Researchers Win Prize to Examine Homelessness

A Westmont student and professor have won the Hatfield Prize, which will allow them to conduct research this semester through interviewing churches, nonprofits and government agencies who are preventing and addressing homelessness in Santa Barbara. Kate Robinson, a sophomore political science major, has received $5,000 and Katherine Bryant, assistant professor of political science, has received $1,500 for their project that will culminate in a policy report published by the Center for Public Justice in September. 

“I’m most excited about the project enabling Kate to really lean into her passion for this topic,” Bryant says. “She’s been consistently involved in homelessness outreach programs here in Santa Barbara, and the Hatfield Prize offers an excellent way for her to expand her research and writing skills while also serving our community and working with such a reputable organization.”

Robinson, a native of Beverly, Massachusetts, serves as a resident chaplain on campus and works as an intern with Kingdom Causes Inc., a local nonprofit working with homelessness and human trafficking. 

By participating in Westmont’s Bread of Life, a student-led ministry, she developed relationships with people living on the streets. “Then, through my studies at Westmont, I was able to understand more broadly the issue of homelessness institutionally, and my interest in pursuing more research into this area started,” she says. “I was always interested in doing a more qualitative case study that gives me the opportunity to talk to a lot of people who are doing this hands-on work and to understand their partnerships with other organizations to address the issue.”

The Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara oversees more than 4,000 affordable rental housing units. “The hard reality of this list is that only the people who qualify at the very top are often eligible for housing,” Robinson says. “So even if you get into the system while homeless, the chances are you will not receive permanent or supportive housing from it.”

Her research will focus on faith-based efforts in the community to serve the poor and homeless. “Religious congregations in Santa Barbara are very involved in providing services to those experiencing homelessness,” she says. “A variety of institutions, both those in government and civil society, are poised to aid those in homelessness, and many of them are doing hands-on work on the issue. I’m excited to continue to learn about the relationships between these different actors and how they play out more specifically in the city.”

The Hatfield Prize is named in honor of the legacy of the late U.S. Senator Mark O. Hatfield of Oregon, known for integrating his Christian faith and his public policy commitments.