Do housing and neighborhood characteristics impact an individual’s risk of homelessness? Evidence from New York City

Abstract

Most existing homelessness research either connects aggregate levels of homelessness to housing market and economic characteristics, or analyzes the personal traits of chronically homeless individuals and those receiving formal institutional support. Little is known about the characteristics of individuals in the general population who become homeless, especially their housing and neighborhood contexts. This article assesses the relationship between an individual’s odds of experiencing homelessness and their housing, personal, and neighborhood characteristics using data from The New York City Longitudinal Survey of Well-Being, a representative panel of New York City adults. These data are leveraged to specify a series of multilevel logistic panel regression models. Findings suggest an individual’s housing conditions, particularly whether they are doubled-up or in a rent-controlled unit, and traditional risk factors such as mental health issues and drug use, help predict future homelessness. Results suggest that well-known individual characteristics common among unhoused individuals are accompanied by housing and economic factors that drive a path to experiencing homelessness.