Embedded Files
Working Papers
“The Costs of Homelessness: Evidence from the Winter Plan in the District of Columbia”
Emergency housing is the most common way that the homeless population is offered assistance, but little is known about the effect that this has on local crime. The Winter Plan in the District of Columbia requires that homeless shelters not turn away anyone asking for shelter when a hypothermia alert is active. Using the hypothermia alert guidelines as a source of quasi-experimental variation, I study the effects of temporarily offering emergency housing to the homeless population on crime outcomes. I estimate a statistically significant decrease in property crimes that are concentrated in theft crimes. I also find a statistically significant decrease in homicides which may be due to the increase in detection probability and the additional safety provided by shelter.
“Homelessness and Marijuana: the Hidden Economics Behind Expansion of Marijuana Access”
State marijuana policy across the United States has varied greatly over history, with a recent surge in legislation and ballot initiatives aimed at the expansion of legal access to marijuana. Understanding the effect that this change in state drug policy has on homeless populations is crucial for policymakers of state and local governments. Using difference-in-differences estimation with staggered timing of treatment across states, I study the effects of state marijuana policy on homeless populations. I estimate an increase of 9 percent in overall homelessness among states that expand access for recreational purposes. Additionally, I estimate a decrease of 15 percent in veteran homelessness in states that allow marijuana for medicinal use. This increase in overall homelessness places increased strain on local governments dealing with already unprecedented amounts of requests for homeless assistance services.
Works in Progress
“Homelessness, Funding, and the Weather: Evaluating Accuracy of Homeless Counts through Changes in the Weather”
The system of Continuum of Cares (CoCs) in the United States was developed as a way for the federal government to respond to local changes in homeless populations. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) uses these local centers and the data they collect to determine federal funding allocations. Using variation in weather during the time at which the point in time (PIT) counts are collected, I study the effects of changes in PIT counts on federal funding for homelessness.
"Homelessness and the Opioid Crisis: An investigation into the Opioid Crisis and Increasing Homelessness"
Increasing homelessness in urban areas is an area of concern for local governments that are also saddled with issues of opioid addiction. Using variation in the prevalence of opioid prescriptions, I study the effect that the opioid crisis has on increasing homelessness.
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