Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

• Reza Azimi ¹
• Naser Barakpur ²

¹ M.A. in Urban Management, Department of Urban Planning, Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning, Iran University of Art, Tehran, Iran

² Professor, Department of Urban Planning, Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning, Iran University of Art, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Highlights

• Homelessness in Iran is shaped by a dual policy gap in definition and policy targeting.

• The dominance of a supply-oriented housing approach has marginalized low-income groups.

• Lack of formal data systems has rendered homelessness invisible in housing policymaking.

• Housing policies have reinforced structural inequalities through financialization processes.

• Policy evaluation (process and effectiveness) reveals a disconnect between development plans and lived housing realities.

Extended Abstract

Introduction

Housing is widely recognized as a fundamental human right; however, global evidence indicates an escalating housing crisis, with millions experiencing inadequate housing or homelessness. Although homelessness is a multidimensional phenomenon rooted in economic, social, and institutional structures, its strong linkage with housing systems makes it a central concern in urban policy and planning.

In Iran, despite the visible expansion of various forms of homelessness ranging from street homelessness to hidden housing insecurity this phenomenon remains largely absent from formal housing policy discourse. The lack of an official definition, combined with criminalization-oriented approaches and insufficient data systems, has contributed to its marginalization. This study evaluates the position of homelessness within Iranian housing policies and examines how housing policies have contributed to the reproduction or prevention of homelessness through their goals, interventions, and outcomes.

Theoretical Framework

This study is grounded in Clapham’s tripartite framework of housing policy analysis, encompassing rational, political, and structural approaches. These perspectives enable a multi-dimensional understanding of policy processes, including goal attainment, power relations, and the broader structural conditions shaping housing outcomes. The framework facilitates linking policy evaluation with the dynamics of homelessness within the housing system.



Methodology

The research adopts a qualitative approach based on a policy evaluation strategy, encompassing process evaluation and effectiveness evaluation. The study relies on documentary analysis across three analytical levels: (1) conceptualization of homelessness, (2) analysis of policy documents and development programs, and (3) assessment of policy outcomes and impacts. At the first and second levels, a process evaluation is conducted using political and rational lenses to identify implementation barriers and the gap between discursive goals and actual outputs. At the third level, an effectiveness evaluation is applied through a structural lens to analyze the causal relationship between macroeconomic housing policies and the long-term socio-economic impacts on vulnerable groups and the phenomenon of homelessness.



Results and Discussion

Findings reveal a systematic disjunction between stated policy objectives and actual outcomes. While the process evaluation identifies significant deviations in resource allocation, quantitative targets for housing production have often been met, yet indicators such as housing poverty and affordability have deteriorated. The analysis shows that housing policy in Iran is dominated by a supply-oriented paradigm, where housing production serves as an economic driver rather than a social right. The evaluation of policy effectiveness indicates that the absence of reliable data and the criminalization of certain forms of homelessness have led to its exclusion from policy priorities. Structural factors, including housing financialization, have further intensified inequality, pushing vulnerable groups into persistent rental dependency and chronic housing insecurity.



Conclusion

The study demonstrates that homelessness in Iran is the outcome of a dual policy gap: the absence of clear definitions and the misalignment between interventions and target groups. Unlike previous studies that have mainly examined homelessness or housing policies separately, this study evaluates the place of homelessness within Iranian housing policy across three analytical levels: conceptualization of the phenomenon, policy content, and policy outcomes. The overall evaluation of policy process and effectiveness suggests that housing policies have shifted from addressing social needs toward supporting economic objectives, particularly the expansion of the construction sector. Furthermore, the disconnect between development programs and the lived realities of low-income populations remains a key barrier. The findings indicate that without a shift toward recognizing homelessness as a policy priority and ensuring the effectiveness of social housing interventions, the current supply-oriented strategies will continue to reproduce structural inequalities in the housing market.

Keywords

• Homelessness
• Housing Policy
• Policy Evaluation
• Affordable Housing
• Effectiveness Evaluation
• Structural Factors

Main Subjects

• Urban Planning