Jennifer Nations

Jennifer Nations is a Researcher at the University of California, San Diego, serving as the Managing Director of the Homelessness Hub. Her work focuses on applied research addressing inequality and resource distribution for populations experiencing homelessness and housing precarity.

Education:

• Ph.D., Sociology, University of California, San Diego (2017)

Dr. Nations' research spans housing policy, fiscal governance, transportation equity, and health as social determinants. Her studies often intersect with local government practices, evaluating how policies shape access to services and resources for marginalized communities.

Recent publications highlight trends in municipal taxation, eviction prevention strategies, transit accessibility for unhoused populations, and the fiscalization of higher education. These works emphasize policy barriers, community engagement, and systemic inequities within urban contexts.

At Homelessness Hub, she leads grant-funded studies on housing instability, affordable housing, transportation, evictions, and health, alongside philanthropy-funded research on service accessibility and government processes in program design.

Notable Collaborations:

• Fiscal Democracy Project, UC San Diego
• Scholars Strategy Network

Labs & Initiatives:

• Managing Director, Homelessness Hub