Why waste money on prevention of homelessness

1
Why waste money on prevention of homelessness?

• Premise
• Prevention of homelessness through housing
  measures is ineffective and expensive
• Rina Beers, Federatie Opvang, Netherlands

2
Which measures are proven effective?

• Are housing subsidies effective in preventing
  homelessness?
• Is affordable housing preventing homelessness?
• Is availability of housing preventing
  homelessness?

3
It is a choice!

• Measures which are proven to be effective and
  expensive
• (adressing structural causes of homelessness)
• Minimum income, health insurance, employment and
  training opportunities, minimum wage
• Social housing, social benefits, social welfare

4
Penny wise, pound foolish

• Measures which are proven to be ineffective and
  expensive
• Investing in emergency shelters, emergency
  medical care, emergency transportation, and
  prisons
• Investing in short term and temporary solutions
  such as food banks and night or winter shelters

5
(No Transcript)
6
Effective and less expensive preventative
measures?

• Stabilization (assistance paying rent arrears or
  outstanding utility bills, at a cost of perhaps
  500 to 1,000 per case),
• Relocation grants (first and last months rent
  and security deposit, at a cost of approximately
  3,000), to transitional rent subsidies of
  varying duration (624 months)..
• Services ranging from assessment and referral
  only, to employment training and placement, to
  intensive case management services, depending on
  the characteristics of the family or individual.
• This all being cheaper than offering medium or
  long term shelter
• (from Rearranging the deck chairs, prof Dennis
  Culhane)

7
Solutions which are ineffective and inexpensive

8

• Measures which are effective and cheap
• ?