A study of three Los Angeles neighborhoods revealed that ‘cleanups’ of encampments don’t result in fewer people on the streets.
A new study from the Rand Corporation highlights the futility of ‘cleanups’ at homeless encampments, revealing that the sweeps have no impact on the number of unhoused people on the streets.
As Doug Smith explains in Governing, the study sent teams of researchers to three locations in Los Angeles where the city conducted cleanups. Within two months, the number of people living in those areas had returned to previous levels. “One unintended consequence of multiple camp removals in Venice was that the number of people living without any shelter, not even tents, doubled to nearly half the street population.”
Other in-depth studies of the homeless population reveal that many residents face physical and mental health and addiction issues, underscoring a need for targeted outreach. “Overall, 45 percent of the people interviewed in the three neighborhoods said they had chronic physical health conditions and 56 percent said they had chronic mental health conditions.”
FULL STORY: Homeless Camp Cleanups Aren’t a Permanent Solution
Indianapolis Falls Short of 2018 Goal to End Long-Term Homelessness
The city’s progress in building supportive housing units has not kept up with the rising numbers of residents experiencing homelessness.
San Francisco Scrambles to Build Shelters Faster
Mayor Breed directed city officials to double its shelter expansion goal.
Grants Pass Homelessness Ruling Brings Issues Into Sharp Focus
Advocates for unhoused people are rallying to protect homeless populations as new legislation criminalizing homelessness rolls out around the country.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research