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This study examines racial inequities and homelessness in the United States through mixed methods research in eight communities. We compare the race and ethnicity of those experiencing homelessness to the general population and to people in poverty, and we also explore how race and ethnicity are associated with housing outcomes. Interviews with 195 individuals of color explore pathways into homelessness and drivers of outcomes. We find that Black/African Americans and Native Americans were the most overrepresented among those experiencing homelessness in each community, and interview data suggest that factors associated with homelessness for people of color include barriers to housing and economic mobility, racism and discrimination within homeless services, and involvement in multiple systems, including criminal justice. How race and ethnicity were associated with outcomes varied for youth, single adults, and families. We argue that researchers and policy-makers need to address homelessness with attention to racial justice.

People of color are dramatically more likely to become homeless in the USA than are their white counterparts. In particular, black and Native Americans experience disproportionately higher rates of homelessness. While this disproportionality has been well documented for decades, national and local responses to homelessness have been slow to approach the problem with attention to racial equity. Additionally, health disparities, particularly in mental health and substance use disorder treatment, complicate potential exits from homelessness for racial and ethnic minorities. This chapter describes the racial dimensions of homelessness with attention to the historical policy decisions that laid the groundwork for contemporary homelessness among people of color. The authors conclude with recommendations for research, practice, and policy.