Institute for the Study of Homelessness and Poverty

THE INSTITUTE FOR THE Study of Homelessness and Poverty (ISHP) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan research organization that is based at the Weingart Center, described as being “in the heart of downtown Los Angeles' Skid Row.” There were estimated to be more than 82,000 homeless people in Los Angeles County in 2003, out of a total of up to 3.5 million homeless people in the United States as a whole. The 2000 U.S. census indicated that more than 1.6 million people were suffering from some level of poverty in Los Angeles County, with the proportion highest for single people, at more than 22 percent.

The ISHP works in this context to provide reliable data and analysis to public-sector officials, individuals, and academic institutions, with a view to creating collaborative relationships and new policies and programs to address the problems of homelessness and poverty. The ISHP is governed by an advisory council and is part of the Inter-University Consortium on Homelessness and Poverty, which brings together academics and researchers from universities and other institutions in the United States and, also, the University of São Paulo, Brazil. The Weingart Center Association aims to deliver high-quality services in Los Angeles to help people break the cycle of homelessness and poverty.

The ISHP's programs include research and publication, provision of customized information, and research assistance. Publications include the Just the Facts series, which is aimed at a broad range of audiences, as well as more scholarly articles and reports and regular newsletters and updates. Institute staff present new research findings and recommendations at colloquia and also provide personal research assistance to community organizations and other interested parties.

The ISHP provides extensive resources and recommended links online and publishes new findings and information. Interns and volunteers are recruited to assist academic staff in providing these services. Commissioned research is also offered. The institute believes there is a need to increase the public's awareness of homelessness and poverty issues, as these problems have continued to afflict modern America, increasing inequality.