Homelessness as a Housing Supply Problem

Click here to view Marcy Thompson’s slide deck

For decades, homelessness has been a challenging policy issue across all levels of government—as well as a contentious political one. While some scholars and researchers emphasize the structural determinants of homelessness and its relation to housing markets, others frame the issue primarily in terms of safety and individual risk factors such as drug use and mental health.

As states and local communities develop new policies to address homelessness, it is imperative that key decision makers understand the interplay between homelessness and affordable housing supply. In this event, panelists will discuss the root causes of homelessness, share insights from recent policy interventions, and identify common-sense solutions that can help inform federal action.

Speakers:

Presentation by Marcy Thompson
Director of Policy Initiatives, United States Interagency Council on Homelessness – “All In: the Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness”

Panel Discussion:

Peggy Bailey
VP for Income and Housing Security, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

Gregg Colburn
Assistant Professor of Real Estate, University of Washington’s College of Built Environments

Michael Tanner
Senior Fellow, Cato Institute

Moderator:

Francis Torres
Senior Policy Analyst, BPC

Read BPC’s report on Housing Supply and the Drivers of Homelessness.