The Los Angeles County Women's Needs Assessment: Findings from a Mixed-Methods, Community-Engaged Study

Background: In 2022, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors declared unaccompanied women a distinct subgroup of interest who have unique experiences and require specific policies and solutions to house them. Women enduring unaccompanied homelessness experience high rates of domestic and intimate partner violence (DV/IPV), and those who are unsheltered are more likely to experience violence than men. In partnership with a local homeless services provider, we conducted a mixed-methods, community-engaged needs assessment to learn about the experiences, needs, and preferences among women and nonbinary people experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles County.

Methods: Using a sequential exploratory design, listening sessions with 97 women experiencing homelessness were conducted across all eight service planning areas in LA County to inform survey planning and development. Then, a 78-question survey was fielded to women and nonbinary individuals experiencing homelessness across the county (N=586). Responses were weighted to align with 2022 countywide point-in-time count results to be representative of the current rate of women experiencing unsheltered and chronic homelessness.

Aligning with a community-engaged approach, a steering committee and advisory committee comprised of women with lived experiences of homelessness, providers, and homeless services authority staff provided input and feedback during each phase of the project. Committee members provided feedback on listening sessions and survey question domains and phrasing, identified additional areas of analytic inquiry, and contextualized findings within their lived personal and professional experiences. Virtual data walks – where key data and findings are presented to community members - were also conducted with people with lived experiences of homelessness, researchers, providers, and policymakers to further interpret and contextualize survey findings and inform recommendations.

Two-thirds of participants identified as Hispanic/Latino (34%) or Black or African American (32%). Most respondents identified as women (95%), 4% identified as a gender other than exclusively female or male, and 8% identified as transgender. About 20% of respondents identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or queer.

Findings: We found that respondents experienced long periods of homelessness, experienced complex trauma both before and during periods of homelessness, and that systems and programs had limitations to meeting respondent needs and preferences. Over 50% of respondents had experienced lifetime homelessness longer than three years and 57% had experienced more than one episode of homelessness. Nearly half (48%) of respondents had experienced DV/IVP in their lifetime, and within that group over 40% identified experiencing DV/IPV as a cause of homelessness. Over 40% of respondents expressed that they would prefer to access services in women-only settings. Participants faced significant barriers in accessing and using shelters including concerns around safety (54%) and privacy (45%). Affordability (63%) and long waitlists for subsidized housing (56%) were identified as the most frequent barriers in accessing permanent housing.

Implications: Collaborating with communities – including people with lived experiences of homelessness – throughout the project allowed findings to be centered in community needs and preferences. As new solutions for reducing and ending homelessness are identified, policymakers and providers should aim to center women’s unique needs and preferences in developing transitional and permanent housing solutions.