Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management

This paper presents a system dynamics (SD) model to simulate the affect incorporating a homeless prevention strategy as part of a Housing-First policy has on a homeless population. We use information from Los Angeles County’s various initiatives and Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority to reduce the county’s homeless population and include the published results from Los Angeles County’s annual Homeless Initiative outcome reports for our several ratios. We consider the affect various policies could have on the homeless population. In particular, we consider how rapid re-housing and a prevention program can be used to create a comprehensive initiative to combat homelessness. We consider a municipality the Los Angeles County Homelessness that can choose to integrate prevention program and Housing-First strategy into one policy. We find that the use of Housing-First is associated with a prevention in homelessness and that preventative services and auxiliary supports should also be considered to better reflect the homeless situation.