Combating Homelessness: Is it possible?
- Brother Charlies
- Apr 17, 2019
- 2 min read
"Because, at the end of the day, it costs, between shelters and emergency rooms and jails, it costs about $40,000 a year for a homeless person to be on the streets."
- Shaun Donovan, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary
Homelessness is an issue in America, brought on by many reasons including the harsh housing market. Much of the homeless population are working but simply cannot afford housing or there is an extensive waiting list for federal housing options Many people have the mindset that housing the homeless population would cost more money than leaving them to live on the streets or in shelters. This is a prime example of a major myth revolving around the homeless population that is not accurate and proven false through studies.
Molly Moorhead, writer for the PolitiFact, wrote an article involving a study referenced to in an interview by HUD’s secretary Shaun Donovan who stated publicly that "Because, at the end of the day, it costs, between shelters and emergency rooms and jails, it costs about $40,000 a year for a homeless person to be on the streets."
The study Donovan pointed to was published by University of Pennsylvania researcher Dennis Culhane and was titled "Public Service Reductions Associated with Placement of Homeless Persons with Severe Mental Illness in Supportive Housing."
Culhane’s study found that "persons placed in supportive housing experience marked reductions in shelter use, hospitalizations, length of stay per hospitalization and time incarcerated. Before placement, homeless people with severe mental illness used about $40,451 per person per year in services (1999 dollars). Placement was associated with a reduction in services use of $16,281 per housing unit per year." This study is one example the demystifies the housing the homeless population myth.
Creating permanent housing for the homeless population can reduce these costs that ultimately come from taxpayers. Not only would it decrease cost in bills that an individual cannot pay but it will also help give these individuals a home.
That is a great question dvancantfort! This issue is much like climate change in the sense that everyone knows it exists and is an issue but choose to ignore it because it doesn't affect them directly. We believe that it will take something drastic like a few thousand people of the American population becoming homeless at an alarming rate. This may be the only time someone will be willing to see it as an issue and talk about it. Hope that helps. Let us know what you think will help politicians take action.
What will it take for our politicians to recognize these facts and take action to resolve the problem?