Predictors of homelessness among families in New York City: from shelter request to housing stability.
OBJECTIVE
This study examined predictors of entry into shelter and subsequent housing stability for a cohort of families receiving public assistance in New York City.


METHODS
Interviews were conducted with 266 families as they requested shelter and with a comparison sample of 298 families selected at random from the welfare caseload. Respondents were reinterviewed 5 years later. Families with prior history of shelter use were excluded from the follow-up study.


RESULTS
Demographic characteristics and housing conditions were the most important risk factors for shelter entry; enduring poverty and disruptive social experiences also contributed. Five years later, four fifths of sheltered families had their own apartment. Receipt of subsidized housing was the primary predictor of housing stability among formerly homeless families (odds ratio [OR] = 20.6, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 9.9, 42.9).


CONCLUSIONS
Housing subsidies are critical to ending homelessness among families.
Shinn
M
M
Department of Psychology, Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, New York University, NY 10003, USA.
Weitzman
B C
BC
Stojanovic
D
D
Knickman
J R
JR
Jiménez
L
L
Duchon
L
L
James
S
S
Krantz
D H
DH
D000328:Adult; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006703:Ill-Housed Persons / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D009519:New York City; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011203:Poverty / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011632:Public Assistance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011638:Public Housing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires