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A prevention-centered approach to homelessness assistance: a paradigm shift?

Author

Listed:
  • Dennis P. Culhane
  • Stephen Metraux
  • Thomas Byrne

Abstract

Prevention has long been cited as an important part of any strategy to end homelessness. Nonetheless, effective prevention initiatives have proven difficult to implement in practice. The lack of a prevention-oriented policy framework has resulted in responses to homelessness that focus primarily on assisting those who have already lost their housing and, consequently, to the institutionalization of homelessness. Recent Federal legislation, however, signals an emergent paradigm shift towards prevention-based approaches to homelessness. This paper explores the conceptual underpinnings of successful prevention initiatives and reviews practice-based evidence from several successful prevention-oriented approaches to homelessness in the United States and Europe. We then outline a conceptual framework for a transformation of homeless assistance towards prevention-oriented approaches, with a discussion of relevant issues of program design and practice, data collection standards, and program performance monitoring and evaluation.

Suggested Citation

  • Dennis P. Culhane & Stephen Metraux & Thomas Byrne, 2011. "A prevention-centered approach to homelessness assistance: a paradigm shift?," Housing Policy Debate, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(2), pages 295-315, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:taf:houspd:v:21:y:2011:i:2:p:295-315
    DOI: 10.1080/10511482.2010.536246
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    Cited by:

    1. 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).
    2. Gregg Colburn, 2014. "The Federal Commitment to Homelessness Prevention: A Silver Lining of the Economic Crisis," Poverty & Public Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 6(1), pages 33-45, March.
    3. Stephen Gaetz, 2020. "Making the Prevention of Homelessness a Priority: The Role of Social Innovation," American Journal of Economics and Sociology, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 79(2), pages 353-381, March.
    4. Manson, Daniel & Fast, Danya, 2023. "“They are always focusing on the person who is doing the worst”: Exploring how crisis shapes young people's pathways in and out of supportive housing in Vancouver, Canada," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 331(C).
    5. 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.
    6. Julia R. Woodhall-Melnik & James R. Dunn, 2016. "A systematic review of outcomes associated with participation in Housing First programs," Housing Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 31(3), pages 287-304, April.
    7. Brown, Molly & Klebek, Lauren & Chodzen, Gia & Scartozzi, Samantha & Cummings, Camilla & Raskind, Alejandro, 2018. "Housing status among single adults following Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-housing Program participation in Indianapolis," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 92-98.
    8. April Jackson & Bridget Callea & Nicholas Stampar & Abigail Sanders & Alberto De Los Rios & Jake Pierce, 2020. "Exploring Tiny Homes as an Affordable Housing Strategy to Ameliorate Homelessness: A Case Study of the Dwellings in Tallahassee, FL," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(2), pages 1-22, January.
    9. 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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