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Jun 2, 2023

Finding Your Place: a special report on the economics of homelessness

How did homelessness become such a defining and intractable economic issue in America? What are the root causes of the recent rise in homelessness, and more importantly, how do we fix it? In this special report, we delve into six different facets of the fight against homelessness to get a better sense of what people have been going through — and what that can tell us about how to tackle the issue that’s been vexing mayors and legislators across the nation for decades.

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Finding Your Place: a special report on the economics of homelessness — Spencer Platt/Getty Images

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Segments From This Episode

Biden plan to end homelessness is missing a crucial ingredient: more money
by Nancy Marshall-Genzer
Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images
Getting an unhoused person into a home can cost $10,000 a year — and more than 580,000 people are unhoused on any given night.
How the affordable housing crisis drives homelessness
by David Brancaccio and Erika Soderstrom
Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images
We’re going to need a lot of money and cooperation to address homelessness.
Mental illness plays a complicated role in the homelessness crisis
by Kimberly Adams
Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images
Though the affordable housing shortage is key, mental illness increases the risk of losing a home and makes it harder to regain one.
Inside the push to criminalize homelessness
by David Brancaccio and Erika Soderstrom
Mario Tama/Getty Images
“The proven strategy is … to use housing as the base,” and then add services, says Ann Oliva of the National Alliance to End Homelessness.
There aren’t enough workers to help people experiencing homelessness
by Matt Levin
Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images
That’s impacting efforts to get people into housing. But there are some programs trying to increase the number of specialists in the pipeline.
Yes, you can be employed and homeless
by David Brancaccio and Jarrett Dang
Spencer Platt/Getty Images
Fast-food workers, who are often paid low wages and work limited hours, make up 11% of homeless workers in California, a study finds.