Bio
Austin is a second-year social work student at Columbia University who is working on the Perceptions of Housing Placement (PHP) study, a research partnership with the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice. The study examines the housing placement process in New York City for formerly incarcerated people who transitioned to permanent housing, specifically looking at participants’ experiences and perceptions of this process and their housing, their experiences with service providers, and their overall quality of life. Developed in response to the shortage of suitable and affordable housing in New York City, the project highlights the unique challenges faced by people seeking housing following incarceration. Austin is excited to explore how program success and improvement can be defined and evaluated through wellbeing and fulfillment, not just recidivism or housing placement.