Sam Geheran ’25MPH is passionate about the right to safe housing. We spoke with them about their research on unhoused populations, their interest in public health, and the inspiring atmosphere at Simmons.
“Housing is such an important determinant of health. Having a safe place to go at night and not just focusing on survival needs is protective in so many ways,” says Sam Geheran ’25MPH. “Being housed protects people against exposure, police harassment, sexual violence, infectious diseases, poor nutrition, sleep disruption, and much more.”
While a Master of Public Health student at Simmons, Geheran researched housing instability and housing resources that could support foster youth and seniors. Their research is timely, as over half of US renters pay over 30% of their income on rent, and the average Boston tenant spends 47% of their income on rent. Moreover, in Poverty by America (Crown Publishing Group-Penguin Random House, 2023), sociologist Matthew Desmond reports that, since 1985, rental costs in the US have outpaced income growth by 325%.
Uncovering Housing Resources for Foster Youth and Seniors
Geheran’s research evolved organically from their volunteer work. As a Somerville resident, they often interacted with youth experiencing homelessness. “I was devastated by their living conditions, and was motivated to ensure that they got the support they needed,” they recall. Thereafter, Geheran volunteered for Y2Y, a youth shelter in Cambridge, which serves local youth experiencing homelessness between the ages of 18 to 25.
“While I was volunteering at Y2Y, several guests disclosed to me that they had exited the foster system. I also read an official report based on surveys with guests, which conveyed that half of all guests were former foster youth,” Geheran says. “This data illuminated a significant gap in services for youth transitioning out of foster care, and it became the subject of one of my research projects at Simmons.”
While taking “Health, Law, and Human Rights in Practice” (MHEO 488) with Associate Professor of Practice and Director of the Master of Public Health program Leigh Haynes, Geheran became aware of a housing voucher called the Foster Youth Independence Voucher. Designed for youth between the ages of 18 and 24 who have either exited foster or are set to exit within 90 days, this subsidy is valid for three years and allows for a two-year extension.
“I thought this was such a fabulous resource and I wanted to connect people to it,” Geheran says. Working with Professor Haynes, Geheran contacted the state’s Department of Children and Families (DCF). They learned that accessing the voucher is quite complicated and not all agencies offer it. “As an ongoing project, I am working on how child welfare agencies can submit referrals on behalf of their guests … I would love to really effect on-the-ground change to make sure that eligible youth are getting access to housing resources.”
Moreover, Geheran has researched housing insecurity among seniors, which constituted their capstone project for the MPH’s “Health Equity Change Project II” (MHEO 496), taught by Associate Professor of Practice Dolores Wolongevicz. For this project, Geheran focused on adults aged 60 years and older and worked with Somerville’s Office of Housing Stability.
“I wanted to know how seniors’ experiences with housing instability impacted their health and how interventions provided by the Office can promote better health,” Geheran explains. For example, the Office offers a bridge program — a temporary housing subsidy — for adults ages 60 and up, though the funding is temporarily on hold. To be clear, it is called a “bridge” program because the seniors who qualify are also on waiting lists for long-term subsidized housing; thus, the assistance is temporary. Ideally, seniors receive the bridge subsidy until they are approved for a more permanent housing opportunity.
“Many older adults are at risk for eviction because they cannot afford the rent. They are on fixed incomes, and rents keep going up, so getting that temporary subsidy is really significant,” Geheran explains.
“Having resources to serve older populations is crucial. Housing subsidies and interim resources not only prevent homelessness, but also prevent the stress and health problems among these individuals,” says Geheran. “Housing instability can raise blood pressure and exacerbate chronic conditions like arthritis, to which older adults are especially susceptible.”
For Geheran, “housing is a human right … We have the resources to provide housing for everyone, it’s just a matter of political will.”
A Health Equity Focus at Simmons
“I’ve always been drawn to resolve different injustices, and I realized that public health was the common thread that ran through all of them,” Geheran says. When working as a hotline counselor for the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center, they realized that the country’s epidemic of sexual violence is also a public health issue. “I was seeing a lot of issues that were related to the social determinants of health.”
When considering graduate programs in public health, Geheran was drawn to Simmons’ Department of Public Health and its health equity emphasis. “So many public health issues arise from the various stratifications of society: by race, class, gender/gender identity, and so forth, so I really like this focus,” they say.
Furthermore, Geheran appreciates the MPH program’s in-person immersion experiences, which enable graduate students to perceive health inequities on-the-ground and in real time. MPH students are required to attend two immersions. For Geheran’s cohort, these were a three-day immersion on the Simmons campus in Boston and one in the US-Mexico borderlands region of Arizona, where students had the opportunity to learn from local community partners and examine community-driven models of development and social justice while engaging in a hands-on service project.
Even as an online student, Geheran finds the Simmons community supportive and tight-knit. As a bonus, Geheran loves sharks and adores Simmons’ mascot, Stormy.
“All the professors have been absolutely fabulous … they go above and beyond to be supportive and to connect with and mentor students outside of class,” Geheran says.
In particular, Professor Haynes “has been such a great influence and a role model,” Geheran notes. Some of Geheran’s favorite courses were “Health Policy, Analysis, and Change” (MHEO 440) and “Health, Law, and Human Rights in Practice” (MHEO 488), both taught by Haynes. Professor Wolongevicz also offers students rich feedback and advice.
“When you are in class with people on a weekly basis, you really do feel like you get to know them,” Geheran says. “When we did have the opportunity to meet in person during the immersions, it was as if we had already met … And it’s inspiring to know that you are not alone in this work.”
Realizing Social Change
Through policy work and community organizing, Geheran envisions a career punctuated by supporting disenfranchised and oppressed populations. Currently, they work with Somerville’s Community Action Agency to try to secure rent control. “[At Simmons], we are taught to be specific and strategic about health inequity issues, which is so important,” they say.
The capacity for social change is especially rewarding for Geheran. “Just knowing that we can make a change, and change can be realized [is so meaningful],” they say. “By feeling connected and not alone, change can come about from collective action.”