In this chapter, the authors examine individual-level factors commonly associated with homelessness, such as poverty, unemployment, mental health, drug use, and race. They analyze data at the city and state levels to determine if these factors can explain the variation in rates of homelessness across different regions.

When it comes to poverty, the authors find that rates of homelessness are relatively low in areas with high poverty rates. This suggests that homelessness is more a symptom of affluence rather than poverty. They use the examples of Detroit and Boston to illustrate this point. Despite Detroit’s high poverty rate, the city has relatively low levels of homelessness, while Boston, with its lower poverty rate, has higher rates of homelessness.

Similarly, the authors find that unemployment rates do not explain regional variation in homelessness. They use the examples of Philadelphia and Santa Clara County (Silicon Valley) to demonstrate that high levels of unemployment can coexist with relatively low levels of homelessness.

The relationship between mental illness and homelessness is also examined, and the authors find that there is no convincing relationship at the state level. States with high rates of mental illness do not necessarily have high rates of homelessness, and vice versa.

The same analysis is applied to drug use, and again, the authors find that there is no significant relationship between rates of drug use and homelessness at the state level. High rates of drug use in certain areas do not explain higher rates of homelessness in those areas.

Lastly, the authors analyze the relationship between race and homelessness. While it is true that certain racial and ethnic groups are disproportionately represented among the homeless population, there is little evidence to suggest that race explains regional variation in homelessness rates. Cities with higher proportions of white residents, such as San Francisco and Boston, often have higher rates of homelessness compared to cities with higher proportions of minority populations.

Overall, the authors conclude that these individual-level factors do not adequately explain the variation in rates of homelessness across different regions. While they may contribute to an individual’s risk of experiencing homelessness, they do not explain why certain cities or regions have higher rates of homelessness compared to others. The authors argue that other cultural or structural factors are likely at play and need to be explored further to understand the root causes of homelessness.

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