Evidence-Based Solutions to Address Homelessness
Homelessness and precarious living conditions are increasingly urgent issues in urban areas, with severe consequences for individuals and society, and Milan is no exception. Beyond the lack of shelter, homelessness often entails unemployment, poor health, diminished social ties, and psychological distress, all of which perpetuate cycles of poverty. Despite its social impact, the homeless often remain invisible to data and research, and little is known about the most effective ways to address it. A new research project hosted at the LEAP Research Center (Laboratory for Anti-Poverty Policies) and led by Lucia Corno (Università Cattolica and LEAP Bocconi) and Michela Braga (Bocconi University and Fondazione Rodolfo DeBenedetti), seeks to tackle these challenges in the Milan area with an innovative approach. The project will be funded by two newly acquired grants from Fondazione Cariplo and J-PAL, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology poverty lab.
The project focuses on two key barriers faced by homeless individuals: the mental and psychological challenges stemming from low skills and self-worth, and the practical difficulties caused by the lack of a secure place to store personal belongings. Data collected in Milan by the Fondazione Rodolfo DeBenedetti over the past decade reveals troubling trends. Among homeless individuals surveyed, 80% of those in shelters and 90% of those on the streets were unemployed, and over 60% expressed a need for a safe place to secure their belongings. To address these issues, the study will rigorously test an intervention involving two main components: a mentoring and training program designed in collaboration with AFOL Metropolitana, to provide essential social and life skills, and access to secure personal lockers installed in publicly accessible areas. These lockers will be sturdy and weather-resistant, offering a practical and safe solution for storing things. Moreover, the Team will partner with Stefano Boeri Interiors, a widely recognized excellence in Italian design, to ensure that the lockers are visually pleasing, providing homeless individuals with the opportunity to own something attractive and helping them boosting their sense of dignity and self-care.
This project will be co-designed together will all partners and stakeholders. In the coming months, the team will carry out qualitative fieldwork through focus group discussions with selected groups of homeless individuals, the ultimate beneficiaries of the project. These experts by experience will actively contribute to the design process, by providing direct feedback on key aspects of the project, such as locker design, features and functionality. They will also help identify suitable locations for the lockers, and key features of the mentoring program. More focus groups will also be arranged with social workers and professionals from the lively network of NGOs working in Milan, in order to gather valuable feedback that can steer the design of the project. The team will also engage closely with institutional actors, to ensure alignment with the existing policy framework and ensure the establishment of vital synergies. Following the focus groups, a small-scale pilot will be launched to fine-tune outreach strategies and evaluate early feedback on the initiative. This pilot phase is crucial to assess and adjust the project before the full-scale rollout planned for 2026.
This project represents one of the earliest rigorous impact evaluations of initiatives designed to address both the mental and physical barriers faced by homeless individuals. Its findings could inform broader policies in Milan and beyond, offering new strategies for reducing homelessness and fostering stability for those most in need.
