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Unhoused individuals, particularly those who are unsheltered, are uniquely vulnerable to the negative health and wellbeing impacts wrought by extreme weather and disasters, such as extreme heat, air pollution, and winter storms (Adepoju et al., 2022; Calvin et al., 2023; Thomas et al., 2019). Climate change is turbocharging these disruptions. Although extreme weather patterns impact the population writ large (Bell et al., 2018), persons experiencing homelessness face the highest risk of extreme weather-induced negative health effects, reflecting their heightened exposure, pre-existing health vulnerabilities, and limited access to medical care (Bezgrebelna et al., 2021; Kidd et al., 2021; Ramin & Svoboda, 2009). In Los Angeles, exposure to heat, wildfires, and winter storm flooding are particularly dangerous threats to its larged unhoused population.  Recent events confirm that wildfires  impose a range of harms, through displacement, loss of belongings, and injury. Moreover, exposure to particulate matter in smoke can cause many health challenges, including respiratory damage and increased long-term risk of cancer (Grant & Runkle, 2022; Rosenthal et al., 2021). HPRI-affiliated research projects Periodic Assessment of Trajectories of Housing, Homelessness, and Health Study (PATHS) and the LABarometer are working to measure some of these varied impacts on housing insecure and unhoused individuals following the recent, historic wildfires in the LA region.

Please join us for a virtual symposium where we will discuss how these studies are examining natural disaster vulnerabilities among the unhoused and housing insecure population, and assess the studies’ emerging findings’ implications for policy and service provision. We will also consider what Los Angeles’ city and county governments are doing to address climate vulnerability among the unhoused, as well as how they are preparing for future natural disasters and extreme weather events. We will conclude by examining how these developments are impacting service providers in our communities and how they serve unhoused Angelenos impacted by increasingly common natural disasters spurred by climate change.

Panelists

Randall Kuhn – Professor, Department of Community Health Services, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health

Dr. Randall Kuhn conducts longitudinal research on the health and well-being of unhoused populations. Kuhn conducted some of the earliest quantitative research on health and substance use risks among chronically homeless adults. He led recent studies of COVID-19 mortality by homelessness status and race/ethnicity, unsheltered homelessness and health; and COVID-19 vaccination among unhoused populations. He currently leads or co-leads new studies that use mobile phones to measure the well-being of unhoused and recently-housed populations.

Kyla Thomas – Sociologist, Director of LABarometer, Center for Economic and Social Research

Dr. Kyla Thomas is a sociologist and research scientist at the USC Dornsife Center for Economic and Social Research. Her interests include class discrimination, housing inequality, the sociology of culture, survey research, and experimental methods. Since 2019, Dr. Thomas has served as the director of LABarometer, a longitudinal survey that tracks social and economic conditions in Los Angeles County. Dr. Thomas received her Ph.D. in sociology from Princeton University.

Carter Hewgley – Local Jurisdiction Coordination & Support, Homeless Initiative

Carter Hewgley is a Senior Director for the Homeless Initiative at the Los Angeles County Chief Executive Office, where he oversees LA County’s coordination with 88 cities, 6 Councils of Government, and 120 unincorporated areas on a joint emergency response to homelessness. He also directs LA County’s housing-focused encampment resolution partnerships like Inside Safe and Pathway Home. Before joining the County, Carter was the Director of the Home for Good Initiative at the United Way of Greater Los Angeles, where he focused on building the evidence base, resources, and coalition to end homelessness in LA County. He is the former Senior Advisor at the D.C. Department of Human Services and spent four years at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). He is an Adjunct Professor of Applied Analytics at Johns Hopkins University and holds a Master of Public Administration (MPA) from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University.

Ryan Smith – President and CEO, St. Joseph Center

Dr. Ryan J. Smith is a dynamic leader in the social and non-profit sector, boasting two decades of experience in non-profit management. His expertise lies in developing transformative programs and building teams for the youth, families, and communities of Los Angeles.

Amanda Green – Chief Operating Officer, Union Station Homeless Services

Amanda Green serves as the Chief Operating Officer at Union Station Homeless Services (USHS), bringing over 13 years of dedicated leadership to the organization. As a key member of the executive team, Amanda provides strategic oversight and operational direction across multiple departments, including Human Resources, IT, Food Services, Volunteer Services, Development, Facilities and Capital Improvements, Office Administration, Event Management, and In-Kind Donations.

She leads a high-performing team and plays a central role in ensuring organizational stability, efficiency, and alignment with Union Station’s mission. Amanda’s deep institutional knowledge, operational expertise, and commitment to service are essential in advancing the USHS’s impact and long-term sustainability.