KQED's Forum In Search of Home Part 1: How to Prevent Homelessness
Sep 16, 2025
Rob Collinson, an assistant professor at the University of Notre Dame, discusses effective strategies to prevent homelessness. He emphasizes that keeping people housed is more economical and less traumatic than providing aid after they've lost their homes. The conversation explores innovative community initiatives, the dynamics between landlords and tenants, and the importance of addressing root causes like financial instability and health crises. With insights from real-life experiences, the discussion highlights systemic solutions that can make a significant impact in combating homelessness.
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Target The Tipping Point
- Effective prevention requires targeting those at the tipping point of homelessness.
- A screening tool helps isolate the most vulnerable so limited funds help those most likely to lose housing.
Shocks Plus Precarity Predict Risk
- Past homelessness and income shocks strongly predict future homelessness risk.
- Negative life events layered on financial precarity drive people into homelessness, not just low income alone.
Pay Enough To Solve The Problem
- Invest roughly the amount needed to fully resolve a household's crisis rather than a token payment.
- In Santa Clara County the average household prevention cost was about $7,000 and saved public costs later.
