive housing for HIV-positive homeless patients: a randomized controlled trial," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 99(S3), pages 675-680.
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    Cited by:

    1. Moschion, Julie & van Ours, Jan C., 2022. "Do early episodes of depression and anxiety make homelessness more likely?," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 202(C), pages 654-674.
    2. Moschion, Julie & van Ours, Jan C., 2021. "Do transitions in and out of homelessness relate to mental health episodes? A longitudinal analysis in an extremely disadvantaged population," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 279(C).
    3. O'Flaherty, Brendan, 2023. "Aggregate-level inferences from individual-level data: The case of permanent supportive housing and housing first," Journal of Housing Economics, Elsevier, vol. 59(PA).

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