Newly appointed HELP USA AVP of Research Ashwin Parulkar’s presentation spurs March meeting
with Clark County and HUD representatives to discuss coordination of efforts to build and service housing for
unsheltered single adults in the region.
NEW YORK, NY– (February 29, 2024) HELP USA, the renowned national homeless services provider, will join
representatives from Nevada’s Clark County, the City of Las Vegas, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development in early March to begin discussions on expanded efforts to address housing solutions for the large
“unsheltered” population in the area.
The planned meeting is the result of a January 17, 2024, presentation to the Las Vegas City Council by Ashwin Parulkar, HELP USA’s lead researcher. Parulkar delivered findings from a 2023 HELP USA study commissioned by the City of Las Vegas Neighborhood Services Department (NSD) aimed at gaining a deeper understanding of the causes of homelessness in the area to better inform policy decisions. The study confirmed that homelessness in Las Vegas is driven by structural inequalities such as exceedingly high rents and housing shortages, reinforcing findings from other recent academic work. Parulkar, a distinguished professional with an impressive academic background, has recently been promoted to AVP of Research at HELP USA. Chief Operating Officer Daniel Farrell expressed his confidence in Parulkar’s capabilities, stating, “Ashwin has done a tremendous job as part of HELP’s research team. His skill at articulating staff and client ideas makes him a perfect choice to lead this department. His ability to transform concepts into practice and create appropriate research models is impressive.”
In his new role as AVP of Research, Parulkar will focus the department’s efforts on proof-of-concept interventions that deliver actionable programming with demonstrable results for the people HELP USA serves. Utilizing innovative and evidence-based interventions grounded in empirical research will continue to underpin the department’s projects. Also of note, Parulkar and HELP Research will have a chapter in the Spring 2024 edited volume, Pandemic Planning and Homelessness: Lessons from Covid-19 (Canadian Observatory on Homelessness). The chapter, co-authored with HELP Single Adult Services staff, details a peer vaccine support program introduced at HELP USA’s New York City sites during the pandemic, and highlights successes achieved in the application of this model.
Ashwin Parulkar holds dual Master of Arts degrees in International Relations from the prestigious Maxwell School at
Syracuse University, and a Master of Fine Arts.
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About HELP USA
HELP USA is a national leader in homeless services with benchmark transitional and supportive housing operations in New York, Las Vegas, and Philadelphia. HELP USA works to ensure that everyone has a place to call home. We build affordable homes, provide shelter for people in crisis, and strengthen vulnerable communities. Every day, we address the root causes of homelessness at our 50 residences and over a dozen prevention and support programs. For more information, visit www.helpusa.org