Homelessness and race: the impact of structural conditions on Black, White, and Latine homelessness

Abstract This paper extends research on the structural causes of homelessness in the U.S. by examining geographic variation in the prevalence of homelessness for Black, White, and Latine populations. First, I describe how the prevalence of homelessness varies across urban and suburban communities differently by race. I then examine how community-level conditions—including housing, labor, and social safety net factors—are associated with homelessness rates for each racial group. I use the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Point-in-Time count of sheltered and unsheltered homelessness (2016–2020) alongside estimates from the 2015–2019 American Community Survey and other publicly available data. Higher rental housing costs are positively associated with Black, White, and Latine homelessness rates, with the strongest relationship between rent and Black unsheltered homelessness. Income inequality was positively associated only with Black homelessness rates. Race-specific employment rates were associated with lower White and Latine homelessness, with no significant effects in models of Black homelessness. I discuss the findings in the context of racialized housing and labor markets and argue that race matters for understanding and addressing homelessness.