Working Out of Homelessness: Labor, Exploitation, and the Ambiguities of Back-to-Work Programs

This article aims to analyze the intersection between back-to-work programs and the management of homelessness, and explore the implications and meanings that emerge from this connection. Using the case study of Portland, the article addresses the following research question: what are the meanings underlying the expansion of back-to-work programs? The paper argues, first, that the increasing use of back-to-work programs and the emphasis on lived experience—beyond the employment opportunities offered to people experiencing homelessness—operate as a cost-efficient strategy for managing homelessness, particularly its visibility in public spaces. Second, it argues that the expansion of workforce programs for managing homelessness helps address the shortage of social workers while also enabling public authorities to reduce the costs associated with their response to homelessness.