A simple idea has proved itself so effective that towns across the U.S. and Canada have been adopting the model known as “Housing First.” These communities have realized that society’s cost is less to provide a home than to provide necessary services to homeless individuals. Jail time, mental health, addiction treatment and emergency medical care are considerably more expensive than just providing the homeless homes.
Salt Lake City has seen a 70 percent drop in homelessness and has saved major amounts once spent on social services. Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada, embraced Housing First and has virtually wiped out homelessness; Mayor Ted Clugston says, “It costs about $20,000 a year to house someone ... on the street, it can cost up to $100,000. ... (Housing First) is the cheapest and the most humane way to treat people.”
Traditionally, people have been expected to be drug-free to receive housing help. Clugston reminds us, “If you’re addicted to drugs, it’s going to be pretty hard to get off them if you’re sleeping under a park bench.” For decades, mental-health educators have taught that until individuals meet their basic needs, they are unable to focus on other important issues. Recognizing this truth, Housing First programs have some basic principles in common:
Providing housing with no requirement to engage in other programs;
Individuals only need to comply with basic lease requirements to maintain their housing;
Housing is provided throughout the community avoiding clustering clients into social service areas; and
Programs provide, not require, participation in case management, allowing people the dignity of choosing their own direction and encouraging them to become part of the community.
Durango social service organizations are highly engaged in providing services to the homeless population while they are still homeless, but it is time for Durango to move toward this evidence-based solution in our collective desire to really help our most vulnerable residents.
Peter Dybing and Betty Bozeman
Durango
