Critical Perspectives on Unaccompanied Adults Experiencing Homelessness: Gender and Racial Differences in a U.S. Community Sample

Prevalence of unaccompanied homelessness among women in the United States (US) is increasing, and racial disparities in rates of homelessness persist. Yet homelessness assistance and housing models for unaccompanied homelessness remain predicated on historic White Male experiences. In order to test whether gender and race differences exist within unaccompanied homelessness, this study compared age, disability status, veteran status, time in system, reasons for entering homelessness (RH), prior living situations (PLS), and exit destinations (ED) among Black Women, White Women, Black Men, and White Men, all experiencing unaccompanied homelessness.

Methods

The study utilized cross-sectional data (N = 3,600) from one southeastern U.S. Continuum of Care (CoC). Data were collected from clients seeking services through the CoC’s coordinated entry system in 2021 and were stored in the CoC’s homeless management information system. Data were based on client self-report, except for time in system and exit destination. After testing for bivariate mean differences and measures of association, logistic regression models were used to estimate logits and changes in odds between White Men (comparison group) and Black Women, White Women, and Black Men for disability, veteran status, RH, PLS, and ED, controlling for age and time in system.

Results

Overall, Black Women were the youngest (M = 41.95, SD = 15.939), particularly compared to White Men (M=50.16, SD=14.292, [95% CI (-10.49, -5.94)]. White Women were in the system for the shortest amount of time (M = 1,503 days, SD=1816, [95% CI (1402-1604)]), 548 days less than Black Women [95% CI (-874.60 – -222.48], and 237 days less than White Men [95% CI (-431.27 – -42.05]. Controlling for age and time in system, the odds of reporting a disability decreased by 48.9% for Black Women compared to White Men (95% CI [.402, .650]). Black Women (95% CI[.011, .052]) and White Women (95% CI [.024, .086]) were nearly 100% less likely than White Men to indicate that their RH was due to institutional discharge/ behavioral health versus fleeing domestic violence (DV), and nearly 3000% more likely to cite DV versus un/der employment (Black Women: 95% CI [14.378, 69.186]; White Women: 95% CI [14.634, 55.341]). They were also more likely to report RH due to lack of affordable housing or evictions compared to institutional discharge/behavioral health or un/der employment compared to White Men. Controlling for age and time in the system, Black Women’s odds of exiting to homelessness rather than permanent housing dropped by 53% (95% CI [.281, .779]) compared to White Men, and White Women’s dropped by 31% (95% CI [.483, .994]).

Conclusions

Housing policies designed to prioritize those most vulnerable on the street should weigh domestic violence and housing history more heavily. Similarly, there needs to be continued support for the incorporation of anti-racist training and housing models within homelessness. Additionally, the Department of Housing and Urban Development should invest in demonstrations of trauma-informed, non-congregate, gender-aligned shelter and housing models. Finally, feminist-oriented housing and economic reform, such as living wage laws and expanded housing subsidies for single-parent households, are needed to prevent homelessness among women.