California’s Homeless Crisis: Economic Policies Hammering Older Residents
A comprehensive study published by the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) shatters the standard narrative on homelessness. The report, the largest on the issue in California for the past 30 years, finds that almost half of the state’s homeless population are adults over 50 who lost their homes due to an inability to afford their bills.
The UCSF study, based on a survey of over 3,200 homeless individuals, revealed that 47% of homeless single adults in California are over 50, with Black and Native Americans disproportionately represented. California’s homeless population is approximately 171,000, accounting for roughly 30% of the nation’s total homeless population. The survey participants reported a median monthly income of $960 in the six months before finding themselves on the streets.
Dr. Margot Kushel, director of the Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative at UCSF, states, “The results of the study confirm that far too many Californians experience homelessness because they cannot afford housing.” This indicates that economic instability, rather than lifestyle choices or immigration from other states, is a primary cause of homelessness.
The precarious situation is further exacerbated by the state’s prohibitively high housing cost. Zillow calculates that apartment rent costs in California, with a median monthly rate of $2,542, are the highest in the US. This disparity between income and housing costs leaves many residents at the precipice of homelessness.
While efforts to combat homelessness are ongoing, some argue that the resources deployed are misguided. Rev. Andy Bales, CEO of Union Rescue Mission in Downtown LA, criticizes the report’s broad portrayal of homelessness. Bales contends, “Many of the folks we come across have a serious history of mental illness and drug misuse that you can’t just wipe clean by subsidizing affordable housing.” The recent surge in overdose deaths in LA and San Francisco, Bales insists, underscores the intricate link between drug misuse, mental health issues, and homelessness.
Nonetheless, the study’s findings emphasize the critical role of economic factors in homelessness. For instance, San Diego resident and housing activist Janis Wilds cites the alarming number of seniors with various medical conditions among the homeless population. Wilds points out, “Seniors are definitely the largest group of unhoused in San Diego County and most of them are physically disabled with nowhere to go.”
The report further punctures the conventional narrative that homelessness primarily affects people with long-term histories of housing instability. As Kushel notes, “41% of those older, single Californians had never been homeless — not one day in their lives — before the age of 50.” This finding underscores financial difficulties and sudden life changes can plunge even previously stable individuals into homelessness.
As we navigate this issue, we must balance compassion and practicality, challenging our preconceptions and building effective solutions based on a clear-eyed analysis of the facts. This latest report serves as a much-needed reminder of the complexities surrounding homelessness and the need for a comprehensive, tailored approach to tackling it.
