What tradeoffs are made on the path to functional zero chronic homelessness?

Grainger, G. L. (2022) What tradeoffs are made on the path to functional zero chronic homelessness? Housing Studies, (doi: 10.1080/02673037.2022.2141203) (Early Online Publication)

Abstract

Built for Zero (BFZ) is a resource allocation method for homeless systems that has gained popularity in North America. Community Solutions, the organization that created/promotes BFZ, argues system managers can end homelessness by using business management techniques to flexibly allocate housing assistance and achieve systemwide benchmarks like functional zero chronic homelessness. Little research has analyzed how BFZ strategies are applied to homeless systems. This is a notable blind spot because homeless systems confront different barriers/enablers that facilitate/constrain BFZ integration. I extend housing scholarship by using ethnographic data of referral meetings in a large U.S. County to analyze managerial use of BFZ strategies promoted by Community Solutions. I show political economic constraints force macro-micro tradeoffs on the path to functional zero that marginalize the wants/needs of some clients by referring them to suboptimal housing. My findings show equitable progress to functional zero requires adequate housing resources so the wants/needs of service recipients are not sidelined.

• Item Type: Articles
• Additional Information: This project was funded by the Institute for Research on Poverty, Mellon Foundation, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Crowe Scholarship, and John DeLamater Award.
• Status: Early Online Publication
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Grainger, Dr Garrett
• Authors: Grainger, G. L.
• College/School: College of Social Sciences > School of Social and Political Sciences > Urban Studies
• Journal Name: Housing Studies
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis
• ISSN: 0267-3037
• ISSN (Online): 1466-1810
• Published Online: 11 November 2022
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2022 The Author
• First Published: First published in Housing Studies 2022
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons License