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American Economic Journal:
Applied Economics

ISSN 1945-7782 (Print) | ISSN 1945-7790 (Online)

Housing the Homeless: The Effect of Placing Single Adults Experiencing Homelessness in Housing Programs on Future Homelessness and Socioeconomic Outcomes

  • Elior Cohen
American Economic Journal: Applied Economics
vol. 16, no. 2, April 2024
(pp. 130–75)
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Abstract

This study measures the impact of rapidly placing single adults experiencing homelessness in housing programs on future homelessness, crime, and health. Using a caseworker placement tendencies design and a novel dataset constructed by linking administrative records from multiple public agencies in Los Angeles County, I estimate that rapidly placing individuals in housing programs significantly reduces the likelihood of future return to the homeless support system, crime, and reliance on emergency cash assistance, yet it does not have a detectable effect on health services utilization. These findings demonstrate that rapid housing placements can have both rehabilitative and potentially cost-saving impacts.

Citation

Cohen, Elior. 2024. "Housing the Homeless: The Effect of Placing Single Adults Experiencing Homelessness in Housing Programs on Future Homelessness and Socioeconomic Outcomes." American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, 16 (2): 130–75. DOI: 10.1257/app.20220014

Additional Materials

JEL Classification

  • H75 State and Local Government: Health; Education; Welfare; Public Pensions
  • I12 Health Behavior
  • I38 Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty: Government Programs; Provision and Effects of Welfare Programs
  • K42 Illegal Behavior and the Enforcement of Law
  • R23 Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics: Regional Migration; Regional Labor Markets; Population; Neighborhood Characteristics
  • R38 Production Analysis and Firm Location: Government Policy

Request for review

  • Posted by Keshav prasad Kuruva
  • Posted on 4/7/2024 5:20:59 PM
Hello Elior,

Thanks for sharing the paper.You have conducted a thorough and comprehensive analysis of the effects of housing programs on single adults experiencing homelessness. The use of administrative data and the instrumental variable approach to address endogeneity concerns is commendable. Could you let me know if this document is open for review to offer feedback and thoughts?

Best,
Keshav.
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