Evaluating the Impact of Vocational Training and Housing Assistance Programs on the Spread and Control of Homelessness in Los Angeles, California
Abstract:
Homelessness is a major socioeconomic issue in the United States with more than half a million individuals homeless on any given night in 2018 (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development). The second highest number of homeless was reported from Los Angeles County with approximately 53,000 individuals, 10% of the national total. Several factors associated with lifetime homelessness include poor family functioning, socioeconomic disparity, isolation from social network communities, mental health issues, and addiction problems. Recent interventions such as rapid rehousing, educational programs, job skills training, and supportive health services have either been ine˙ective or have had limited scope over time. In this study, we evaluate the impact of two interventions, such as, vocational training and housing assistance programs on the spread and control of homelessness in Los Angeles, using a system of ordinary di˙erential equations and data from Los Angeles County. Our results show that housing assistance programs are more e˙ective in a short period of time, however, in order to achieve sustainability in the long term it is necessary to incorporate vocational training programs. The likelihood of the spreading of homelessness is influenced by social interactions and the interventions incorporated. Also, the environmental influence was found to be dominant when the rate of interventions is extremely low.
Year: 2019
Authors:
Mohammed Alharbi - University of Texas, University of Jeddah
Jackson Carpenter - Arizona State University
Vincent Jones - University of Pennsylvania
Jennifer Sanchez - Yachay Tech University
Cesar Montalvo - Arizona State University
Asma Azizi - Arizona State University
Viswanathan Arunachalam - Universidad Nacional de Colombia
Carlos M. Hernandez-Suarez - Universidad de Colima
Christopher Kribs - University of Texas
Jose Flores - University of South Dakota
Anuj Mubayi - Arizona State University
