Homelessness in Harvard Square
2014
This case study explores collaborative local stakeholder efforts to respond to an influx of young homeless individuals whose aggressive behavior and drug use challenged existing support strategies for homelessness in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The case helps students explore how a diverse set of stakeholders can come together to address a shared challenge, and invites discussion about the barriers to collaboration, the characteristics of effective leadership, and the implications of partnerships on social policy and nonprofit management.
The case is part of a series produced by the Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) Case Program, hosted by the HKS Strengthening Learning and Teaching Excellence (SLATE) initiative, the world’s largest producer and repository of case studies designed for teaching about how government works and how public policy is made. Each case in the series is designed to train public leaders, and introduces actual policy dilemmas along with data to equip students to learn how to apply the rigor of quantitative analysis in the real world.
This case may be purchased for a nominal fee; registered educators may obtain a free review copy. Online supplemental resources include short free documents and videos on how to teach with the case method, as well as downloadable related tip sheets and questions for class discussion.
Homelessness in Harvard Square
Source:
Jayawickrama S. Homelessness in Harvard Square: Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration in Action. HKS Case No. 2009.0. Harvard Kennedy School Case Program 2014. http://case.hks.harvard.edu/homelessness-in-harvard-square-multi-stakeholder-collaboration-in-action.