Homelessness Policy Research Institute

Please join us on 9/24 from 9-11 am for our next virtual HPRI Research Symposium on LA County Women’s Needs Assessment: https://lnkd.in/gcmA5-j8 In 2020, both the City and County of Los Angeles County identified “unaccompanied” women experiencing homelessness as a unique subpopulation among people experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles, and the County of Los Angeles commissioned a countywide women’s needs assessment. In fall 2022, nearly 600 women experiencing homelessness as individuals completed surveys intended to capture information about their experiences of homelessness, barriers to housing and shelter, and what they are looking for in housing and the homelessness response system. The 2022 Los Angeles County Women’s Needs Assessment follows seven additional reports supported by Downtown Women’s Center tracking the needs of women experiencing homelessness for the last twenty years. Please join the research experts, local leaders, and advocates of women experiencing homelessness as individuals for a conversation about the Los Angeles County Women’s Needs Assessment findings and its programmatic and policy implications. Register here: https://lnkd.in/gcmA5-j8 More info: https://lnkd.in/gzCemTAy

Please join us on 9/24 from 9-11 am for our next virtual HPRI Research Symposium on LA County Women’s Needs Assessment: https://lnkd.in/gcmA5-j8 In 2020, both the City and County of Los Angeles County identified “unaccompanied” women experiencing homelessness as a unique subpopulation among people experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles, and the County of Los Angeles commissioned a countywide women’s needs assessment. In fall 2022, nearly 600 women experiencing homelessness as individuals completed surveys intended to capture information about their experiences of homelessness, barriers to housing and shelter, and what they are looking for in housing and the homelessness response system. The 2022 Los Angeles County Women’s Needs Assessment follows seven additional reports supported by Downtown Women’s Center tracking the needs of women experiencing homelessness for the last twenty years. Please join the research experts, local leaders, and advocates of women experiencing homelessness as individuals for a conversation about the Los Angeles County Women’s Needs Assessment findings and its programmatic and policy implications. Register here: https://lnkd.in/gcmA5-j8 More info: https://lnkd.in/gzCemTAy

We are pleased to announce Seth Pickens, EdD, MDiv as the Homelessness Policy Research Institute (HPRI)'s new managing director. HPRI, a collaborative of over one hundred researchers, policymakers, service providers and experts with lived experience of homelessness, is a joint venture of the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work and USC Sol Price School of Public Policy, located at USC City Center in downtown Los Angeles. Pickens will work closely with Ben Henwood, director of HPRI, advancing a strategic vision for accelerating equitable and culturally-informed solutions to homelessness in Los Angeles County by fostering transformational partnerships between research, policy and practice. A member of HPRI since 2020, Pickens served as co-chair of its Race Equity Committee in 2022 and 2023. In spring 2024, he led an HPRI research seminar on employment as a basic solution to housing security among adults at high risk of persistent homelessness. In his new role as managing director, Pickens will continue to focus on expanding learning opportunities and building relationships that foster innovations among policymakers, service providers, philanthropies, and people experiencing acute housing insecurity. Pickens brings extensive experience in homelessness and housing to HPRI, most recently as director of the Realization Project for the Economic Roundtable, a three-year research pilot that demonstrated the impact of employment-based solutions on housing insecurity. Additionally, he led the team of researchers who authored the 2024 report, The Work Behind Work: Combatting Homelessness with Jobs. An expert in mental health and inclusion, Pickens has conducted research and trainings for multiple colleges, universities, nonprofits, research organizations, and the Fortune 100. He also provides professional individual and group counseling services. His formidable background includes service as an elementary school teacher, a sales executive, and Peace Corps Volunteer in the Republic of Haiti. In 2009, Pickens was ordained as a pastor, subsequently leading Zion Hill Baptist Church in Los Angeles for ten years. He continues to serve as spiritual director and senior minister for the Guidance Church of Religious Science in South L.A. Pickens holds a bachelor of arts in psychology from Morehouse College, a master of divinity from Union Theological Seminary in New York City, and a doctor of education from the USC Rossier School of Education. Check out our news here: https://lnkd.in/gWmqynM8

We would like to share two job opportunities from the Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count Demographic Survey, administered by the of Suzanne Dworak-Peck School. This team is seeking to fill full and part time positions for the 2025 VetConnect Pilot, which is a collaboration between USC, the Los Angeles County (LAC) Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Department of Mental Health’s Veteran Peer Access Network (VPAN).    VetConnect seeks to directly link unhoused Veterans across LA County to VA and partner agency services, including health care and housing. The team is looking to create a diverse and dedicated team of individuals that has expertise and interest in combating Veteran homelessness in LA County.   More info here: https://lnkd.in/gQ53j7az

We are excited to share that our partners at RAND have released the video recording of their recent webinar on the findings from the ongoing LEADS project. Don't miss this insightful presentation on addressing housing instability and homelessness: https://lnkd.in/gecCSsBr

We are happy to share these important findings from one of our Research Agenda funded projects:

🌟 HPRI is Hiring New Managing Director 🌟  The Homelessness Policy Research Institute (HPRI), which is located at the Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work and is a joint institute with the Sol Price School of Public Policy, is seeking a Managing Director to advance the Institute’s strategic vision to accelerate equitable and culturally informed solutions to homelessness in Los Angeles County by advancing knowledge and fostering transformational partnerships between research, policy and practice. The Managing Director will work closely with the Director to advance this vision and will perform all day to day activities and responsibilities including those listed below. The ideal candidate will have either research or practice based experience in homelessness systems as well deep expertise and experience with diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. This position is for a full-time, grant-funded position. For more info and apply: https://lnkd.in/g-rG7WZA

We are excited to share that our partner, Abt Global, is seeking a California Housing Research Associate or Senior Analyst to support their Housing, Communities, and Asset Building work. The role focuses on qualitative and mixed methods research, primarily on the West Coast, with an emphasis on California-based projects. Apply Here: https://lnkd.in/gFPefWds

We are happy to share the California Street Medicine Symposium on August 8-9 at USC's University Park Campus. Join Keck School of Medicine's Street Medicine program to hear from diverse experts in street medicine. The Keck School is finalizing an additional panel on advocacy and policy. Online registration available until August 8. Early bird registration ends July 15, but it's free for those with lived experience of homelessness. Register and check more info: https://lnkd.in/gQNjfTQV

HPRI is excited to welcome Benjamin Henwood Henwood as our new director! Please read our full announcement linked on this post for more details.