Shade and survival: heat, homelessness, and human dignity

BACKGROUND: Extreme heat is among the deadliest climate hazards in the United States, yet municipal emergency planning often overlooks people experiencing homelessness (PEH). This study examines how heat exposure and survival are shaped by inequality, governance, and spatial exclusion in Orlando, Florida. METHODS: We conducted thirty‑eight semi‑structured interviews with PEH during the summers of 2024-2025 at an urban day‑services hub. Using an urban political ecology lens and thematic analysis with independent coding and triangulation, we explored health impacts, coping strategies, barriers to formal cooling, and recommendations for policy change. RESULTS: Participants reported fragile, improvised strategies (e.g., shifting shade, wetting clothing, riding buses, peer mutual aid) amid inconsistent access to cooling centers and water. Barriers included identification rules, transport, policing and displacement, and information gaps. Reported consequences included dehydration, sleep disruption, exacerbation of chronic illness, anxiety, and depression. Informal 'break‑offs' and mutual aid were lifelines but unpredictable. Participants consistently framed housing, accessible cooling infrastructure, predictable services, and human‑centered governance as urgent needs. CONCLUSIONS: Extreme heat functions as a socially produced crisis that magnifies existing inequities for unhoused residents. Addressing risk requires shifting from ad hoc emergency responses toward durable investments in housing, inclusive cooling infrastructure, and participatory, dignity‑centered governance.