UROP Project

The Effectiveness of Affordable Housing Initiatives in Preventing and Reducing Homelessness Leon County Tallahassee

Homelessness prevention, Affordable Housing Initiatives, Housing policies Leon County

Research Mentor: Ms Gian Morrison, She/Her
Department, College, Affiliation: International Affairs, Social Sciences and Public Policy
Contact Email: gm24i@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:

Looking for Research Assistants: Yes
Number of Research Assistants: 2
Relevant Majors: Open to all majors
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required: No, the project is remote
Remote or In-person: Partially Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 2-3, Flexible schedule (Combination of business and outside of business. TBD between student and research mentor.)
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link:

• Day: Tuesday, September 2
  Start Time: 6:00
  End Time: 6:30
  Zoom Link: https://us05web.zoom.us/j/81120741930?pwd=ppbKZk3rzzO2JxN4LiHamx9l9THvTm.1

Project Description

Background and Rationale

Homelessness in Tallahassee, particularly in Leon County, remains disproportionately high compared to other Florida counties despite the presence of several affordable housing initiatives such as the Inclusionary Housing Ordinance, the Leon County Community Land Trust, and rapid re-housing programs coordinated through the Big Bend Continuum of Care.
While these programs are designed to increase access to stable housing and reduce homelessness, there is limited publicly available evaluation on whether they are achieving measurable outcomes in:
1)Reducing the total homeless population.
2)Preventing at-risk individuals and families from losing housing.
3)Addressing chronic homelessness through permanent supportive housing.

It is deemed imperative to study this gap in assessment because of:
1. Persistent housing insecurity—That is, rising rents, low vacancy rates, and a high poverty rate (over 20% in Leon County) continue to push residents toward homelessness despite ongoing initiatives.

2. Policy accountability—City and county governments, along with nonprofit partners, invest substantial public funds into affordable housing projects. Without rigorous evaluation, it is unclear if these resources are being deployed effectively.

3.Community impact—Homelessness affects public health, local business environments, educational stability for children, and law enforcement resources.

4.Scalability and improvement—If certain programs in Tallahassee prove effective, they could be scaled up locally or serve as models for other Florida communities. Conversely, identifying gaps can inform policy adjustments.


Therefore, studying the effectiveness of these affordable housing strategies aims to provide:
1. Evidence-based insights to guide policymakers in optimizing current initiatives.
2.Data for targeted interventions that address specific barriers such as discrimination against voucher holders, insufficient shelter capacity, or the mismatch between available housing and income levels.
3. Long-term cost-benefit understanding, as stable housing is often more cost-effective than repeated emergency interventions.

Research Question: How effective are current affordable housing initiatives in Leon County Tallahassee at preventing and reducing homelessness?
Research Questions:
1. How effective are affordable housing initiatives in Leon County Tallahassee at preventing homelessness?
2. To what extent have these initiatives contributed to reducing homelessness?
3. What are the primary factors that contribute to homelessness and who are the primary individuals that are affected?
4. What are the challenges to the effectiveness of these programs?
5. How do stakeholders (e.g policy makers, service providers) assess the impact of these initiatives?

Methodology
Qualitative Data Collection: Conduct interviews or Focus Groups with key stakeholders (housing officals and persons who have applied or benefited from these housing initiatives.
Data Analysis: Examine Point-in time counts, eviction records and affordable housing unit production to track changes in homeless trends

Research Tasks: The research task will be largely centered around the collection of data, conducting interviews, and data analysis along with literature review

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Database & Records use: being able to navigate public records
Knowledge of Housing Policy and Programs: Familiar with affordable housing tools e.g., SHIP/HOME funds, Housing First, zoning
Understanding of Homeless systems: Have an awareness of Continuum of Care structure and HMIS (Homeless Management Information System)
Literature Review and Synthesis: Ability to search academic databases (Google Scholar, Jstor, Proquest etc...
Data collection: Gathering secondary and primary data
Data analysis: Qualitative coding and analyzing interviews/policy documents