Racial Inequity and Homelessness: Findings from the SPARC Study

• Author: Molly Richard,Julia Tripp,Svetlana Yampolskaya,Jeffrey Olivet,Catriona Wilkey,Marc Dones,Regina Cannon,Maya Beit-Arie
• DOI: 10.1177/0002716221991040
• Published date: 01 January 2021
• Date: 01 January 2021
• Subject Matter: Structural Forces

82 ANNALS, AAPSS, 693, January 2021

DOI: 10.1177/0002716221991040

Racial Inequity

and

Homelessness:

Findings from

the SPARC

Study

By

JEFFREY OLIVET,

CATRIONA WILKEY,

MOLLY RICHARD,

MARC DONES,

JULIA TRIPP,

MAYA BEIT-ARIE,

SVETLANA YAMPOLSKAYA,

and

REGINA CANNON

991040ANN The Annals Of The American AcademyRacial Inequity And Homelessness

research-article2021

This study examines racial inequities and homelessness

in the United States through mixed methods research

in eight communities. We compare the race and ethnic-

ity of those experiencing homelessness to the general

population and to people in poverty, and we also

explore how race and ethnicity are associated with

housing outcomes. Interviews with 195 individuals of

color explore pathways into homelessness and drivers

of outcomes. We find that Black/African Americans and

Native Americans were the most overrepresented

among those experiencing homelessness in each com-

munity, and interview data suggest that factors associ-

ated with homelessness for people of color include

barriers to housing and economic mobility, racism and

discrimination within homeless services, and involve-

ment in multiple systems, including criminal justice.

How race and ethnicity were associated with outcomes

varied for youth, single adults, and families. We argue

that researchers and policy-makers need to address

homelessness with attention to racial justice.

Keywords: racism; homelessness; housing; race; eth-

nicity; poverty

Homelessness in the United States is a public

health crisis, with at least 550,000 Americans

experiencing homelessness on any given night

and more than 1.4 million through the course of

a year (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban

Development [HUD] 2018a, 2018b). The most

recent Annual Homelessness Assessment Report to

Congress reports substantial racial disparities:

Black/African Americans account for 40 percent of

Jeffrey Olivet is founder of jo consulting, founding

member of Racial Equity Partners, and former CEO of

C4 Innovations.

Catriona Wilkey is deputy director of research and

evaluation at C4 Innovations.

Molly Richard is a graduate student at Vanderbilt

University.

Marc Dones is executive director of National Innovation

Service.

Correspondence: jo@jeffolivet.com

RACIAL INEQUITY AND HOMELESSNESS 83

those experiencing homelessness, while composing 13 percent of the U.S. population;

American Indian/Alaska Natives (AI/AN) compose 2.8 percent of people experienc-

ing homelessness but only 1 percent of the U.S. population; and Hispanic and

Latinx people account for 22 percent of the homeless population, compared to 18

percent of the U.S. population. In contrast, whites and Asian Americans are consist-

ently underrepresented in the homeless population (U.S. Census Bureau 2015;

HUD 2018b). A prevalence study of Native American adults found that one-third

had experienced homelessness (Whitbeck, Crawford, and Sittner Hartshorn 2012);

and Morton, Chávez, and Moore (2019) found a 12.2 percent prevalence rate

among AI/AN young adults, three times the rate of their white peers. Fusaro, Levy,

and Shaefer (2018) documented lifetime rates of homelessness of 16.8 percent for

non-Hispanic Black people, 8.1 percent for Hispanics, and 4.8 percent for non-

Hispanic whites.

Research has noted racial disparities in homelessness, but little research has

sought to explain them or to examine whether there are additional disparities in

people’s experiences with homeless services, including shelters, housing pro-

grams, and other aspects of communities’ homelessness response. In a systematic

review of literature on the relationship between race and homelessness, Jones

(2016) found that “the racial demographics of homelessness have received little

attention from policy-makers” (p. 139), suggesting that more research is needed

to understand the connections between structural racism and homelessness and

to develop effective policy and practice solutions.

Consistent with this call, the SPARC Initiative (Supporting Partnerships for

Anti-Racist Communities) launched an eight-city mixed methods study in 2016

to examine structural racism and homelessness. The study aimed to (1) document

racial/ethnic disproportionality among people experiencing homelessness across

multiple communities to determine patterns of overrepresentation; (2) explore

the experiences of people of color across pathways into homelessness, experi-

ences with the homelessness response system, and barriers to exiting homeless-

ness; and (3) examine racial disparities in housing outcomes. This approach

Julia Tripp is former executive director of New Start Project, and community HIV advocate,

educator, and playwright.

Maya Beit-Arie is an MSW candidate at the Boston University School of Social Work.

Svetlana Yampolskaya is a research associate professor at the University of South Florida and

a statistical consultant at C4 Innovations.

Regina Cannon is chief equity and impact officer at C4 Innovations.

NOTE: This paper has four first authors who made equal contributions. These authors are

Jeffrey Olivet, Catriona Wilkey, Molly Richard, and Marc Dones. All authors contributed

equally to study design, execution, analysis, and manuscript development. The authors would

like to thank the Oak Foundation whose generous support allowed us to launch the study, and

numerous local funding partners that supported the work in specific communities. We would

like to thank our community partners without whom this work would not have happened. Last,

we are deeply grateful to all the individuals who participated in the study, sharing their experi-

ences and wisdom. Your strength and courage inspire us all.