Californians pushed into homelessness by high housing costs and low income, says study.

A new study by the University of California, San Francisco found that high housing costs and low income are the main reasons why Californians become homeless. The study surveyed nearly 3,200 homeless people and found that their median household income was $960 a month, and for renters on leases it was $1,400 a month, of which on average half went to rent. The study recommends policies that focus on offering housing and emergency rental assistance, rather than policies emphasizing punishment or stigma. California ranks as the most unaffordable state when it comes to housing, according to an annual report by the National Low Income Housing Coalition.