The results from HUD's first study on the costs of services to the homeless finds that securing and subsidizing rental housing for the homeless is more cost-effective than emergency homeless shelters.
According to the Houston Chronicle, the costs of sheltering a family in a homeless shelter can be almost double that of a two-bedroom apartment:
"When helping first-time homeless, it's cheaper for some communities to house individuals and families in rental apartments than in emergency shelters or transitional housing, according to a federal study released Thursday[ by] the Department of Housing and Urban Development. A little more than 7,000 individuals from four cities...and almost 4,000 families from six cities...were tracked over an 18-month period beginning in 2006. [I]n almost all cases, the cost of providing housing in homeless programs exceeds the fair market rent cost of providing rental assistance with support services.
Thaos Costis, chief executive officer of Houston's SEARCH Services...said the study builds the case for the housing-first concept, which is popular in northern states. The goal is get to people out of emergency shelters and into permanent housing immediately."
FULL STORY: Study: Rent units better for homeless, city budget
HUD: Homelessness Up by 12 Percent
The agency’s annual point-in-time count identified over 650,000 Americans living without permanent housing.
The Homelessness Crisis Deepened, Even Before the Pandemic
New numbers from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development show "devastating" growth in the number of unhoused people in the United States in January 2020.
Houston Gets a Handle on Homelessness While Dallas Struggles
Formerly playing host to almost double the homeless population of Dallas, Houston has addressed the problem with some success over the past decade. Meanwhile, rising costs have fueled a growing crisis in Dallas.
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
Coming Soon to Ohio: The Largest Agrivoltaic Farm in the US
The ambitious 6,000-acre project will combine an 800-watt solar farm with crop and livestock production.
World's Largest Wildlife Overpass In the Works in Los Angeles County
Caltrans will soon close half of the 101 Freeway in order to continue construction of the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing near Agoura Hills in Los Angeles County.
California Grid Runs on 100% Renewable Energy for Over 9 Hours
The state’s energy grid was entirely powered by clean energy for some portion of the day on 37 out of the last 45 days.
New Forecasting Tool Aims to Reduce Heat-Related Deaths
Two federal agencies launched a new, easy-to-use, color-coded heat warning system that combines meteorological and medical risk factors.
AI Traffic Management Comes to Dallas-Fort Worth
Several Texas cities are using an AI-powered platform called NoTraffic to help manage traffic signals to increase safety and improve traffic flow.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Tufts University, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy & Planning
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
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