Westin Hotel, 1900 5th Ave. and on Zoom

Aug 18, 2021 12:30 PM

Gregg Colburn, Co-chair UW Homelessness Initiative

A Different Take on Homelessness: Supply and Demand

Gregg Colburn, co-chair, UW Homelessness Initiative: "Homelessness is a Housing Problem:" Gregg and his colleague explore the statistics behind the major factors which contribute to long-term homelessness. Substantial variations in rates of homelessness apparent in cities across the United States assumed to be mental illness, drug use, poverty, weather, generosity of public assistance, and low-income mobility do not explain why rates are so much higher in Seattle than in Chicago. Conditions, such as the cost and availability of rental housing offer a more convincing explanation. Hear from an expert how homelessness may be an inner-city "infrastructure problem".

Contrary to expectations, rates of homelessness tend to be lower where poverty rates are higher. How is homelessness tied to the way in which housing supplies respond to increases in demand?

Gregg Colburn is an assistant professor of real estate at the UW College of the Built Environments.