The Journal of Social Distress and Homelessness published a research article last month, “‘Everybody out there in the real world is one paycheck away from being homeless’: job loss and housing precarity among people experiencing homelessness,” which explores the role of job loss and decreased earnings in increasing the risk of homelessness, and the ways that job loss precipitates homelessness. The findings are drawn from a large mixed method representative study of homelessness in California. The authors find that job settings— particularly in the context of illness and injury, probation and parole as barriers to stable employment, and the impact of the COVID pandemic— significantly impacted workers’ vulnerability to job loss and homelessness. The article provides of overview of occupational settings that put workers at risk of unemployment-related job loss and subsequent homelessness and suggests policy interventions that could address these issues.

The article’s findings come from qualitative interviews conducted during the California Statewide Study of People Experiencing Homelessness (CASPEH), which is the largest representative study of homelessness in the U.S. The research team created seven interview-based sub studies to better understand participants’ experiences, and 365 participants were interviewed between October 2021 and November 2022 on topics including precipitants of homelessness, barriers to housing returns, incarceration, intimate partner violence, behavioral health, Black homelessness experiences, and Latino homelessness experiences.

Based on these interviews, the authors find that job loss played a significant role in precipitating homelessness. Occupational settings that put workers at increased risk of job loss and subsequent homelessness included manual labor, gig work (particularly rideshare and food delivery), and home health care work. Workers who lost their jobs due to injury or illness limiting their ability to work were often unable to recover from the sudden economic shock, and those who received Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) found that it was insufficient to cover all their basic needs. The COVID-19 pandemic also caused some participants to lose their employment, and those experiencing homelessness could not benefit from extended unemployment benefits and economic stimulus payments due to barriers including informal employment and frequent address changes. Following a decrease in wages or job loss, participants who had access to savings or support from their social networks were able to remain housed until those resources were exhausted. Participants who lacked access to savings, support, or other resources became homeless soon after the wage or job loss.

The interviews also revealed that working people with low incomes are often over policed, particularly when they are people of color. Participants reported that engagement with police and parole officers could put their jobs in jeopardy, either as the result of an arrest or being unable to meet parole requirements, and that job loss could ultimately lead to homelessness.

The authors conclude by emphasizing the need for multi-sector collaborations to prevent workers who experience job loss from becoming homeless. Recommended interventions include screening unemployment applicants to determine if they could benefit from homelessness prevention services, linking Medicaid Home and Community Based Service programs to homelessness prevention programs including short-term rental assistance and job services, and allowing for reasonable accommodations when scheduling check ins for paroles who are employed. Overall, strategies that provide financial and other support services to unemployed workers, including rental assistance, can more effectively address the intersecting issues of job loss and homelessness.

The article breaks down the intersections of housing, health, and climate change into three major elements: housing systems, housing pillars (security, affordability, suitability), and home environments. Housing systems, structural factors, like restrictive land use, building codes, and tenancy regulations can reduce access to secure, energy- efficient, and affordable housing. These barriers disproportionately affect low-income households, heightening their exposure to climate-related health risks. Historical practices like redlining and discriminatory lending have further entrenched vulnerabilities particularly in marginalized communities.

The authors outline three housing pillars of security, affordability, and suitability. These pillars determine the extent to which housing protects or exposes residents to health hazards. Climate change undermines these pillars by increasing the frequency and severity of natural disasters, which can lead to displacement, food insecurity, infectious diseases, and psychological stress. Rising repair costs, higher energy demands, and diminished affordable housing supplies resulting from climate change and disaster also threaten housing affordability and suitability.

Home environments are the most immediate determinants of healthy housing, and are linked to climate change as a contributor, outcome, and mediator. Energy use for heating, cooling, and electricity can generate greenhouse gas emissions, while extreme weather events degrade building materials, cause structural damage and increase exposure to contaminants. Conversely, sustainable housing designs can reduce environmental impact and mitigate health risks.

The authors emphasize that without resilient and stable housing, broader public health interventions are less effective, and individuals are more vulnerable to the health impacts of climate change. The article calls for the centering of housing in climate and health policy at all levels of governance. By expanding affordable housing stock and introducing stronger tenant protections, such as minimum rental housing standards for energy, thermal resilience, and indoor air quality, safe, resilient homes can be accessible to low-income households. The article concludes by recommending systemic improvements in housing security, affordability, and sustainability to transform housing into a foundation for resilience.