The U.S. is experiencing a troubling upsurge in homelessness, with half a million people currently living outside on any given night. As encampments of people experiencing homelessness (PEH) have increased in cities across the country, forced closures — in which local authorities clear encampment residents and their belongings — are an increasingly common and controversial tool used by local governments. While people have long debated the efficacy and ethics of these homeless encampment sweeps, very little is known about their possible impact on the health of PEHs.
In a new study, researchers at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health (SPH) will examine this topic, testing the hypothesis that encampment sweeps may harm the health of homeless people through material loss, trauma, and community fragmentation.