The Role of Transportation in Sustaining and Reintegrating Formerly Homeless Clients
Hannah Scott, Toba Bryant, Scott M. Aquanno
Abstract
This study analyzes spontaneous qualitative interviews with formerly homeless individuals living alone, on the importance of transportation in meeting everyday needs. Some participants identified that transportation subsidies were often haphazard, sometimes requiring tremendous effort to obtain, and discouraging use. Those who had access to transportation note the importance of access to healthcare, personal fitness needs, reduced food insecurity, increased access to health-care needs, and increased quality of life. This paper argues that piecemeal approaches to transportation denies the inherent needs of people living in extreme poverty, thereby increasing the chances of reentry into homelessness using principles of social exclusion.