Understanding Encampments of People Experiencing Homelessness and the Related Costs
Highlights
- The U.S. is experiencing an unprecedented increase in homeless encampments.
- Abt conducted a literature review and is working with several cities to collect data.
- Our reports will help stakeholders understand encampments and costs associated with addressing them.
Homeless encampments have not been as visible on the American landscape since the Great Depression. Today’s encampments appear to reflect a complex set of factors, including increasing numbers of people living in deep poverty, underinvestment in new affordable housing, large numbers of people who have been incarcerated, and new waves of substance use. Local policies for systems that serve homeless people also can affect how common it is for people experiencing homelessness to stay in encampments rather than entering shelters.
Much of the current understanding of homeless encampments is through journalism rather than rigorous data collection and analysis. On behalf of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Office of Policy Development and Research, Abt completed a literature review. We also conducted phone discussions with nine cities addressing encampment, and will visit four cities to collect cost data related to encampments.
This study will help federal, state and local policymakers and practitioners understand the nature of encampments and the costs and potential cost offsets associated with approaches to address them. After completing the cost data collection, we will draft a final report summarizing that information. We’ll also produce community encampment reports and a brief on unsheltered homelessness.
Related:
- Report: What Clearing Homeless Encampments Costs Cities
- First Study of Homeless Encampments Finds Lack of Affordable Housing to Be Key Driver
- City Approaches, Strategies and Costs of Responding to Homeless Encampments
- Understanding Encampments of People Experiencing Homelessness and Community Responses