The Influence of Neighborhood Cohesion on Homelessness in Cache Valley, Utah

The 2017 Utah Point in Time Count reported that 2,852 Utah residents were identified as being homeless (Utah Housing and Community Development Division, 2017). There is a large gap in research that explores one’s likelihood of becoming homeless and its relation to community integration and neighborhood cohesion. Community integration can be defined through the feelings of acceptance within one’s social network(s), sharing common norms and values with those around you. (Sayer, et al., 2011) Neighborhood cohesion is the sense of shared morals and trust within a neighborhood community. Current bodies of knowledge in social science literature discuss other causes of homelessness, but do not mention community integration and neighborhood cohesion. The primary goal of this research is to explore the effects that community integration and neighborhood cohesion have on homelessness. Community integration and neighborhood cohesion may be factors that protect individuals from becoming homeless. However, these factors may also have a negative effect on one’s housing situation