This fall, the USP Program will be offering a special opportunity two-quarter course series focused on the urban challenges of homelessness.  The course will run in the fall ('19) and winter ('20).  The first quarter's course will provide an overview of the problem (locally, statewide, nationally and to a lesser extent, internationally), insight into its complex (structural, historical, psychosocial, cultural) roots, and an exploration of models and methods for addressing the challenge.  In the fall, students will be introduced to staff and unhoused clients at the Safe Parking Program of one of our community partners, Jewish Family Service (via a tour, serving and sharing a meal, and conversation).  JFS provides safe overnight parking lots for homeless individuals and families who live in their cars. While at the parking lots, individuals receive access to a variety of social services with the ultimate goal of securing permanent, positive housing. This will be our research site. The fall course will prepare students for the winter quarter's deep dive into research with folks at the site.  Students will be trained in, and will undertake and analyze, surveys, focus groups and oral history interviews . The aim will be to better understand the human stories and trajectories of homelessness, as well as to help identify what interventions help, both in the midst of a homelessness crisis, and further "upstream" before people fall into such dire straits.

Space in the classes is limited and priority enrollment was given to USP majors, but we welcome the participation of students from other majors. Selected students will enroll in USP 189 (Urban Challenges: Homelessness I) during Fall Quarter 2019.  Enrollment in the second (winter quarter) course is contingent upon satisfactory contributions in the fall course and approval of the professors.  Each course is worth 4 units and must be taken for a letter grade. The fall class is scheduled to meet on T/Th (11:00 a.m. - 12:20 p.m.), but there will be two required evening outings to visit the Safe Parking Program (dates/times TBA soon).  The winter course will meet once a week on Wednesday evenings (5:00 - 8:00 p.m.), in order to accommodate the lives and schedules of people in the Safe Parking Program.

The program is co-taught by Dr. Mirle Rabinowitz Bussell and Dr. Leslie R Lewis, faculty members in the Urban Studies and Planning Program.  The turnaround for this application process will be quick since we know that enrollment for fall classes begins week 6.  We will inform students of our decisions by Monday, May 13.

To apply for the course series, please complete all of the questions below. Applications are due on May 10, 2019 at 11:59 p.m.