Independent academic research on social policy and poverty has
never been more critical. In the first months of 2017, the
Center for Poverty Research will highlight important new research
on the safety net, homelessness, and children’s poverty.
Don’t miss our upcoming conference and dialogue with the policy
community on children in poverty, February 28th, 2017,
details below.
The Great Recession led to unemployment rates unseen since the
deep recessions of the early 1980s. At the same time, significant
changes in the safety net both before and during the downturn
have changed the way we support children in vulnerable
households. In a new
study,[1] we examine how and to what extent the current
safety net provides protection to at-risk children during
economic downturns. We find that increases in unemployment affect
children in the poorest households most. We also find that while
the safety net is strongest at stabilizing household incomes for
these children, children in immigrant households get no
protection.
Each year, over 1.5 million Americans rely on homeless programs
for overnight shelter.[2] These programs provide beds and
services, and they act as a last resort for many of the most
impoverished individuals and families in the U.S. In a new study,
I found that a higher level of federal funding successfully
shelters those who would otherwise be unsheltered, with little
evidence that it increases the total of individuals in the
homeless population. However, homeless families move to
communities with more generous programs, so non-residents also
benefit from local funding. This fact may affect local government
incentives to fund programs and services.
