A Journey Home: What Drives How Long People Are Homeless?

Abstract

This paper uses survival analysis to model exits over time from two alternative notions of homelessness. We are unique in being able to account for time-invariant, unobserved heterogeneity. We find that duration dependence has an inverted U-shape with exit rates initially increasing (indicating positive duration dependence) and then falling. Like previous researchers, we find results consistent with negative duration dependence in models which ignore unobserved heterogeneity. Exit rates out of homelessness fall with age and with the education level of mothers. Women are more likely than men to exit homelessness when it is broadly conceived, but appear to be less likely to exit when it is narrowly defined. Finally, higher paternal education and exemptions from welfare-related activity requirements due to either mental or physical health conditions are all associated with higher exit rates.JEL classification: I3, R2, C4

A Longitudinal Analysis of Violence and Housing Insecurity

“…The evidence of state dependence is consistent with several prior studies, including Allgood and Warren () and Piliavin et al (), but contrasts with the findings of Cobb‐Clark et al (), who also examined the JH survey and accounted for random effects in the duration process. Cobb‐Clark et al estimated hazard models of housing insecurity spells but dropped spells that were ongoing as of the first wave because they did not know how long those spells had progressed.…”

“…Other results are more surprising, especially psychological conditions and poor health reducing men's risks of housing insecurity and poor health reducing women's vulnerability to violence. Cobb‐Clark et al () also found that some bad health outcomes reduced the duration of Australians' homelessness. The estimated associations might reflect these conditions leading to prioritized social services or a more consistent provision of services (e.g., fewer requirements on the receipt of services).…”

“…As homeless people come to identify with being homeless, they may take fewer steps to escape their condition or become more accepting of behaviors that prolong their homelessness (Snow and Anderson ). Several studies have found evidence of state dependence in housing problems (Allgood and Warren Jr ; Piliavin et al ; Shinn et al ); however, an analysis of the JH survey by Cobb‐Clark et al () detected little evidence of duration dependence within homelessness spells beyond the first 2 or 3 months of a spell.…”

Homelessness and Incarceration: A Reciprocal Relationship?

“…Interestingly though, Cobb-Clark et al (2016) find no significant relationship between previous incarceration and the duration of homeless episodes once controlling for timeinvariant heterogeneity. However, they do not study whether ex-inmates are more likely to enter homelessness.…”

Effectiveness of interventions targeting community integration among individuals with lived experiences of homelessness: A systematic review

“…Given that women are one of the fastest growing demographics among the homeless (Gaetz et al, 2016), and none of the studies included in this review reported on those of other genders, future intervention research should include those of a range of genders to explore the effectiveness of interventions for a gender diverse group. This is particularly important because the experience of homelessness is known to differ across genders (Cobb‐Clark, Herault, Scutella, & Tseng, 2016; Montgomery et al., 2017), and is likely to translate into CI experiences.…”