Utah Reduced Chronic Homelessness By 91 Percent; Here's How

[KimPetras]

Utah Reduced Chronic Homelessness By 91 Percent; Here's How : NPR

Some highlights of the article:

The idea of Housing First is that housing comes first, services later. Clients do have to pay some rent — either 30 percent of income or up to $50 a month, whichever is greater.

"Because I was raised as a cowboy in the west desert," Pendleton says, "and I have said over the years, 'You lazy bums, get a job, pull yourself up by the bootstraps.'"



As a conservative, Lloyd Pendleton didn't think the government should simply give people a place to live. But he changed his mind after learning about the Housing First model and now heads Utah's Homeless Task Force.





Then in 2003, Lloyd Pendleton went to a conference on homelessness in Chicago.


At that conference, a founder of the Housing First philosophy, Sam Tsemberis, told him that chronically homeless people cost the government a lot of money when they're living on the street, because of services like emergency room visits and jail time.


HUD estimates that annual cost as between $30,000 and $50,000 per person.
Housing them simply costs a lot less.

Conservatives hate the "s word" (socialism) and think people are just plain lazy. Nevertheless, lazy or not, there is a group of people that end up costing the government more money (no insurance/jail time). They realized that through their program, people are more likely to be productive and out of jail if they were housed. Utah ended up saving money while simultaneously taking care of homeless people. Isn't that the better alternative than just to have the government use tax payer money to pay for ER visits/lock them up?

What arguments do you have against the US adopting this pragmatic approach if it works?

 

[Utah]

You promoting free housing for able-bodied people who don't want to work?

 

[4enlightment]

I had thought that they were doing what New York is doing to solve the homeless problem.



They are flown to Paris ($6,332), Orlando ($858.40), Johannesburg ($2,550.70), or most frequently, San Juan ($484.20).
They are not executives on business trips or couples on honeymoons. Rather, all are families who have ended up homeless, and all the plane tickets are courtesy of the city of New York (one-way).
The Bloomberg administration, which has struggled with a seemingly intractable problem of homelessness for years, has paid for more than 550 families to leave the city since 2007, as a way of keeping them out of the expensive shelter system, which costs $36,000 a year per family. All it takes is for a relative elsewhere to agree to take the family in.
Many of them are longtime New Yorkers who have come upon hard times, arrive at the shelter’s doorstep and jump at the offer to move at no cost. Others are recent arrivals who are happy to return home after becoming discouraged by the city’s noise, the mazelike subway, the difficult job market or the high cost of housing. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/29/nyregion/29oneway.html?_r=0

 

[KimPetras]

You promoting free housing for able-bodied people who don't want to work?

I'm promoting what the state of Utah did to reduce their homelessness by 91% which simultaneously saved them money and kept them out of jail.

I like to keep an open minded on topics/issues and curious as to the objections one might have if it appears to work.

 

[Utah]

I'm promoting what the state of Utah did to reduce their homelessness by 91% which simultaneously saved them money and kept them out of jail.

I like to keep an open minded on topics/issues and curious as to the objections one might have if it appears to work.

If you provide free housing for everyone who refuses to work, eventually no one will work and the system will collapse. Then what?

 

[KimPetras]

I had thought that they were doing what New York is doing to solve the homeless problem.



They are flown to Paris ($6,332), Orlando ($858.40), Johannesburg ($2,550.70), or most frequently, San Juan ($484.20).
They are not executives on business trips or couples on honeymoons. Rather, all are families who have ended up homeless, and all the plane tickets are courtesy of the city of New York (one-way).
The Bloomberg administration, which has struggled with a seemingly intractable problem of homelessness for years, has paid for more than 550 families to leave the city since 2007, as a way of keeping them out of the expensive shelter system, which costs $36,000 a year per family. All it takes is for a relative elsewhere to agree to take the family in.
Many of them are longtime New Yorkers who have come upon hard times, arrive at the shelter’s doorstep and jump at the offer to move at no cost. Others are recent arrivals who are happy to return home after becoming discouraged by the city’s noise, the mazelike subway, the difficult job market or the high cost of housing. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/29/nyregion/29oneway.html?_r=0

That sounds more like a Trump idea to end homelessness. Then again... he is from NY.

 

[KimPetras]

If you provide free housing for everyone who refuses to work, eventually no one will work and the system will collapse. Then what?

That hasn't been the case in Utah. I also disagree that "eventually no one will work".

For me personally, I don't want to just live. I want to thrive. I don't mind putting in the hard work to obtain the finer things in life. Perhaps that's worldly of me... but hey, I'm not perfect.

 

[tourist]

Actually, the state of Utah contributed very little to alleviate homeless as it was money that came from the federal government (taxpayers) that is funding this. If the US implemented this for each state the country would be further along the road to bankruptcy. Already 19 trillion in debt, a lot of it to China. They (China) will be turning off the spigot soon and demand that the money be paid back. This country will have to default as there is no money to pay a dime back. The whole country will be homeless then.

 

[Utah]

That hasn't been the case in Utah. I also disagree that "eventually no one will work".

For me personally, I don't want to just live. I want to thrive. I don't mind putting in the hard work to obtain the finer things in life. Perhaps that's worldly of me... but hey, I'm not perfect.

Watch how many people flock to Utah over the next couple of years to obtain free housing. Eventually their system will collapse, unless of course the feds bring them back from the brink.

 

[KimPetras]

Actually, the state of Utah contributed very little to alleviate homeless as it was money that came from the federal government (taxpayers) that is funding this. If the US implemented this for each state the country would be further along the road to bankruptcy. Already 19 trillion in debt, a lot of it to China. They (China) will be turning off the spigot soon and demand that the money be paid back. This country will have to default as there is no money to pay a dime back. The whole country will be homeless then.

So is it your opinion Utah is lying about it costing less to house than to continue with the status quo? They are saying it's cheaper to house them because they are more likely to seek work, stay off drugs, and stay out of jail which ends up costing the government more money.

 

[KimPetras]

Watch how many people flock to Utah over the next couple of years to obtain free housing. Eventually their system will collapse, unless of course the feds bring them back from the brink.

If this happens, you will be right. I'm curious to see if this remains viable. If it stays viable, I think the US should really look into it.

 

[Utah]

So is it your opinion Utah is lying about it costing less to house than to continue with the status quo? They are saying it's cheaper to house them because they are more likely to seek work, stay off drugs, and stay out of jail which ends up costing the government more money.

Total bunk! Hardly anyone who is provided everything for free on the backs of others is going to want to work. They're going to kick back, drink, smoke and relax. I see it everyday here where I live.

 

[Blain]

Man Utah I always knew you were a great guy and really funny but 91 % reducing homelessness? you you have been working overtime huh? :b

 

[tourist]

So is it your opinion Utah is lying about it costing less to house than to continue with the status quo? They are saying it's cheaper to house them because they are more likely to seek work, stay off drugs, and stay out of jail which ends up costing the government more money.

Actually, the link that you provided from NPR mentioned the federal funding. I have no qualm about the mathematics that it may cost less in the long run to provide housing to all of the homeless but no evidence was provided that formerly homeless are now working, staying off drugs and staying out of jail.

 

[Utah]

I have a better idea; take able-bodied people who refuse to work and drop them off in the Aleutian Islands. Those who fail to contribute to meet their own needs will die. Its called Darwinism.

 

[Utah]

Actually, the link that you provided from NPR mentioned the federal funding. I have no qualm about the mathematics that it may cost less in the long run to provide housing to all of the homeless but no evidence was provided that formerly homeless are now working, staying off drugs and staying out of jail.

NPR promoting socialism -- nuff said there, Tourist.

 

[Utah]

Man Utah I always knew you were a great guy and really funny but 91 % reducing homelessness? you you have been working overtime huh? :b

You know I was definitely going to go there at some point, but I don't take lightly people promoting socialism so I had to wait a while in order to speak my peace.

 

[KimPetras]

Actually, the link that you provided from NPR mentioned the federal funding. I have no qualm about the mathematics that it may cost less in the long run to provide housing to all of the homeless but no evidence was provided that formerly homeless are now working, staying off drugs and staying out of jail.

Utah is winning the war on chronic homelessness with 'Housing First' program - LA Times

There is another site with a tiny bit more information. Although I'm having difficulty finding the numbers on google. They are being vague and saying it's cheaper without showing the figures on every site I visit. They could be lying, but from the countless sites endorsing Utah, I would find it difficult to believe that someone hasn't debunked their claims by now.

 

[KimPetras]

You know I was definitely going to go there at some point, but I don't take lightly people promoting socialism so I had to wait a while in order to speak my peace.

lol I thought about you when I read this article too.

 

[tourist]

I have a better idea; take able-bodied people who refuse to work and drop them off in the Aleutian Islands. Those who fail to contribute to meet their own needs will die. Its called Darwinism.

They may be in need of a government issued parka which would be cheaper than treating the frostbite injuries at the ER in Anchorage.