Homelessness is a State not a Trait of any Individual
In order to find solutions for housing, it is important to understand that homelessness is a temporary state or life circumstance commonly caused by structural and economic factors rather than a permanent personal trait or intrinsic quality to that individual.
The new study by the California Statewide Study of People Experiencing Homelessness (CASPEH), conducted by The University of California, San Francisco Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative (BHHI), is the largest representative study of homelessness in the United States since the mid-1990s. The study provides a comprehensive look at the causes and consequences of homelessness and recommends policy changes to shape programs in response.
Local Origin: Roughly 90% of unhoused individuals in California lived in the state when they lost their housing, and 75% still live in the same county where they were last housed.
Primary Driver: The main cause of homelessness in California is a severe shortage of affordable housing coupled with low median incomes.
Scale and Visibility: California accounts for about 12% of the U.S. population but roughly 30% of the nation's homeless population and half of the unsheltered population.
Demographics: About 47% of homeless adults in the state are 50 years old or older, and single adults make up the vast majority. Black and Native American populations are disproportionately represented relative to their shares of the general state population.
