Skyline College
Library

 

Researching Homelessness in the Bay Area


Databases for Finding Newspaper, Magazine & Journal Articles
Catalog for Finding Books
Links to Selected Websites
Statistics on Homelessness


Databases for Magazine, Journal & Newspaper Articles:
Search the following article databases using a keyword search, such as: homeless* AND San Francisco AND women
OR try using the following subject headings: Homelessness
; Homeless persons;  Poverty; Poor -- United States;  Marginality, Social

Gale PowerSearch databases on campus or off-campus w/ library card
articles from academic journals, popular magazines, newspapers and reference sources; excellent general periodical database.
 

o        To narrow searches, use the Advanced search mode

o        PLEASE NOTE: When search results are first displayed, only magazine articles are shown, if available for your search.
Click on the “Academic journalstab to display journal articles on your topic; click on the "Newstab for news articles; click on the "Bookstab for reference book articles.

Ethnic Newswatch on campus or off-campus w/ library card
Full-text articles from about 200 newspapers, magazines and journals of the ethnic, minority and native press, in English and Spanish.

SIRS Knowledge Source on campus or off-campus w/ library card
A database of all full-text articles on social issues from a wide range of magazines and newspapers.  A good source for articles covering general homeless issues.

Lexis Nexis Academic Universe on campus or off-campus w/ library card
Full-text articles from a wide range of news, business & other publications.

  • Click on News at left of home page
  • In the box for: "Step One: Select a news category", select: General News
  • In the box for: "Step Two: Select a news source", select: Major Papers
  • In the first entry box under: "Step Three: Enter search terms", enter word(s) for your desired topic, e.g. homeless AND San Francisco
  • Click the Search button

San Francisco Bay Guardian
Search for articles from San Francisco's leading alternative newsweekly, a good source of information from a left-wing perspective, particularly city policies and laws concerning homelessness, SRO information and profiles, homeless people and advocacy groups.  Use search box at top right of home page to search back issues.



Books:

The PLS Online Catalog is the online catalog to find books in Skyline Library and in all libraries in the Peninsula Library System.

  • Type in search word(s) for your topic in the first search box and click the Submit button.
  • Suggested subject headings:
    • Homelessness
    • Homeless persons
    • Poverty
    • Poor -- United States
    • Marginality, Social
  • The search results will show books and other materials in all libraries in the PLS system.
  • To Limit your results to books at Skyline College Library, scroll down to Limit to: Location: pull-down menu below the search boxes, scroll down in the Location: pull-down menu, select Skyline College & then click the Submit button.


Links to Recommended Websites:

Shame of the City: S.F. Chronicle Special Report on the Homeless
Original series published in December 2003, plus regularly updated stories.

What to Do with the Homeless
A small sample of the more than 1,400 registered comments on columnist C.W. Nevius’ series on the homeless in S.F.

San Francisco Coalition on Homelessness
Works with and on behalf of people on the streets and in shelters to bring about effective changes in policies and practices that affect homeless people.
Publishes Street Sheet, a newspaper sold on the street by homeless people

San Francisco Homeless Services Coalition
Raises support for nonprofit homeless charities and builds awareness in the community about the crisis of homelessness in the Bay Area

Bay Area Homeless Alliance
Collaboration of greater San Francisco Bay Area service agencies

San Francisco Department of Human Services: Housing and Homeless
Funds a wide range of services that are part of a city-wide approach to help homeless individuals and families.  Programs include: Care Not Cash, Connecting Point for Families, Emergency Shelter System, Shelter + Care, Transitional Housing, Homeless Families Services Redesign, Resource Centers, Homeless Count 2005 Final Report (PDF)

San Francisco Department of Public Health: Homeless Services
Administers special projects and contracts with community-based organizations to deliver a variety of services to homeless persons

Homes Not Jails
Advocates for the use of vacant and abandoned housing for people who are are homeless in S.F.

Homeless Children's Network
Comprehensive mental health services, case management, and family support services for homeless children, youth, and their families throughout San Francisco

HomeBase, The Center for Common Concerns
"California's public policy law firm on homelessness"

National Coalition for the Homeless
Leading national organization working on homelessness, engages in public education, policy advocacy, and grassroots organizing.

Larkin Street Youth Services
"Mission-driven organization responding to the needs of homeless and runaway youth on the streets of San Francisco"

Dolores Street Community Services
Operates S.F. shelters mainly for homeless Latino immigrants. Also offers ESL classes, case management, job training referrals, medical and mental health referrals, alcohol and substance abuse referrals, and legal referrals.

Shelter Network
Nonprofit organization providing housing and services for homeless families and individuals in San Mateo County.

Swords to Plowshares
Counseling, case management, employment & training, housing, and legal assistance to veterans in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Homeless Action Center
Provides legal services to homeless and low-income residents of Alameda County

VolunteerMatch: S.F. Homeless & Housing
List of S.F. volunteer organizations involved in homelessness issues.

Bay Area Volunteer Information Center
Information about volunteer opportunities in the S.F. Bay Area

Homeless People's Network Discussion List
National & international discussion forum for homeless people working with activist groups, street newspapers and other homeless-run projects (such as squats, centers, shelters and housing) to share information daily


Statistical information on homelessness:

Facts About Homelessness from the National Coalition for the Homeless
The National Coalition for the Homeless publishes fact sheets on various aspects of homelessness. Each sheet summarizes facts and issues and contains a list of recommended reading for further research.

Second Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress (2008)
Data on sheltered homeless persons, a profile of sheltered homeless persons during a six-month period, a discussion of the nation's capacity for housing homeless persons, and an examination of how homeless persons use emergency shelters and transitional housing.

State of the Nation's Housing 2007
A look at the demographic and market forces that drive housing that include race/ethnicity, affordability, demand, and more.  Included is a look at housing across the states, and by some of the largest US metro areas. From Harvard University, Joint Center for Housing Studies.

Housing Landscape for America's Working Families 2007
"Working a full-time job does not guarantee a family a decent, affordable place to live—a problem the Center for Housing Policy has been tracking for the past eight years. Using the most recent American Housing Survey (2005), this report updates national trends in the number of working families paying more than half of their income for housing and/or living in dilapidated conditions.”

Emergency and Transitional Shelter Population: 2000
from the U.S. Census

Homelessness: Programs and the People They Serve
December 1999 National Survey of Homeless Assistance Providers and Clients, from the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development. Called "the most comprehensive study ever of homelessness in America".

Status Report on Hunger and Homelessness in America's Cities
December 2000 report from the US Conference of Mayors

A Generation of Widening Inequality
August 2007 report from the California Budget Project examines the trends in income and wage inequality over the past generation.  Included are industry trends, wage trends, the gender gap in terms of take home pay, California's workforce (immigration status, and age), and more.  Comparisons are available for the US and California for many trends. 

Paycheck to Paycheck (2008)
"The Center for Housing Policy presents wage information for more than 60 occupations and home prices and rents for nearly 200 metropolitan areas...See how workers in your metropolitan area are faring in the housing market; view the big picture for housing affordability for working families in various occupations across the country; and use these analyses as a template to examine wages and housing costs in neighborhoods in your community. " 

Persons in emergency shelters for homeless in California, by county (1998)

Ending Chronic Homelessness: Strategies for Action
March 2003 report by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Crimes Committed Against Homeless Persons
2002 report generated in response to California Senate Resolution 18 which requested the State Attorney General to assess the extent of crimes against the homeless

Research on Housing and Homelessness and Poverty
Links to excellent reports and statistics on housing and homelessness from the research catalog of the Weingart Center’s Institute for the Study of Homelessness and Poverty in L.A.

California Statistics & Data Web Links
Links to additional websites related to California statistics and data

 

 

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last revised: 4-21-08
by Eric Brenner, Skyline College, San Bruno, CA