Date of Conferral

11-4-2025

Date of Award

November 2025

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Human Services

Advisor

Tracy Jackson

Abstract

Poor nutrition is a major contributor to death in the United States, and residents of public housing face disproportionate challenges in maintaining adequate nutrition. Public housing is the nation’s oldest housing subsidy program, providing more than one million units for millions of residents, many of whom are women, minorities, and unmarried individuals with incomes below the poverty line. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore public housing professionals’ perspectives on using a mobile food unit located within housing communities to help reduce food insecurity. Feminist intersectionality theory provided the framework for this study, emphasizing how overlapping systems of inequality, including racism, classism, and sexism, shape access to resources such as food. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 public housing professionals across five southern states. Thematic analysis produced six key theme findings: (a) Food insecurity exists in public housing. (b) Everyone needs food, not just children. (c) Food subsidy programs are not enough. (d) In addition to income, large family sizes and access to the internet are challenges to accessing food. (e) There are multiple ways people get access to food. (f) Mobile food units are needed to reduce food insecurity. These findings may support social change by guiding nonprofit, human and social services providers, faith-based, and governmental organizations in developing strategies including mobile food units to decrease food insecurity in public housing communities.

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