USC INITIATIVE TO ELIMINATE HOMELESSNESS

Vision

USC will support our community by creating and sharing resources to help eliminate homelessness

Progress Report 2017/18

Strategy One:

Understand and address campus food and housing insecurity

A major effort has included staff, faculty, students, and community members:

  • Initiated a campus survey to collect data on student vulnerability (final report due May 1, 2018)
  • Strengthened safety net for low income students
  • Opened the first physical food pantry on campus
  • Developed low income student program with active involvement of undergraduate student government
  • Started to enroll eligible students into state Cal Fresh food assistance program
  • Provided information about resources via cards, campus news, and website
  • Improved access to Farmers Market

Strategy Two:

Conduct impactful research and innovation

New and continued research is being generated to help inform, guide, and support local work:

  • The USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work led the effort in collaboration with the USC Schaeffer Center and the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority to collect and analyze data for the Point-in-Time Homeless Count to determine the extent and nature of homelessness
  • The Sol Price School of Public Policycreated the Homeless Policy Research Institute in partnership with the Hilton Foundation, United Way of Greater L.A., and L.A. County’s Homeless Initiative office to generate and use research for informing and guidingMeasure H investments
  • The D-Health Lab partnered with the City of Santa Monica to develop solutions for communication between first responders and homeless service providers
  • The Center for Artificial Intelligence for Society pioneered approaches that link use of AI with human social networks and applied it to an intervention for homeless youth
  • The Annenberg School of Communications created a study to explore internet use by our homeless neighbors in Skid Row
  • The USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work initiated or continued research studies on permanent supportive housing and homelessness for women, youth, veterans, criminal justice populations, and older adults as well as using the school’s Children’s Data Network on behalf of gathering information about homeless families.
  • The School of Architecture designed a concept and prototype for mobile, interim housing
  • The Virterbi School of Engineering continued work on use of 3D printing for construction
  • The Dornsife Department of Economics started a study about the relationship of property values to affordable/permanent supportive housing
  • The Rossier School of Educationinitiated or continued to research about homeless youth in relation to educational needs
  • The Keck School of Medicine of USC is developing or continuing research to learn about homelessness in relation to addiction, HIV, and trauma in children
  • The USC Libraries are preparing an extensive LibGuide providing access to a wide range of information for scholars and researchers.

Strategy Three:

Develop Pipeline for Workforce

USC students represent an amazing resource of energy and talent, fueled by caring hearts:

  • A special section of the university’s undergraduate volunteer program, named“Understanding Homelessness Through Service” was developed and kicked off in the fall of 2017 with 60 students enrolled between Fall and Spring semesters
  • Courses for student education on homelessness were taught in the Sociology, Political Science, and Journalism Departments at the USC David and Dana Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences
  • Additional or expanded courses are being planned in the Writing, Journalism, Sociology, and Thematic Options programs
  • Options were expanded for professional education internships and practicums in Social Work, Law, Public Policy, Urban Planning, Engineering, and Public Health
  • The Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC continued to offer student training sites to work with adults living on Skid Row and expanded opportunities atsites for children living in poverty
  • Students have gotten involved through student clubs, including a Homeless Action Council, which puts on an annual student awareness week and multiple student club activities that include volunteer work at local homeless service organizations
  • The USWC Career Centers supported on-campus and on-line recruitment to help fill the thousands of jobs that are now available in the field of homeless services and housing

Strategy Four:

Advance Policy

There has been alignment with city of L.A. policy along with focus on housing development:

  • Supported Los Angeles efforts to train city workforce by partnering to develop an educational curriculum
  • Initiated a system of linkage to homeless services through connections between county-funded multi-disciplinary outreach teams and the local business/safety personnel near USC campuses
  • A workgroup formed to categorize and research new housing typologiesin partnership with the L.A. County Homeless Initiative and a USC Urban Planning Intern
  • Participated and attended local city and county policy meetings to learn and provide input
  • The Sol Price Center for Social Innovation planned a conference on Housing Innovation and explored policy innovations such as Social Impact Bonds
  • An emerging business incubator for shelter solutions is being developed through the Marshall School of Business
  • The Lusk Real Estate Center and the USC Suzanne Dworak- Peck School of Social Work are helping to lead discussions with the real estate community

Strategy Five:

Mobilize dialogue and engagement using the university’s “Big Voice”

Our focus has been the general public and communities of faith:

  • Gathered top religious leaders for education and conversation on homelessness, yielding a joint statement and several educational resources for the Los Angeles faith community
  • The School of Cinematic Arts participated through projects directed to using the film arts for social change, including collaborating on a rap song/music video with homelessness as the theme and planning a film project that includes giving persons experiencing homeless a voice about their experience and needs
  • The Roski School of Art and Design faculty and students are incorporating homelessness and related themes into their creative endeavors
  • This summit program includes art and music expression created by persons with experience of homelessness