The Link Between Employment and Housing

An article in the Urban Institute’s Urban Wire by Maureen Sarver explains why it’s often difficult for people experiencing homelessness to maintain employment that pays enough to cover the cost of housing.

According to Sarver, “A recent study found that 53 percent of adults sleeping in homeless shelters and 40 percent of people sleeping on the street or other places not intended for sleeping were employed during the same year they had experienced homelessness. Even when people are employed, their incomes still aren’t high enough to afford housing in short supply.”

The article points to systemic barriers that prevent people from getting and keeping employment, providing suggestions for how “homelessness response and workforce development systems should work together to target resources to help people find a stable job and stable housing.”

For many unhoused people, basic requirements for employment such as an ID, professional clothing, or mobility can be hard to come by, so programs that address these gaps can help people secure employment and housing. “Employment is not a magic bullet for solving homelessness, but homelessness is still a solvable problem that requires sustained commitment from local communities and the federal government. By making efforts that combine housing and employment supports, policymakers at all levels can better address their communities’ needs.”