Turning data into solutions

Housing costs are the primary driver of homelessness in Delaware, according to a joint survey by the University of Delaware and the Delaware State Housing Authority (DSHA). The findings reinforce what UD researchers have learned through decades of studying homelessness and housing insecurity: Solutions require understanding - and addressing - the factors that put people at risk.

That research-to-action approach is at the heart of the University's Center for Community Research and Service (CCRS), part of the Joseph R. Biden, Jr. School of Public Policy and Administration.

Since 1988, CCRS has built expertise in homelessness and housing while connecting researchers, policy makers, service providers, healthcare organizations and housing developers. Its partnership with the Institute for Public Administration created a joint housing policy team that provides data-driven guidance and technical assistance to community and state leaders.

"One thread that runs through all that we do at CCRS related to homelessness and housing has been to provide a hub for stakeholders on these issues to meet, to disseminate ideas and information, and to build community and collaboration," says Steve Metraux, CCRS Director and national homelessness expert.

That work includes the Eviction Data Response Network, a partnership between CCRS and Delaware stakeholders funded by New America. The network brings together academic, state, and nonprofit organizations to collect and use data to support more equitable outcomes for renters at risk of eviction.