Impact Evaluation of Intensive Homelessness Prevention

This study will evaluate intensive financial assistance to prevent homelessness. The Wilson Sheehan Lab for Economic Opportunities (LEO) and Mary’s Place, the largest provider of emergency shelter to families in Seattle, will assess a new homelessness prevention service for families who have previously used their emergency shelters. We make two main comparisons. First, when demand exceeds resources, Mary’s Place will use random assignment to prioritize service recipients, enabling us to measure the effect of any assistance. Second, we will test for differential effects of two forms of assistance: a traditional model of one-time financial support versus an intensive prevention approach including more substantial, repeated financial aid. Because the Mary’s Place program enrolls only people who have previously experienced homelessness, this study will test if traditional programs can be more cost-effective when targeting higher risk clients and if this group requires more intensive assistance. We will examine both housing stability and a wider range of outcomes including employment, criminal justice system contact, healthcare use, and, potentially, child outcomes. To clarify mechanisms and measure access to alternative sources of support, we will include a brief subsample survey and qualitative interviews. Enrollment began in May 2023, aiming to enroll around 5,200 households.