How Local Governments Are Caring for the Homeless During the COVID-19 Pandemic

• DOI: 10.1177/0275074020942062
• Published date: 01 August 2020
• Author: Abraham David Benavides,Julius A. Nukpezah
• Date: 01 August 2020
• Subject Matter: Street-Level Crisis ManagementManaging Homelessness During COVID-19

https://doi.org/10.1177/0275074020942062

American Review of Public Administration

2020, Vol. 50(6-7) 650 –657

© The Author(s) 2020

Article reuse guidelines:

sagepub.com/journals-permissions

DOI: 10.1177/0275074020942062

journals.sagepub.com/home/arp

Managing Homelessness During COVID-19

Introduction

For the first time in the history of the United States, there is

a disaster declaration in all 50 states because of a contagious

and deadly infectious disease caused by a coronavirus

(corona virus disease of 2019 [COVID-19]) that has resulted

in a global pandemic and a public health emergency1

(Coleman, 2020; Sauer, 2020; World Health Organization,

2020). As of June 5, 2020, there were more than 2.7 million

confirmed individuals who have contracted the disease and

more than 128 thousand deaths in the United States alone

(CDC, 2020a). The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in

social, economic, and political turmoil for the global econ-

omy with adverse impacts on households and businesses.

Governments at all levels of American federalism have been

challenged to find solutions to a myriad of problems that

have arisen because of the pandemic.

Unemployment, poverty, disability, and the uninsured

increase during periods of economic downturns. These chal-

lenges are also embodied in those experiencing homeless-

ness—who are uniquely impacted during public health

emergencies. The needs of the homeless may be several and

can include housing or sheltering, nutrition, health care

(including mental health and substance use necessities), and

relevant available information to deal with the crisis. The

homeless also need employment and financial resources to

reintegrate them back into society, especially for those who

have previously been incarcerated.

How the homeless are housed and cared for has direct

implications for the spread of the virus in various communi-

ties especially in urban centers where homelessness and

COVID-19 cases are high. Observations around the country

suggests that despite executive orders in some states, shelters

remain packed with people defying social distancing poli-

cies. Although federal, state, and local governments have

always had a concern for the homeless, the onset of the recent

COVID-19 pandemic has made the current response even

more challenging making it a more serious human rights

issue because of the potential for contagion and death. For

instance, Tobolowsky et al. (2020) examined three affiliated

homeless service sites in King County, Washington and con-

cluded that homeless shelters and their variants are like long-

term care facilities in which outbreaks spread rapidly. During

their study over a 2-month period, 86% of residents/staff

tested positive for COVID-19. Similarly, Mosites et al.

(2020) examined 19 homeless shelters in the cities of Atlanta,

Boston, San Francisco, and Seattle. Of the 1,192 residents

tested, 25% were positive. Shelter employees (313) were

also tested and 11% had a positive result. These and other

942062ARPXXX10.1177/0275074020942062The American Review of Public AdministrationBenavides and Nukpezah

research-article2020

1University of North Texas, Denton, USA

2Mississippi State University, Starkville, USA

Corresponding Author:

Abraham David Benavides, University of North Texas, 1155 Union Cir,

Denton, TX 76203, USA.

Email: benavides@unt.edu

How Local Governments Are Caring for the

Homeless During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abraham David Benavides1 and Julius A. Nukpezah2

Abstract

This article discusses the plight of the homeless during public health emergencies and the coronavirus disease of

2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. It reviews the role of public administrators that grounds their efforts by examining

their foundational purpose to serve the most vulnerable in our society. Using subsidiarity principle as the context, it

discusses homelessness in America and the role of the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development and

their Continuum of Care program. It also highlights the role of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention during

public health emergencies and their interim guidelines for local governments in providing for the homeless during

emergencies. Finally, through a case study on the city of Dallas, Texas, the article examines how local governments

have responded to address the needs of the homeless during the COVID-19 pandemic. It concludes that it is imperative

that public administrators at all levels of government explore areas of shared competence, cooperation, and allocate

responsibility where it would yield the most efficient result.

Keywords

homelessness, public health emergency, pandemic, COVID-19, local government, subsidiarity principle