Evidence-Based Policy and Practice Approaches to Addressing Homelessness in the United States

Cindy I-Fen Cheng, Robinson Edwards Professor of American History and Asian American Studies, University of Wisconsin–Madison
Katherine Levine Einstein, Associate Professor of Political Science, Boston University
David Phillips, Research Professor of Economics, Wilson Sheehan Lab for Economic Opportunities, University of Notre Dame

The 2024 rate of U.S. homelessness increased by 18% over the previous year, with a 39% rise in families experiencing homelessness. According to an annual survey conducted in communities across the country, more than 770,000 people were living in shelters or outside—the largest number since the report was initiated in 2007. Our panelists will provide historical context for homelessness in the United States, as well as research findings on the effectiveness of various policy and practice approaches to decreasing homelessness and supporting unhoused families and individuals.