UCLA Institute of Transportation Studies

Shelter is a basic human need. Yet more than half a million individuals experience homelessness every single night in the U.S. In the last decade, homeless counts have risen in many U.S. metropolitan areas, despite efforts and funding to address the issue. The limited capacity of shelters and other social service agencies to meet the needs of a rapidly growing homeless population has forced many individuals experiencing homelessness to look for shelter in various public spaces. Without other options, many turn to transit vehicles, bus stops, and transit stations. Many also use transit to reach destinations such as workplaces, shelters, and community service centers. With affordable housing scarce in some metropolitan areas and the scale of the homelessness crisis often surpassing the capacities of existing safety nets, transit operators face the crisis in their work. They must implement policy measures from realms beyond transportation to address them.