A chronically homeless person costs the tax payer an average of $35,578 per year. This study shows how costs on average are reduced by 49.5% when they are placed in supportive housing. Supportive housing costs on average $12,800, making the net savings roughly $4,800 per year.Congress can enact bipartisan solutions to finally end chronic homelessness by 2017. To make this happen, Congress must increase funding for HUD’s Homeless Assistance account by $414 million to $2.664 billion total, as requested by the budget.
Category: Permanent Supportive Housing
Study Data Show that Housing Chronically Homeless People Saves Money, Lives
Homelessness costs taxpayers a lot of money. Take, for example, the infamous case of Murray Barr, aka “Million Dollar Murray,” a chronically homeless man in Reno, Nevada who accrued more than a million dollars in emergency room, substance abuse treatment, police, jail, ambulance, shelter and other costs.
Despite all these costly interventions, Barr ultimately died homeless on the streets. His tragic case highlights the need for a cost-effective solution to chronic homelessness. Cost studies demonstrate that Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) is that solution.
Permanent Supportive Housing Cost Study Map
This interactive map identifies and provides details on Permanent Supportive Housing Cost Savings studies from across the country. This map graphs where the study was completed, provides bibliographical information, and the results of the study. Links to the studies are included.
HUD-VA Supportive Housing Vouchers
The HUD-VASH program is a joint program of the Departments of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Veterans Affairs (VA). Congress should continue to make ending homelessness among veterans a top priority by providing $75 million within HUD and $278 million with VA for new HUD-VASH vouchers in FY 2014, the amount requested in the President’s Budget Proposal to house an estimated 10,000 additional veterans.