Zac Clark

Zac Clark is a Master of Urban and Regional Planning candidate concentrating on community economic development and housing. Zac is the founder and executive director of The HomeMore Project, a 501c3 nonprofit serving people experiencing homelessness across California. Zac built the organization while studying international business and marketing at the University of San Francisco, where he graduated in 2023 with the Student Leadership and Dean’s Service awards for his impact on over 2,500 people experiencing homelessness. Through The HomeMoreProject, Zac in 2026 plans to launch a scalable housing model utilizing tiny homes.

Zac previously worked for the Washington D.C. nonprofit Leadership Initiatives, the San Francisco venture capital firm Endurance28, and the Los Angeles public-private partnership Global L.A. Zac prides himself on his diverse background of experiences, which have all contributed to a pressing need in the community.

Project Overview

In 2023, UC San Francisco’s Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative released the largest representative study of homelessness in the United States since the 1990s. Among all of the study’s findings, one particularly stood out: “Three-quarters (75%) of participants lived in the same county where they were last housed”. There are around 180,000 people experiencing homelessness in California, which would mean that an estimated 45,000 people (25%) have moved counties while unhoused.

My project examines the various factors driving county-to-county movement for individuals experiencing homelessness in rural and suburban parts of California. Addressing a gap in understanding the mobility of homeless populations, this project seeks to answer one key question: What are the primary determinants of movement between counties for individuals experiencing homelessness in California?

Through a qualitative analysis of approximately 60 semi-structured interviews, scattered across 40 counties in California, my research aims to understand the role of support services and housing opportunities, economic and environmental conditions, and social networks on the migration decisions of people experiencing homelessness. Overall, the study aims to provide a voice to who I believe are some of the most overlooked members of our local communities.

Why is this topic, specifically, important to you?

In 2020 I moved to the Tenderloin, a neighborhood in San Francisco where a significant portion of the city’s unhoused community lives. Living there during the pandemic prompted me to begin daily conversations with those who lived outside my apartment building, and eventually motivated me to found my nonprofit.

During my time in the field, I was surprised at the number of people who mentioned that they had moved to San Francisco. Upon asking them why, I realized that there is so much more to the story than merely seeking housing; weather, policy decisions, family, etc., all played a role in where someone decided to locate, even while experiencing homelessness. I personally believe there is nothing more important to be working on than advocating for those without housing.

Who are the partners involved in this project and how will you be working with them?

I am grateful to the Lewis Center and The HomeMore Project for their backing on this project to travel across California collecting data, visiting communities, and sharing the stories of those experiencing unsheltered homelessness. I am also incredibly thankful to a lengthy list of local nonprofit and government partners across California who have been integral in coordinating the interview participants and locations for my project. A complete list will be shared at the beginning of the full report, as there are over 30 local agencies who have assisted in my research.

How do you hope that this project will impact the field moving forward?

The impact of the project has evolved since the initial idea began in February 2024. As I progress through my interviews, many local partners afterward ask me: “How did they choose [blank]?”. This was a finding in itself: most organizations are not aware of how the people they serve choose where to live.

I hope this project sheds light on the various reasons someone might move across county lines while unhoused, and that understanding these movements can better influence resource allocation, priority of services, and programs for those experiencing unsheltered homelessness across California.