Analyzing Community Needs of Individuals Experiencing Homelessness in the Skid-Row Community in the United States
Ahmad Elhaija, Nathan Chu, Priya Purohit
Affiliation: University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
Published: April 12, 2023
DOI: http://doi.org/10.58417/BDEZ5947
Abstract: Skid Row is a neighborhood located in downtown Los Angeles that is home to one of the largest concentrations of unhoused individuals in the United States (1). Individuals experiencing homelessness are denied from getting many of their basic needs met with the services provided by existing support systems. It was found in the Greater Los Angeles Area that “[as] many as 35% of unhoused individuals experienced substance use disorder, and 38% experienced serious mental illness” (2). A study which distributed surveys to unhoused individuals in the US, found at least 73% of the respondents did not receive care for at least one of their medical needs (3). To better support the unhoused individuals residing in Skid Row, this study evaluates immediate needs of these individuals and identifies solutions aimed at improving their lives. The International Collegiate Health Initiative (ICHI), a 501(c)-3 nonprofit based in Los Angeles, conducted a community-focused needs assessment and a comprehensive review of the literature regarding community-based solutions aimed at addressing the needs of the specific population. A focus was placed on community-based solutions as past studies have found how beneficial they are due to their direct impact and personal connection with at-risk populations these solutions provide (4,5). The ICHI team utilized a cross-sectional survey approach to conduct a community-focused needs assessment of adults experiencing homelessness in Skid Row. Descriptive analysis of the data collected reveals unmet needs in regards to individual health, social support, and employment among individuals experiencing homelessness. The data also reveals service priorities regarding mental health care, medical care, and employment services, which align with prior literature regarding needs among the adult population in Skid Row (6,7). There is potential to meet the needs of the unhoused population residing in Skid Row through extended community-based projects and public health interventions; past studies have detailed how this method has produced positive results in unhoused populations. For example, in a systematic review, it was found that critical time interventions and assertive community treatment for the general unhoused population in the United States allowed for a moderate improvement on their mental health outcomes and quality of life measures (8). Additionally, when the nonprofit Los Angeles Community Action Network (LA CAN) worked with public health researchers to form case management interventions for unhoused populations, it was found that public health researchers need to view community building as a prerequisite to meaningful collaboration especially when working with unhoused populations (9). These papers demonstrate how focusing on community based solutions can have a positive effect on unhoused populations. The findings outlined can guide more concrete next steps, such as expanding safety-net health care systems, job programs, and partnerships with community organizations and advocacy groups, in order to create an improvement in conditions for this vulnerable community.
Amended: September 2025
Works Cited:
1. Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Los Angeles. LOS ANGELES’ SKID ROW. LA Chamber of Commerce, Oct. 2005, lachamber.com/clientuploads/LUCH_committee/102208_Homeless_brochure.pdf.
2. Elhaija, A., Chu, N., & Siddiq, H. (2023). Identifying the service needs of homeless individuals in the skid-row community. Journal of Social Distress and Homelessness, 33(1), 258–262. doi.org/10.1080/10530789.2023.2187273
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6. Padgett, Deborah K. “Homelessness, housing instability and mental health: making the connections.” BJPsych bulletin vol. 44,5 (2020): 197-201. doi:10.1192/bjb.2020.49
7. Ward, Jason M et al. “Annual Trends Among the Unsheltered in Three Los Angeles Neighborhoods: The Los Angeles Longitudinal Enumeration and Demographic Survey (LA LEADS) 2023 Annual Report.” Rand health quarterly vol. 12,1 11. 30 Dec. 2024
8. Ponka D, Agbata E, Kendall C, Stergiopoulos V, Mendonca O, Magwood O, et al. (2020) The effectiveness of case management interventions for the homeless, vulnerably housed and persons with lived experience: A systematic review. PLoS ONE 15(4): e0230896. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0230896
9. Marnfeldt, Kelly et al. “Tackling Wicked Problems: The Power of Community Among the Unhoused.” American journal of public health vol. 115,8 (2025): 1217-1219. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2025.308007