Reassessing measures of risk for homelessness among families with children in New York City

Abstract

This study reassessed risks that researchers have identified as predicting homelessness among families in New York City. These risks form the basis of a screening tool called the Risk Assessment Questionnaire (RAQ). It is used by NYC's homelessness prevention program, Homebase, to determine services to provide families. An RAQ score of 7 or above, on a 25-point scale, indicates high risk and greater service needs. This study's logistic regression model identified five indicators that increased odds of shelter entry among 9630 Homebase family clients from 2016 to 2019 (12 % entered shelters): having a child less than two years old; discord with one's landlords; being in an institution, or shelter, recently; and having been in a shelter as an adult; or as a child. This study also identified combinations of client risks, using Latent Class Analysis. Two groups most likely to enter shelters (7.5 % of the sample) also had the highest rates of experiences in institutions or shelters and moving frequently, with one of these registering the highest rate of childhood trauma. This study recommends implementing a state program that covers childcare costs for vulnerable families, which could address risks that children of single mothers face to future instability.