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Californians experiencing homelessness are aging, presenting unique challenges. A recent special report released by the UCSF Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative on older adult homelessness highlights their experiences during homelessness, and what impacted their return to permanent housing. Margot Kushel, MD, director of the Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative, said, "The older you are when you first become homeless, sort of the more stuck in homelessness you get."

SAN FRANCISCO – The University of California, San Francisco Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative (BHHI) today released a special report on who experiences homelessness in late life, what precipitated their homelessness, their experiences during homelessness, and what impacted their return to permanent housing. The analysis is based on survey data and in-depth interviews from the California Statewide Study of People Experiencing Homelessness (CASPEH), the largest representative study of homelessness in the United States since the mid-1990s.

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.

In this op-ed, Tom Murphy, the Senior Director of Communications for the National Alliance to End Homelessness, and Yolanda Stevens, program and policy analyst for the National Alliance to End Homelessness, call Congress to do more for older Americans facing homelessness. Older adults are the fastest-growing age demographic of people experiencing homelessness. They highlight the need to reconcile the stereotypes against older adults experiencing homelessness. "Leaders must also commit the resources to ensure that homeless systems can meet the needs of an aging population." they wrote. This op-ed was published as part of the Public Voices Fellowship in partnership with The OpEd Project and funding from the California Health Care Foundation.

The Centre for Homelessness Impact May 2024 Research Network Meeting features presentations from Margot Kushel, MD, director of the Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative, Beth Watts-Cobbe, PhD, a senior research fellow at the Institute for Social Policy, Housing, and Equalities Research at Heriot-Watt University, and Niamh Flannigan, Implementation Lead at the Centre for Homelessness Impact, highlighting landmark pieces on research and policy. Dr. Kushel presented on the California Statewide Study of People Experiencing Homelessness. Dr. Kushel said, "We need to build housing, create housing at every price point, but particularly for those with extremely low income."

In this op-ed, Claudine Sipili, one of the California Statewide Study of People Experiencing Homelessness Lived Expertise Advisory Board co-chairs, highlights the need for compassion and innovation to the growing homelessness crisis. She outlines the devastating impact of criminalizing homelessness and the need to focus on evidence-based solutions that prioritize the well-being and dignity of people experiencing homelessness. "Addressing the homelessness crisis requires a balanced and comprehensive approach that combines short-term relief with long-term solutions. While shelters and temporary assistance can help meet immediate needs, they must be coupled with efforts to expand affordable housing, decriminalize homelessness, and address the structural inequalities that perpetuate poverty." Ms. Sipili writes. This op-ed was published as part of the Public Voices Fellowship in partnership with The OpEd Project and funding from the California Health Care Foundation.

As of January 2024, Californian landlords accepting Section 8 vouchers or other housing subsidies may not use credit reports when screening tenant applications. This policy reform will greatly benefit people who have experienced intimate partner violence. The financial instability can cascade into all parts of survivors lives. Margot Kushel, MD, director of the Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative, said, “There are only so many places you can hide when you are vulnerable.”

Baby boomers own over 35% of all large homes in the US, and many of these older Americans are choosing to stay in their homes, exacerbating housing costs. This problem is even more apparent in California because their unique tax law incentivizes people to stay. On the other hand, younger boomers reaching retirement are increasingly facing homelessness. The University of California, San Francisco Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative California Statewide Study of People Experiencing Homelessness, found that over 40% of homeless older adults in California were homeless for the first time after the age of 50.

On this podcast episode of Factually! with Adam Conover, Margot Kushel, MD, director of the Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative, joins host Adam Conover to discuss the findings in the California Statewide Study of People Experiencing Homelessness and dispel myths related to homelessness. The number of people experiencing homelessness has reached a record high in the US. "You are not seeing the 12 people to a room because that's invisible to those who are lucky enough not to experience that."

In this op-ed, Meghan D. Morris, PhD, MPH, an associate professor at the University of California, San Francisco, explains that the proposed Homeless, Drug Addiction and Theft Reduction Act will not solve California's retail theft, but instead crowd Californian's prisons. She outlines how Proposition 47, which passed in 2014 to revise penalties for nonviolent lower-level drug offenses, reduced the state's prison population and reinvested funds in counties. Dr. Morris writes, "We risk losing another generation to the consequences of incarceration that we’ve finally begun to tackle." This op-ed was published as part of the Public Voices Fellowship in partnership with The OpEd Project and funding from the California Health Care Foundation.

Before medically advised (BMA) discharge, which refers to patients leaving the hospital at their own discretion, is associated with higher rates of readmission and death in other settings. There is limited information on whether housing status is associated with BMA after surgery. This study used multivariable logistic regression to evaluate the association between housing status and BMA discharge. Researchers found that BMA discharge is more common in patients experiencing homelessness after surgery.

In this op-ed, Maya Vijayaraghavan, MD, MAS, director of the UCSF Smoking Cessation Leadership Center, calls for contingency management to reduce tobacco and substance use. She emphasizes that the US is grappling with two interwoven crises of addiction, tobacco use, and opioid and stimulant-related overdoses. Contingency management is underutilized because of legal, logistical, and philosophical reasons. "Through integration, these technical assistance centers could increase opportunities to utilize such effective treatment in community settings." Dr. Vijayaraghavan writes. This op-ed was published as part of the Public Voices Fellowship in partnership with The OpEd Project and funding from the California Health Care Foundation.

Margot Kushel, MD, director of the UCSF Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative, joins Call to Mind host Kimberly Adams to talk about those who are more at risk of becoming homeless. People who are experiencing homelessness have higher untreated mental illnesses and substance use disorders than the general population. "The people in the 50s and 60s have all of the characteristics of the people we normally think of in their 70s or 80s. What we see is a lot of falls, a lot more worsening of people's cognitive abilities, of people's hearing." Dr. Kushel said.

In this op-ed, Claudine Sipili, one of the California Statewide Study of People Experiencing Homelessness Lived Expertise Advisory Board co-chairs, highlights the intensifying homelessness crisis impact on families in the US. She writes about her own experiences, emphasizing the need to put real-life stories and perspectives front and center. "As a nation, there is an ethical imperative to ensure every family has a safe, stable home. This is about restoring fundamental human rights that allow communities to thrive, not handouts or government overreach." Ms. Sipili writes. This op-ed was published as part of the Public Voices Fellowship in partnership with The OpEd Project and funding from the California Health Care Foundation.

In this op-ed, Leslie W. Suen, MD, MAS, an assistant professor of medicine in the UCSF Division of General Internal Medicine at San Francisco General Hospital, calls upon physicians to oppose medical discrimination against methadone patients. She highlights how methadone patients are routinely denied the care they need, exacerbating health disparities. "It’s far past time for every stakeholder to recognize their responsibilities and provide equal access to all patients, regardless of their medical condition or treatment." Dr. Suen writes. This op-ed was published as part of the Public Voices Fellowship in partnership with The OpEd Project and funding from the California Health Care Foundation.

Safe Ground Sacramento is a nonprofit that advocates for the decriminalization of homelessness and the establishment of Safe Ground communities. In March 2023, Safe Ground Sacramento signed a lease with the city of Sacramento. Under this agreement, the city cannot close Camp Resolution until every resident has been placed in "individual permanent durable housing." The agreement with the city is set to expire in June and the city has decided not to request an extension. This is the fourth installment of a 4 part series exploring solutions to homelessness in California.

San Diego's mayor created a department in 2021 to find solutions to the homelessness crisis. The number of people experiencing homelessness in San Diego increased 35% from 2022 to 2023. City officials are pushing to create a long-term mega shelter with 1,000 beds, including meals, showers, and other amenities. However, the shelter proposals do not address the root cause of homelessness. Housing costs. This is the third installment of a 4 part series exploring solutions to homelessness in California.

Bakersfield focused its efforts on a specific goal in 2015, to reach functional zero chronic homelessness, and by January 2020, it hit the mark. Access to quality data was essential to knowing every person experiencing homelessness, but also cooperation among agencies and strong engagement from the healthcare system was key to achieving this goal. Unfortunately, Bakersfield could not sustain functional zero homelessness. It was hard to secure affordable units. Margot Kushel, MD, professor of medicine and director of the Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative at UC San Francisco, said "The rates of homelessness and the ability for people to exit homelessness really has everything to do with the availability and affordability of housing for low-income folks." This is the second installment of a 4 part series exploring solutions to homelessness in California.