Spotlight on PACS PhD Fellow: Alexia Olaizola

The Stanford PACS PhD Fellowship Program supports outstanding young scholars at Stanford who are pursuing research that pushes the boundaries of knowledge in philanthropy, social impact, democracy, digital society, and beyond. Each year, we welcome a cohort of students from diverse disciplines, providing them with funding, mentorship, and an intellectual community where they can refine their research and contribute to critical conversations. Through this monthly series, we highlight the incredible work of our PhD Fellows—sharing their insights, research journeys, and the impact they hope to make.

This month, we spoke with Alexia Olaizola, a PhD candidate in Economics at Stanford, whose research examines the intersection of homelessness policy, judicial decisions, and economic outcomes in the United States. Through careful data analysis and a commitment to evidence-based policymaking, Alexia is challenging widespread narratives about the causes of homelessness, offering new insights that could help shape more effective interventions and guide philanthropic efforts toward lasting impact.

Could you tell us about your research project and what motivated you to pursue this research topic? 

My research explores how judicial decisions and policy interventions shape homelessness in the United States. One project investigates the effects of major court rulings (Martin v. Boise and Grants Pass) on the criminalization of homelessness, prevalence of unsheltered homelessness, and provision of emergency shelter across multiple Western U.S. states. Many policymakers and media reports have claimed these federal court decisions have fueled a rise in homeless encampments, particularly in Western U.S. cities. I was intrigued by this narrative since it presented an opportunity to examine how judicial decisions create ripple effects across communities.

We evaluated this claim using data that we collected from cities across the country. While we can’t entirely rule out some localized or marginal effects of the rulings, our analysis indicates that they are not likely a main cause of the large increase in unsheltered homelessness that we’ve seen in West Coast cities over the past 5-10 years. Instead, the timing and magnitude of these increases align more clearly with broader structural forces—especially rising housing costs and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. These findings suggest that policymakers should reconsider where they direct blame and focus their efforts on the deeper drivers of the crisis.

Building on this project, we’re launching new research investigating the impact of encampment clearing or “sweep” policies on neighborhoods and on individuals experiencing homelessness. Many cities are prioritizing these policies, but our goal is to apply rigorous economic analysis to determine which strategies genuinely improve outcomes versus those that merely displace the issue.

How does your research help address real-world challenges related to civil society or philanthropy and contribute to advancements in your field?

My research provides evidence on effectiveness of different policy approaches. By evaluating encampment sweeps and legal restrictions on enforcement, we help distinguish between policies that effectively reduce homelessness and those that simply relocate it. We’re also making our work accessible to other researchers and policymakers by aggregating and harmonizing new datasets on homelessness and related policing/enforcement. We plan to make these publicly available to support further research and evidence-based policymaking.

Ultimately, this work could help philanthropic organizations direct their resources more effectively and assist advocacy groups in promoting policies that balance community concerns with the needs of people experiencing homelessness.

What is one unique or important thing you want others to know about your research?

Public records requests can be frustrating and time consuming but they can also be very effective! Oftentimes, cities will provide valuable data if you approach them professionally, clearly explain your research purposes, and ask nicely.

If you weren’t in graduate school, what would you be doing? 

Outside of research, I love hiking and camping with my partner and friends. I also enjoy crafty hobbies like crochet and pottery, as well as playing casual video games.

If I weren’t in graduate school, I’d likely be working in program evaluation for a nonprofit or government agency, still using data to improve interventions but from a more directly applied perspective. I’ve also always thought that I’d love being a carpenter. 

Resources to share:

California Statewide Study of People Experiencing Homelessness: This is the largest representative study of homelessness in the U.S. since the 1990s!