Research
Research plays a critical role in understanding and solving complex and vexing community problems like homelessness. At Destination: Home, research has always helped inform our approach to ending homelessness in our community.
OUR RESEARCH PROJECTS
Over the years, Destination Home has sponsored and collaborated on a number of research projects to help us better understand our crisis, develop new strategies and gauge the effectiveness of our efforts. In addition, we’ve leveraged the work of other experts in the field to inform and improve our local strategies for maximum impact.
Home Not Found: The Cost of Homelessness in Silicon Valley
In 2015, Destination: Home commissioned Economic Roundtable to conduct an unprecedented in-depth look at the cost of homelessness in Santa Clara County. This study represented the largest and most comprehensive body of information that has been assembled in the United States to analyze the public costs of homelessness – and pegged the cost of homelessness in Santa Clara County at $520 million per year.
Silicon Valley Triage Tool
Building on the findings of the Home Not Found report, we partnered with the County of Santa Clara to release the Silicon Valley Triage Tool in 2016. Utilizing 38 pieces of information to predict future public costs, the Silicon Valley Triage Tool unlocked key insight into how best to fairly prioritize scarce housing resources and helped pave the way for the Countywide coordinated assessment system in use today.
Race and Homelessness in Santa Clara County
In 2019, Destination: Home partnered with SPARC (Supporting Partnerships for Anti-Racist Communities) to examine how issues of race and homelessness intersect in our community. This report highlighted how Santa Clara County is characterized by many of the same racial and ethnic disparities seen in communities across the country, and that much work is needed to begin to reverse the underlying causes that disproportionately push people of color into homelessness.
RELATED RESEARCH
There is a growing body of research studying local initiatives that show housing-centered strategies like homelessness prevention and permanent supportive housing are proven to be effective at addressing homelessness.
Do homelessness prevention programs prevent homelessness? Evidence from a randomized control trial
Researchers at Notre Dame’s Wilson Sheehan Lab for Economic Opportunities (LEO) studied the impact of the Santa Clara County Homelessness Prevention System and identified more data to support what we’ve observed locally – immediate cash assistance prevents homelessness.
A Randomized Trial of Permanent Supportive Housing in Santa Clara County
A study conducted by the UCSF Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative revealed groundbreaking findings that permanent supportive housing is the most effective strategy to care for our most vulnerable homeless neighbors. Conducted in Santa Clara County in partnership with Abode Services, the study tested Project Welcome Home. Even among those with serious medical issues or disabilities, researchers found the overwhelming majority (86%) placed into permanent supportive housing remained safe and stable in their homes for years.
