Addressing Homelessness Through Housing First

The truth is that government aid to the unsheltered doesn’t enable homelessness, instead it provides the homeless and those at risk of homelessness with the resources to become more autonomous.

Believe it or not, the low-income class isn’t the only group that receives welfare from the government. In fact, the wealthy receive an enormous amount of welfare from the government in the form of tax breaks. Their wealth grants them tax exemptions that are arguably more generous than the social protection services provided to Americans further down the socioeconomic ladder. But when policymakers are looking to cut government spending, they frequently place unemployment and SNAP benefits and other crucial safety net programs first on the chopping block. 

I’m sure we’re all familiar with the unsavory stereotypes and assumptions given to those on these safety net programs. Different welfare recipients are deemed “deserving” and others “undeserving,” and in no area are these messed-up assumptions more troubling than in the context of homelessness. It’s clear that these assumptions are not grounded in data, but in human biases.

Many Americans believe that the homeless live off the street by their own choosing, or their own laziness. “Get a job!” the homeless are told. But this can be impossible when the problems that made them homeless in the first place still exist. Those that view unhoused individuals as failing to use their agency for self-improvement are the most vocal advocates for cutting homeless support services. A lack of agency, though, is generally not what’s keeping people on the streets. The homeless face considerably more barriers to finding housing than the typical person. Oftentimes, unhoused individuals have limited education, suffer from addiction or grapple with a disability, or have to overcome a prior eviction on their record.

A criminal record is another factor that prevents the homeless population from accessing housing on their own because renters and employers don’t want to work with someone that has a criminal history. In a survey of 712 formerly incarcerated people, and 368 family members of the formerly incarcerated, 79% of the participants were either ineligible for or denied housing because of their own or a loved one’s conviction. Instead of being provided with resources to get a job and access housing, many incarcerated people are marked with a criminal record and left to fend for themselves upon release, making it even more likely that they’ll end up homeless or back in prison.

Without government guidance and assistance, vulnerable people like the formerly incarcerated usually have no other option than to seek shelter or apply for government-sponsored housing. But the truth is that “many who are unsheltered perceive shelters as unsafe, or at least less safe than the street,” according to Linda Gibbs, in her book How Ten Global Cities Take On Homelessness: Innovations That Work. Many of the government funds and programs that are provided for the homeless aren’t being used in an efficient way, and don't take into account the social needs of the homeless.

Gibbs stresses the importance of the internationally-recognized Housing First model because studies show that people are much more likely to escape homelessness if they get access to basic necessities like food and shelter first, as opposed to other responses to homelessness. Only then, can they effectively search for a job, address substance abuse, etc. Furthermore, many employers ask for a physical address upon hiring you, so a Housing First approach can boost income-earning opportunities as well.

Also, the Housing First model has proven to be cost efficient. One study found that the Housing First model saves $31,545 worth of emergency services, and another study showed that this model could cost up to $23,000 less per person every year than a shelter program. Not to mention that participants receiving supportive housing are 61% less likely to be re-incarcerated. Unfortunately, the waiting list for housing in Oregon is overwhelmingly long because there isn’t funding to provide enough housing units. In some cases, homeless individuals have to wait years on a waiting list before they can access housing, according to workers at the Salem Housing Authority when I met with them.

The truth is that government aid to the unsheltered doesn’t enable homelessness, instead it provides the homeless and those at risk of homelessness with the resources to become successful and autonomous. Providing resources for the homeless population reduces emergency room visits, hospitalizations, detox services and incarceration. The “Magnet Theory'' that homeless services will draw in more homeless people has been disproven by academic research, and is not grounded in data, but in human biases. 

At a time when the Salem Housing Authority is reporting a waiting time of several years to access affordable housing, now is not the time to be miserly with government aid to homeless individuals. The Housing First model is a pragmatic and well-researched solution to the homelessness crisis, so before you dismiss the homeless as undeserving, consider why our policymakers value tax cuts for the wealthy more than laying stepping stones that can lead individuals to a stable and prosperous life.

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Jared is a Politics, Policy, Law and Ethics Major at Willamette University, aspiring to bring Oregon together to achieve more representative elections and a sustainable energy program to brag about.

Photo credit: "20200417-Homeless-Tents-Site-Water-Ave-MN-01" by Multnomah County Communications is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0