How Stable Is The Condition Of Family Homelessness?

Keywords

Exiting homelessness; Family homelessness; Homeless children; McKinney-Vento; Transitional homelessness

Abstract

Although research has documented the majority of homelessness experienced by individuals and families in the US to be transitional rather than chronic, the mechanisms by which some families successfully escape homelessness while other do not remains relatively unclear. To provide more information to this area of inquiry, this study analyzed the transitional nature of homelessness for a sample of families with school-aged children who were homeless under the McKinney-Vento definition. By conducting a survey with over 1000 homeless families with children enrolled in two public school systems in Central Florida, we find that over a quarter of families exit homelessness in less than six months. We compare these families to those that remained homeless to examine the potential importance of demographic differences and other potential barriers to securing housing. Many of the commonly assumed barriers were not significant predictors of continued homelessness; the most salient difference between the groups was income underscoring the importance of employment opportunities for families to allow them to exit homelessness.

Publication Date

2-1-2017

Publication Title

Society

Volume

54

Issue

1

Number of Pages

46-55

Document Type

Article

Personal Identifier

scopus

DOI Link

https://doi.org/10.1007/s12115-016-0099-0

Socpus ID

85008144317 (Scopus)

Source API URL

https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/85008144317

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