UCSF Benioff Homelessness & Housing Initiative

Compared with veterans who remained homeless, those who gained housing were: 2.3x as likely to undergo colorectal cancer screeening and 2.4x as likely to undergo breast cancer screening.

Colorectal Cancer Screening saves lives—and stable housing can make preventive care easier to reach.

A recent study shows homeless #veterans who gained housing were more likely to complete overdue colorectal cancer screening than those who remained unhoused.

https://ow.ly/39hI50YmCCK

People Experiencing Homelessness cannot access the healthcare they need.

This Heart Health Month, we’re highlighting the challenges of staying well when routine care is hard to access.

~1 in 4 people experiencing homelessness had an unmet healthcare need in the past 6 months, and ~1 in 4 couldn’t get needed medications.

Learn more: https://ow.ly/Qyra50Yj8Rw

Unsheltered Homelessness | Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative This topic brief examines who experiences unsheltered homelessness, how they lost their housing, their experiences during homelessness, and barriers to regaining housing. The findings highlight the urgent need for the homelessness system to advance evidence-based strategies to meet the needs of unsheltered people.

Quick fixes are tempting—but they don’t solve homelessness.

✅ What does: outreach + shelter people can use + accessible services + permanent housing.

❌ Arbitrary countdowns to displacement don’t help.

Learn how to make lasting progress: https://homelessness.ucsf.edu/unsheltered

Happening now!

Are CA’s homelessness investments making an impact?

Tune in as BHHI Director Margot Kushel MD shares key data with CA Assembly Subcommittee 7 next week.

Evidence shows what is and isn't working—guiding us to lasting progress.

🗓 2/18 | 9AM
🔗 abgt.assembly.ca.gov/hearings
#HHAP #Homelessness

Evaluation of the Home Safe Program 2022-2025 | Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative The Home Safe program is a statewide effort to prevent and end homelessness among older adults and adults with disabilities served through Adult Protective Services (APS). Administered by the California Department of Social Services and implemented by county APS agencies, Home Safe provides flexible, short-term assistance to stabilize housing and respond to housing crises

We recently released a new evaluation of California’s Home Safe program—a statewide program based in counties’ Adult Protective Services that aims to prevent and end homelessness among older and dependent adults.

See what we learned: https://homelessness.ucsf.edu/HomeSafeEval

People experiencing homelessness face distinct #MaternalHealth risks, including disrupted healthcare access, exposure to violence, and higher risks for maternal and infant complications.

✅ Key recs: flexible housing subsidies, rapid rehousing, reproductive health support.
https://ow.ly/Kscy50XYjjI

1/2 of the homeless population needs basic supports like housing navigation, economic opportunities, and access to mainstream health and social services. 1/2 need behavioral health supports including assertive community treatment, intensive case management, etc. Everyone needs housing they can afford and connection to services like health, employment, and outreach programs.

People experiencing homelessness have different needs. Some need short-term support; others need ongoing physical or behavioral health services.

✅ Matching people to the right level of support can protect health and reduce the need for more intensive services later.

Learn more: buff.ly/NMHWh1Z

More housing options people can access moves people through shelter faster, allowing shelters to help more people with the same number of beds.

Across CA, thousands are waiting for shelter beds.

The bottleneck isn't just # of beds—limited housing means longer stays & returns to the street.

✅ Balancing prevention, shelter & housing capacity helps people exit homelessness faster & uses resources more effectively.

Learn how: buff.ly/Km16G4R

Housing + Services Solves Homelessness.

Housing + services is the best way to help people with complex needs stay housed.

Here's what it takes to work:
➡️ Sustained funding
➡️ High-quality implementation
➡️ Voluntary services that match people’s needs

Learn how PSH helped 86% of participants stay housed in Santa Clara, CA: buff.ly/VV18Oji

For many Americans, losing a job means losing their housing.

For many Americans, losing a job means losing their housing.

With high #unemployment and the continued rise of unstable #gigwork, we must implement strategies to help people remain housed.

Get the stats: buff.ly/tMjJWeF

Housing Vouchers help older adults stay housed.

While 80% of homeless #olderadults in our recent study returned to housing at least once (usually with family or friends), half returned to #homelessness.

What kept people housed?
👉 Housing vouchers.

We can end homelessness by continuing to fund proven solutions.

Read the study: buff.ly/VbhyPV1

And as @mkushel.bsky.social of @ucsfbhhi.bsky.social said: What if we help people BEFORE they lose housing keep it & access any services if they need them? This requires providing enough help for everyone so that we don’t have to triage limited resources to those in the most dire situation.

An older adult sits on a chair alone.

ICYMI: Older adults who have experienced homelessness feel deeply alone, even after returning to housing.

Nearly 40% report #loneliness—far higher than those who were able to remain in housing.

It's not just a feeling—it can harm people's health.

Learn what supports could help: buff.ly/Dr4VxKa

Webinar: Understanding Health & Homelessness | Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative People experiencing homelessness in California face high rates of chronic illness and disability, and numerous barriers to care. These health challenges make it harder for people to obtain and retain…

The recording of our latest webinar is now available.
➡️ How are poor health and homelessness connected?
➡️ How are CA systems responding to federal changes?
➡️ What do older adults need?
➡️ How can systems partner with communities?

...Watch the recording to find out!

“When you’re disabled...when you’re homeless, those two things don’t combine. That’s bad and bad. And it just makes your ability get housing that much harder.” - CASPEH Participant

34% of homeless adults in our #CASPEH study had difficulty with daily activities (dressing, eating, etc.). 22% had difficulty walking across a room. #Disabilities make homelessness far more difficult to navigate.

Learn how our systems can work together to find solutions:
buff.ly/JUydGsn

Webinar: Understanding Health & Homelessness | Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative People experiencing homelessness in California face high rates of chronic illness and disability, and numerous barriers to care. These health challenges make it harder for people to obtain and retain…

Happening Thursday!

Join leaders from California’s homelessness, social services, and health systems to discuss how chronic illness, disability, and barriers to care impact people experiencing homelessness—and how coordinated responses can help.

📅 Dec 4 | 🕛 12 PM PT
🔗 buff.ly/OxB1YHt

Webinar: Understanding Health & Homelessness | Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative People experiencing homelessness in California face high rates of chronic illness and disability, and numerous barriers to care. These health challenges make it harder for people to obtain and retain…

Happening next week!

Health and homelessness are inseparable. Join BHHI and experts from across health, homelessness, and social services to discuss health findings from the largest U.S. study of homelessness in 30 years—and coordinated solutions.

📅 Dec 4 | 🕛 12 PM PT
💻 buff.ly/GTuI9Br

Poor health increases people's risk of homelessness and homelessness worsens people's health.

ICYMI: Last week we released a report on health and homelessness.

Using data from the largest U.S. representative study since the 1990s, it offers a detailed look at the connection between health and homelessness and provides research-backed recommendations.

📘 Read the Report → buff.ly/XbhSIxw

Homeless Camp Sweeps Can Harm Health. Some Cities Are Trying a New Way. Several cities and counties are addressing street homelessness with a new approach, which experts say can clear encampments while protecting the health of people who are forced to move.

“If you run it the right way and attach people to the appropriate supports and services, you can get people on a path to stability and community reintegration, and that’s what we want.”

Marc Dones lays out the steps to effective encampment resolution w/ @ryan-levi.bsky.social.

Factors Associated With Exits From and Returns to Homelessness Among Older Homeless Adults: Results From the HOPE HOME Study Homelessness is dynamic; some individuals cycle between homelessness and housing. In a longitudinal study of 411 adults aged 50 and older who were homeless at study enrollment, we examined the prev...

📢 New paper alert:

We examined long-term housing results among a cohort of older homeless adults.

Full article: Factors Associated With Exits From and Returns to Homelessness Among Older Homeless Adults: Results From the HOPE HOME Study www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
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KCBS Radio On Demand

Most people experiencing homelessness don’t regularly use drugs. Among those who do, 1 in 5 ppl seeking treatment couldn’t get it.

BHHI Director Dr. Margot Kushel @mkushel.bsky.social discusses #behavioralhealth & #homelessness on KCBS:

🎧 Interview: buff.ly/vy5mBch
▶️ BHHI Webinar: buff.ly/VpEO9pz

People experiencing homelessness cannot access the healthcare they need.

Ending the cycle between poor health and homelessness requires addressing both as part of the same crisis.

Solutions include: integrated #healthcare + housing, #streetmedicine, recuperative care, accessible housing.

Read the report → buff.ly/XbhSIxw
Join the webinar → buff.ly/vq1NGyT
🧵 6/6

Just 4 in 10 people experiencing homelessness in CA have a primary care provider.

Despite high rates of insurance, only half of Californians experiencing homelessness have a regular place to receive care, and few have a primary care provider.

Many visit emergency departments, which are easier to access but don't provide ongoing care.

Read → buff.ly/XbhSIxw
#publichealth
🧵 5/6

34% of homeless Californians have difficulty with daily living tasks such as dressing or eating.

Over one-third of Californians experiencing homelessness—and nearly half of those 50+—have difficulty with basic daily activities.

Nearly a quarter have difficulty walking across a room, making life without stable housing even harder.

buff.ly/XbhSIxw

#disability #aging
🧵 4/6

7 in 10 people experiencing homelessness in CA currently smoke. This reflects both the stresses of homelessness and limited access to cessation support.

7 in 10 people experiencing homelessness in CA smoke #tobacco—6x the national rate. Smoking contributes substantially to high rates of chronic disease, respiratory illness & early death in this population.

10% are former smokers—reflecting the difficulty of quitting while homeless.

🧵 3/6

Poor health and homelessness are interconnected. Poor health increases people's risk of homelessness AND Homelessness worsens people's health.

60% of Californians experiencing homelessness have at least one chronic health condition.

#Hypertension, chronic lung disease, and heart disease or stroke are most common. These conditions are extremely difficult to manage while homeless.

Learn more: buff.ly/9Ti11W6

#publichealth
🧵 2/6

Toward Thriving: Understanding Health and Homelessness | Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative People experiencing homelessness in California face high rates of chronic illness and disability, and numerous barriers to care. Nearly half of adults experiencing homelessness rate their health as…

Nearly half of Californians experiencing homelessness report poor or fair health — 4× the national rate.

Our new report highlights key #CASPEH findings on the cycle between poor health and homelessness, barriers to care, and solutions.

Read → buff.ly/XbhSIxw

#healthequity
🧵 1/6

Statement by UCSF Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative Director Margot Kushel MD on HUD’s FY2025 Continuum of Care Program NOFO | Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative SAN FRANCISCO (November 17, 2025) – Following is a statement by Margot Kushel, MD, Director of the Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative (BHHI) at the University of California, San Francisco, on...

“The changes announced in this year’s CoC NOFO represent a profound and dangerous departure from longstanding evidence-based homelessness policy..." says BHHI Director Margot Kushel, MD.

Read @mkushel.bsky.social's full statement:

homelessness.ucsf.edu/resources/pr...

🧠 1 in 3 older adults experiencing homelessness have trouble remembering, concentrating, or understanding.

🏠 We must expand housing and integrated care so people can age with dignity.
buff.ly/fti18Xs

#AlzheimersAwarenessMonth