Simon Voss Discusses the Effect of Homeless Shelters on Urban Neighborhoods

The task of alleviating widespread homelessness has been a significant challenge for cities worldwide. However, amongst the various proposed solutions, the establishment of homeless shelters has faced significant public backslash. Concerned about increased crime, public drug use, and declining property values, nearby residents have not been convinced by such proposals. 

Simon Voss, who spent the fall term as an International Visiting Graduate Student at CEES at the University of Toronto, has been exploring this challenge throughout his PhD studies at the John F. Kennedy Institute for North American Studies at Freie Universität Berlin. Speaking at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy in December, Voss discussed both the complexities and the innovative research currently being made to address this challenge. 

His own study is focused on the city of Los Angeles, a metropolis known for its difficulties grappling with homelessness. Employing data from various sources, Voss investigates how exposure to homeless shelters affects local arrest rates. Taking the amount of city-owned property as a proxy for shelter placement, he has used an Instrumental Variable approach. This methodology, he maintains, is very useful, because it leverages the tendency for shelters to be situated on publicly owned lots and allows him to further examine the complex dynamics between the presence of shelters and their effect on local communities. Voss believes that rigorous data is key to responsible and effective policy making and he hopes to continue researching housing and inequality in the future.  

Voss presented his findings on December 4, 2024 at an event sponsored by the Joint Initiative for German and European Studies, the Centre for European and Eurasian Studies, and the Centre for the Study of the United States.

Read more about the event here