How do Homeless Shelters Affect Local Neighborhoods? - Evidence from Los Angeles

December 4, 2024 | 11:00AM - 1:00PM
 | 
In-person
Centre for European and Eurasian Studies (CEES), Joint Initiative in German and European Affairs, Centre for the Study of the United States, Europe & Eurasia

This event is over

Location | Room 108, North House, 1 Devonshire Place, Toronto, ON, M5S 3K7
ABOUT THE EVENT
In recent years, homelessness has developed into a major problem for cities around the globe. At the same time, possible solutions to this problem are often accompanied by heavy debates. For instance, the opening of homeless shelters is regularly contested by nearby residents due to worries that they bring negative side-effects such as crime and public drug use, as well as reductions in property values. However, empirical evidence for this assertion remains scarce. In his research, Voss aimed to address this gap by examining the impact of homeless shelters on surrounding neighborhoods in Los Angeles. Using data from multiple sources, Voss compares neighborhoods with varying levels of exposure to homeless shelters—considering both the number of shelters and their capacity—and analyze how this exposure influences the number of arrests made in these areas. Furthermore, Voss aimed to identify the causal effect of homeless shelters by using an Instrumental Variable approach. Specifically, he instrumented for exposure to homeless shelters using the amount of city-owned property in a neighborhood, exploiting the fact that shelters are frequently established on public lots. The findings of this research will shed light on the effects of homeless housing sites on neighborhood safety and might make a constructive contribution to the ongoing discussions of where these housing sites should be built.
Sponsor:  Joint Initiative for German and European Studies, Centre for European and Eurasian Studies and Centre for the Study of the United States. Funded by the DAAD with funds from the German Federal Foreign Office (AA).
Centre for European and Eurasian Studies (CEES), Joint Initiative in German and European Affairs, Centre for the Study of the United States, Europe & Eurasia
Tanyaa Mehta cees.events@utoronto.ca

Speakers

Simon Voss
Simon Voss

PhD candidate, John F. Kennedy Institute for North American Studies, Freie Universität, Berlin

Alexander Reisenbichler

Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, University of Toronto