California Statewide Study of People Experiencing Homelessness
The California Statewide Study of People Experiencing Homelessness (CASPEH), conducted by The University of California, San Francisco Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative (BHHI), is the largest representative study of homelessness in the United States since the mid-1990s. The study provides a comprehensive look at the causes and consequences of homelessness in California and recommends policy changes to shape programs in response. #CAHomelessnessStudy
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Designed to be representative of all adults 18 years and older experiencing homelessness in California, CASPEH includes nearly 3,200 administered questionnaires and 365 in-depth interviews with adults experiencing homelessness in eight regions of the state, representing urban, rural, and suburban areas. Interviews were conducted in English and Spanish, with interpreters for other languages. In partnership with a wide array of community stakeholders, the UCSF BHHI team collected data between October 2021 and November 2022. CASPEH was funded by UCSF BHHI, the California Health Care Foundation, and Blue Shield of California Foundation.
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Special Reports
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Reports
Behavioral Health and Homelessness
March 19, 2025
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Behavioral health challenges both contribute to and are exacerbated by homelessness. To better understand behavioral health and homelessness, we examined data from the California Statewide Study of People Experiencing Homelessness. Our latest report examines the relationship between homelessness, substance use, and mental health, providing critical insights for policymakers, program leaders, Continuum of Care leaders, and healthcare systems.
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Topic Brief
Unsheltered Homelessness
September 12, 2024
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This topic brief examines who experiences unsheltered homelessness, how they lost their housing, their experiences during homelessness, and barriers to regaining housing. The findings highlight the urgent need for the homelessness system to advance evidence-based strategies to meet the needs of unsheltered people.
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Topic Brief
Pregnancy and Homelessness
July 25, 2024
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This topic brief examines who experiences pregnancy during homelessness, how they lost their housing, their experiences during homelessness, and barriers to regaining housing. The findings highlight the urgent need for the homelessness system to advance evidence-based strategies to meet the needs of pregnant people.
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Reports
Toward Dignity: Understanding Older Adult Homelessness
May 23, 2024
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To better understand the experiences of older adults experiencing homelessness, the UCSF Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative examined findings from the California Statewide Study of People Experiencing Homelessness (CASPEH), the largest representative study of homelessness since the mid-1990s. This report reviews who experiences homelessness in late life, how they lost their housing, their experiences during homelessness, and the barriers they face to regaining housing. These findings highlight the urgent need for evidence-based solutions and policy interventions to address the unique challenges faced by older adults experiencing homelessness.
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Reports
Toward Equity: Understanding Black Californians’ Experiences of Homelessness
February 21, 2024
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Reports
Toward Equity: Understanding Black Californians’ Experiences of Homelessness
February 21, 2024
To better understand the experiences of Black Californians experiencing homelessness, the UCSF Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative examined the experience of Black Californians within the California Statewide Study of People Experiencing Homelessness (CASPEH), the largest representative study of homelessness since the mid-1990s. This report reviews who experiences homelessness in the Black community, what may have precipitated their homelessness, experiences during their episode of homelessness, and what impacts their return to permanent housing. These findings aim to inform evidence-based solutions for preventing and ending homelessness for Black Californians.
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Reports
Toward Safety: Understanding Intimate Partner Violence and Homelessness
January 16, 2024
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To better understand the experiences of survivors of intimate partner violence currently experiencing homelessness, this report analyzed data related to IPV in the California Statewide Study of People Experiencing Homelessness (CASPEH)—the largest representative study of homelessness since the mid-1990s. The mixed-methods study included data about participants’ experiences of violence across the life course, in the six months prior to homelessness, and during their current episode of homelessness. The report presents these findings to advance evidence-based solutions for preventing and responding to homelessness among survivors of IPV.
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Our Research
Our Research
Illicit Substance Use and Treatment Access Among Adults Experiencing Homelessness
February 19, 2025
Our Research
Experience of Violence During Homelessness
October 14, 2024
This research letter discusses the experience of violence during homelessness, its impact on health, and recommendations for intervention. In the California Statewide Study of People Experiencing Homelessness, 38% of participants experienced violence during their current homelessness episode, and 74% of participants reported experiencing violence at some point in their lives. These results highlight the need to address violence against people experiencing homelessness through safer housing options, trauma-informed care, and long-term violence prevention strategies.
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Our Research
Novel Methods to Construct a Representative Sample for Surveying California’s Unhoused Population: The California Statewide Study of People Experiencing Homelessness
September 11, 2024
Existing literature on people experiencing homelessness (PEH) draws on non-representative samples from service providers, populations with comorbidities, or areas with disproportionately high sheltered homelessness, leading to bias. Nearly a third of PEH in the US and over half of unsheltered PEH live in California. Researchers from the UCSF Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative designed a rigorous state-representative survey of PEH to investigate the antecedents of homelessness, understand health, and inform policy solutions. This is the first large representative study of PEH, beyond a single county, to draw inference on a large population that did not depend on service utilization.
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Our Research
The Impact of Intimate Partner Violence on Homelessness and Returns to Housing: A Qualitative Analysis From the California Statewide Study of People Experiencing Homelessness
July 15, 2024
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a risk factor for people experiencing homelessness. Few studies have examined the interplay between IPV, homelessness, and housing. Researchers purposefully sampled 104 adults who reported experiencing IPV in the California Statewide Study of People Experiencing Homelessness (CASPEH), a representative, mixed-methods study. They identified six primary themes regarding IPV and homelessness.
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Related Content
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Videos
Webinar: Behavioral Health & Homelessness: Findings from CASPEH
March 20, 2025
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Homelessness and behavioral health issues (mental health and substance use) are intertwined. The UCSF Benioff Homelessness & Housing Initiative held a webinar about this complex bidirectional relationship, along with solutions to this crisis. Margot Kushel, MD, Claudine Sipili, Darrell Steinberg, JD, and Stephanie Welch, MSW, discussed findings from the California Statewide Study of People Experiencing Homelessness (CASPEH), highlighted key policy recommendations, and answered audience questions. Marc Dones moderated the webinar.
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Reports
Behavioral Health and Homelessness
March 19, 2025
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Behavioral health challenges both contribute to and are exacerbated by homelessness. To better understand behavioral health and homelessness, we examined data from the California Statewide Study of People Experiencing Homelessness. Our latest report examines the relationship between homelessness, substance use, and mental health, providing critical insights for policymakers, program leaders, Continuum of Care leaders, and healthcare systems.
Read the Full Article
Press Release
New UCSF BHHI Report Examines the Relationship Between Homelessness and Drug Use
March 19, 2025
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News
Study Finds Just 37% of California Homeless People Are Regular Drug Users
March 10, 2025
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A new UCSF BHHI study challenges common perceptions about homelessness and drug use in California, revealing that only 37% of surveyed unhoused Californians use drugs regularly, while 25% have never used them at all. Methamphetamine, not opioids, is the most commonly used drug, often as a means to stay alert while living on the streets. The study also highlights the complex relationship between addiction and homelessness—while drug use can increase the risk of losing housing, “Homelessness itself increases drug use because people use it as a coping strategy,” said Margot Kushel, MD. With homelessness on the rise and only 7% of respondents in treatment, experts stress that expanding affordable housing and accessible treatment options is crucial to addressing both crises.
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