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Women's Homelessness: International Evidence on Causes, Consequences, Coping and Policies

Author

Listed:
  • Guy Johnson

    (Centre for Applied Social Research, RMIT University)

  • David C. Ribar

    (Melbourne Institute: Applied Economic and Social Research, the University of Melbourne; ARC Centre of Excellence for Children and Families over the Life Course; and Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA))

  • Anna Zhu

    (Melbourne Institute: Applied Economic and Social Research, the University of Melbourne; ARC Centre of Excellence for Children and Families over the Life Course; and Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA))

Abstract

This paper reviews international evidence regarding women’s homelessness. It discusses different definitions of homelessness and how women are frequently part of the “hidden homeless†population and less a part of the unsheltered homeless population. It also considers the data that are used to enumerate and study homeless people. The structural, personal, and random causes of homelessness are discussed, with evidence pointing to highly gendered patterns. The paper also describes the consequences of women’s homelessness, including the consequences for children, and the material and psychological coping strategies that homeless people employ. It considers policies to reduce homelessness and ameliorate its problems.

Suggested Citation

  • Guy Johnson & David C. Ribar & Anna Zhu, 2017. "Women's Homelessness: International Evidence on Causes, Consequences, Coping and Policies," Melbourne Institute Working Paper Series wp2017n07, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne.
    • Handle: RePEc:iae:iaewps:wp2017n07
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    File URL: http://melbourneinstitute.unimelb.edu.au/downloads/working_paper_series/wp2017n07.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    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. 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.
    3. Bassuk, E.L. & Buckner, J.C. & Weinreb, L.F. & Browne, A. & Bassuk, S.S. & Dawson, R. & Perloff, J.N., 1997. "Homelessness in female-headed families: Childhood and adult risk and protective factors," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 87(2), pages 241-248.
    4. 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.
    5. Park, J.M. & Fertig, A.R. & Allison, P.D., 2011. "Physical and mental health, cognitive development, and health care use by housing status of low-income young children in 20 American cities: A prospective cohort study," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 101(SUPPL. 1), pages 255-261.
    6. Allgood, Sam & Warren, Ronald Jr., 2003. "The duration of homelessness: evidence from a national survey," Journal of Housing Economics, Elsevier, vol. 12(4), pages 273-290, December.
    7. 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.
    8. Grant, R. & Gracy, D. & Goldsmith, G. & Shapiro, A. & Redlener, I.E., 2013. "Twenty-five years of child and family homelessness: Where are we now?," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 103(S2), pages 1-10.
    9. Shinn, M. & Weitzman, B.C. & Stojanovic, D. & Knickman, J.R. & Jiménez, L. & Duchon, L. & James, S. & Krantz, D.H., 1998. "Predictors of homelessness among families in New York City: From shelter request to housing stability," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 88(11), pages 1651-1657.
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    Cited by:

    1. Wayne A. Warburton & Marina Papic & Elizabeth Whittaker, 2022. "Heterogeneity among Homeless Australian Women and Their Reasons for Homelessness Entry," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-12, July.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Homelessness; women; children; hidden homeless; policies; coping strategies; Journeys Home;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I30 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General
    • R31 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Real Estate Markets, Spatial Production Analysis, and Firm Location - - - Housing Supply and Markets

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