In-Migration Histories of Persons Experiencing Unsheltered Homelessness Within the Los Angeles Continuum of Care: Survey Item Validation and Exploration of Motives

This study investigated domestic migration of national interest and local importance. Namely, Los Angeles (L.A.) County officials overseeing public responses to the nation’s largest regional homeless population are interested in the origins of persons experiencing unsheltered homelessness (unsheltered PEH). This study addressed whether valid inferences may be drawn about where unsheltered PEH migrated from using the survey items intended to measure this construct for the L.A. Continuum of Care’s HUD-mandated Point-in-Time (PIT) count. This study further addressed the migration motives of unsheltered PEH, so elected officials better understand the county’s popularity as a destination for unsheltered PEH.