Project Summary
Current planning frameworks typically assume people have stable housing with fixed addresses. This excludes the perspective of unhoused Californians, a critical oversight given this population’s prevalence in the state. Research on the mobility of unhoused persons suggests it is possible to incorporate their needs into regional planning, despite population heterogeneity, because they are less transient than is often assumed and tend to have established patterns
and needs for daily movement between shelter, services, work, and social connections. This project proposes a research synthesis that compares empirical research on the mobility and transit needs of people experiencing homelessness and regional transit plans in California. Specifically,
the research team will review transit plans in four California regions to assess whether they plan explicitly for homeless transit users. A preliminary review of regional transportation plans suggests that most do not incorporate this population’s needs. The team sees this as an opportunity to fill a knowledge gap regarding how unhoused people move about regionally and how transit agencies may better meet their needs. The team will author a report, policy brief, and will share findings, as well as geospatial visualization tools of mobility, walkability, and homeless encampment locations, with San Diego regional transportation planners and service providers.
