Adam Fagen, Flickr, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0This article is partially derived and excerpted from ACRP Research Report 254: Strategies to Address Homelessness at Airports.
The number of unhoused individuals at airports has increased in recent years. While the increase is primarily attributable to a general increase in people experiencing unsheltered homelessness in the United States, airports are attractive to this population for the following reasons:
- Airports are relatively safe because of the presence of security personnel and other people;
- Airport terminals are climate-controlled and offer a variety of amenities, such as public restrooms, Internet connectivity, electricity, and food and water; and
- Many airports are well connected to public transit.
People using airports for shelter include individuals experiencing chronic or episodic homelessness, individuals employed at the airport or nearby businesses who are unable or unwilling to access affordable housing, and stranded travelers who—although not necessarily experiencing homelessness—may be using the airport’s facilities in a similar way. Because of regional and local trends, homelessness does not present a uniform picture across airports. At some airports, for example, individuals may seek shelter in main terminals and parking garages, while at other airports, they may form encampments on surrounding airport-owned land.
As airports have wrestled with addressing homelessness while balancing their primary function of serving the traveling public, their responses to individuals experiencing homelessness have evolved from punitive measures (e.g., arrests, barring from overnight stays, and citations) to more respectful approaches (e.g., connecting individuals with services).
Recently, airports have recognized the value of more comprehensive measures, including hiring personnel dedicated to addressing the issue and engaging in long-term partnerships with service providers. This may require enacting new training programs and revisiting policies and protocols.
ACRP Research Report 254: Strategies to Address Homelessness at Airports provides airports and stakeholders with resources and suggested practices to respond to people experiencing homelessness on airport property. The guide should be helpful to local governmental agencies and service organizations that want to respond to this challenge in a comprehensive and humane manner. The report comprises two main parts: a primer and a strategic action plan. Airports can choose some or all of the strategies, depending on the scope of their existing or proposed programs, as well as their unique needs, access to resources and funding, size or type of airport, amenities, governance structures, availability of potential partners, political environment, and other contextual factors.
The suggested response strategies offered in the report are within a framework built on maintaining safety for all, doing no harm, providing a balanced response, and forging partnerships with stakeholders. This last factor is key because partnerships with social services’ public safety departments are critical for an effective response.
The guide offers eight strategies that airports can follow to initiate or enhance a program to address homelessness. The strategies range from starting with those that are easiest to achieve (e.g., learning the fundamentals, assessing current conditions, and identifying and working with partners) to developing and implementing a training program, establishing an engagement protocol, and tracking progress. For each strategy, the guide provides background, actions to consider, steps to identify airport stakeholders and leverage external partners, and tools and resources to develop the strategy.
Without broad societal solutions to address homelessness, it is likely that people experiencing homelessness will continue to seek shelter at airports. ACRP Research Report 254 is a valuable resource to help airport operators address these individuals in a safe and humane manner.
