Substance Use Disorders are prevalent among 52% of adults experiencing chronic homelessness in Los Angeles County.¹ In the broader media, we rarely hear the clear evidence about how homelessness and substance use disorders intersect. Lack of affordable housing and substance use are named as separate “causes” for increased encampments of people experiencing homelessness, without capturing a more nuanced understanding of how the two issues may mutually reinforce each other. This symposium will illuminate research, lived experiences, service provision and policy practice perspectives to grow our collective understanding for how to inform equitable and culturally responsive approaches to homelessness.