The Survival of Sheltered Care Homes: Facility and Neighborhood Contributions

We use data from a representative probability sample of all 1973 California Sheltered Care facilities for ex-mental patients. Facilities were recontacted between 1983 and 1985. Based on several literatures, we hypothesized variables that might contribute to facility survival over this period including: neighborhood factors such as community reaction and gentrification and organizational and institutional characteristics such as profit motivation and legitimacy. Contrary to expectations, age of facility, appreciation in housing values, vacancy rates, neighborhood antagonism, gentrification and conservatism were not related to closure. Instead, the facilities were more likely to stay open when they possessed a steady income stream and when they were more businesslike and licensed. They were also likely to stay open when they were located in very poor and mixed use neighborhoods.