Graduation Year

2021

Date of Submission

5-2021

Document Type

Campus Only Senior Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

Economics

Reader 1

Professor Ascher

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Terms of Use for work posted in Scholarship@Claremont.

Abstract

This work analyzes the different mechanisms leading to homelessness in Los Angeles County and suggests policy suggestions to alleviate this issue. One of the main channels through which Los Angeles County has become vulnerable to high rates of homelessness is through a severe and sustained housing shortage. The shortage is caused by a complex network of inefficient policies, difficult working environment for developers, and lasting implications of the Great Recession. The shortage causes residents to experience severe rent burden, which impacts their long-term financial stability and viability to move out of the rental market, causing a blockage in the transition to ownership that would free up housing for vulnerable people. Poor information, bureaucratic inefficiency, overly restrictive regulations, and local resistance deter developers from providing adequate housing stock. Recommendations include better community education, coordination between agencies, and stricter enforcement of municipal compliance. Creating avenues for more mixed income, mixed use, and modular development is central to expanding the housing stock. Expanding access to supportive services, temporary housing and facilitating permanent development of affordable and subsidized housing is necessary to specifically target and benefit the homeless community.

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