Snapshot: Most Local & State Governments Spend More on Corrections than Housing

Makenna Janes

< 1 min

As communities across the country grapple with rising homelessness and increased housing costs, the Alliance finds that the majority of state and local governments invest less on housing than they do on corrections than addressing the affordable housing crisis.

Per 2022 U.S. Census Bureau data, corrections costs — including spending on prison, jail, and detention — were higher for 38 state and local governments. In six states, spending on corrections was at least three times greater than investments in housing and community development.

Every state wants its communities to be strong, safe, and stable. That starts with investing in their residents’ most basic need: housing.

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