Comparing the residential origins of homeless families and homeless individuals in Miami-Dade County, Florida

Abstract

This study identifies and compares the residential origins of homeless families and homeless individuals. The study also analyses the spatial distribution of residential origins of homeless families and homeless individuals with the factors associated with the risk of homelessness. Data were obtained through the 2005 homelessness survey in Miami-Dade County, Florida. The analyses reveal the statistically significant differences in the spatial distribution of the residential origins of homeless families and homeless individuals. The results clearly suggest that homeless individuals are more highly concentrated in neighbourhoods of high poverty than homeless families. The study suggests the possibility that drift effects drive more homeless individuals but fewer homeless families to move to deprived inner-city areas. The study also suggests that the spatial analysis of prior addresses of homeless families and individuals in this study can provide some ideas for other major cities or regions to better formulate homelessness prevention and outreach programmes.