[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-seo-582940-105":3,"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":73,"doc-detail-582940-en":122},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"ok",{"site_id":7,"language":8,"slug":9,"title":10,"keywords":11,"description":12,"schema_data":13,"social_meta":66,"head_meta":68,"extra_data":70,"updated_unix":72},105,"en","parenting-students-housing-barriers-in-calworks-research-findings","Parenting Students’ Housing Barriers in CalWORKs - Research Findings","","Parenting students juggle work, classes, and caregiving, yet housing instability blocks progress toward education and career goals. A 2022 study by the Center for the Study of Social Policy and Project SPARC examines barriers faced by CalWORKs parenting students in California’s cash assistance program. Findings highlight lack of stable, affordable housing and limited housing assistance, with 24% reporting being unhoused within the last year. Additional shares describe insecure arrangements such as temporary rentals, couch surfing, shelters, streets, and transitional housing.",{"@graph":14,"@context":65},[15,34,56],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/research-report/","Research & Report",3,{"item":32,"name":10,"@type":21,"position":33},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/parenting-students-housing-barriers-in-calworks-research-findings/582940/",4,{"url":32,"name":10,"@type":35,"image":36,"author":41,"headline":10,"publisher":44,"fileFormat":47,"inLanguage":8,"description":12,"dateModified":48,"datePublished":49,"encodingFormat":47,"isAccessibleForFree":50,"interactionStatistic":51},"DigitalDocument",{"url":37,"@type":38,"width":39,"height":40},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/parenting-students-housing-barriers-in-calworks-research-findings/582940.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":42,"@type":43},"Rhys","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-11-01","2026-10-15",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":55},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",5,{"@type":57,"mainEntity":58},"FAQPage",[59],{"name":60,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":62},"What housing arrangements did parenting students report currently?","Question",{"text":63,"@type":64},"Overall, 51% rent on their own, 23% rent with others, 11% live with family permanently, and 3% own a home, with additional shares reporting temporary or short-term arrangements such as couch surfing, shelters, streets, and transitional housing.","Answer","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":67,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":69,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":71,"site_id":7},582940,1792062522,{"code":4,"msg":74,"data":75},"success",[76,80,84,88,92,97,102,106,111,114,118],{"id":22,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":77,"show_sort_weight":78,"slug":79},"Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":26,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":81,"show_sort_weight":82,"slug":83},"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":33,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":85,"show_sort_weight":86,"slug":87},"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":55,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":89,"show_sort_weight":90,"slug":91},"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":93,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":94,"show_sort_weight":95,"slug":96},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":98,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":99,"show_sort_weight":100,"slug":101},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":103,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":29,"show_sort_weight":104,"slug":105},8,30,"research-report",{"id":107,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":108,"show_sort_weight":109,"slug":110},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":109,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":112,"show_sort_weight":109,"slug":113},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":115,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":116,"show_sort_weight":115,"slug":117},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":119,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":120,"show_sort_weight":55,"slug":121},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":74,"data":123},{"doc_id":71,"user_id":124,"nickname":42,"user_avatar":125,"doc_module":4,"category_id":103,"category_name":29,"doc_title":10,"doc_description":12,"doc_content":126,"file_id":127,"file_url":128,"file_type":129,"file_size":130,"view_count":55,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":22,"is_downloadable":22,"audit_status":22,"page_count":103,"language":131,"language_code":8,"site_id":7,"html_lang":8,"table_of_contents":132,"faqs":133,"seo_title":134,"seo_description":12,"update_tm":135,"read_time":109,"preview_page_count":4},687207024643,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_3d24733baf745e90a7e4bdd5f77d97b2","Parenting students work hard every day to pursue their goals, often juggling work, classes, and caregiving responsibilities. Public systems and programs can provide critical support, but frequently create additional hurdles for parenting students and their families—especially those with low incomes. In 2022, the Center for the Study of Social Policy and Project SPARC conducted research to better understand the barriers experienced by parenting students participating in CalWORKs, California’s cash assistance program for families with children.  \nThis brief highlights findings from the research on parenting students’experiences with housing. Housing is foundational for all families. Without it, parenting students cannot focus on their long-term plans. But many families report not having stable housing or being unhoused for long periods, making it impossible to achieve economic security. The lack of affordable housing and the lack of housing assistance are significant barriers as parenting students work toward their education and career goals.  \n“ You have to have a place [to live] in order for your kids  \nto go to school, in order for you to go to school. You can't go to school if your kids aren't in school and in a stable home .”  \n—ALYSSA, A MOM TO A SIX-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER AND A STUDENT IN INLAND EMPIRE  \nAffordable housing is extremely difficult to find in California, and many families have experienced being unhoused in the past year. Families were considered unhoused if they were unable to secure adequate housing, leading to staying at a shelter, staying with friends or family, or on the streets.  \n24%  \nof parenting students report that they have been unhoused within the last year.  \n1 in 4  \nThat’s nearly one in of every four parenting CalWORKs students who have been unhoused within the last year.  \n“Typically, every semester I have one or two parents that are  \nsleeping in their car… [Being unhoused] is not uncommon .”  \n—LINDA, A CALWORKS ADVISOR AT A COMMUNITY COLLEGE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA  \nWhen asked about current housing arrangements, many parents also reported being in unstable housing arrangements or being unhoused.  \nOverall, when asked about current housing arrangements, 51% of parenting students report that they rent on their own, 23% rent with others, 11% live with family permanently, and 3% own a home.  \nA large share of parenting students report that they currently live in temporary or short-term housing arrangements, including 7% who report living with family temporarily or couch surfing, 2% in a shelter, 2% on the streets, and 1% in transitional housing.  \n7%  \nreport currently couch surfing or temporarily living with family.  \n2%  \nreport currently living on the streets.  \n2%  \nreport currently living in a shelter or temporary housing.  \n1%  \nreport currently living in transitional housing.  \nThose who live with family or rent with others are considered “securely housed”by the traditional definition but would often still prefer to live independently. However, they simply cannot afford to live independently.  \nMany rent a single room for their family in a home– occupying a bedroom or living room and sharing a kitchen, bathroom, and other facilities with roommates.  \n“When I was living [at my grandparents’  \nhome], it was my grandparents, my mom in one room, and me and my daughter in another. Almost everybody is multigenerational [here] because [housing] is such a problem. Nobody can afford to live on their own… if you're not fortunate to have a family member that owns a home who can give you a room, that's a big problem.”  \n—JESSICA, A MOM OF A THREE-YEAR-OLD AND A STUDENT IN CENTRAL COAST  \n23%  \nof parenting students report that they and their children currently rent with others.  \n11%  \nof parenting students report that they and their children currently live with family on a permanent basis.  \nFor those who do rent an apartment or house on their own, many report that most of their income goes toward hous","cbCaiaE36ZdcmF1T","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaiaE36ZdcmF1T","pdf",679319,"English","# Study background\n## Housing as a foundation for education\n# Key findings\n## Unhoused within the last year\n## Current housing arrangements and percentages\n# Experiences with temporary housing\n## Renting and multigenerational living\n## Hotels and voucher limits","[{\"question\":\"What housing arrangements did parenting students report currently?\",\"answer\":\"Overall, 51% rent on their own, 23% rent with others, 11% live with family permanently, and 3% own a home, with additional shares reporting temporary or short-term arrangements such as couch surfing, shelters, streets, and transitional housing.\"}]","Parenting Students’ Housing Barriers in CalWORKs - Research Findings | PDF",1792045068]