Alexandra Martinez

Sara Islas

Humanities - Luchadores

January 13, 2017

The USA has an average homeless population of 1.56 million citizens, and it won’t stop growing! The homeless programs ineffectively decrease the homeless population, but if we were to provide them with housing first it would make them eligible to apply to most jobs, saving taxpayer money in the future and lowering the percentage of homeless in the US.

The homeless population is growing because shelters aren’t properly dealing with shortening the homeless population. Stated in Soapboxie, in most cities in the US, there's space for less than 25% of the homeless people living in that city. In some cities, there is room for less than 5% of their homeless population. According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness the cost of an emergency shelter bed funded by HUD's Emergency Shelter Grants program is approximately $8,067 more than the average annual cost of a federal housing subsidy (Section 8 Housing Certificate). A HUD study found that the cost of providing emergency shelter to families is generally as much or more than the cost of placing them in transitional or permanent housing. Reported in SLO Homelessness most of these programs are generally unfunded, which means that only the most basic of services can be offered. Shelters don’t stop homelessness but only manage their situation.

Homeless will be able to apply to most jobs if they are given housing first. According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness Housing First is a homeless assistance approach that prioritizes providing people experiencing homelessness with permanent housing as quickly as possible – and then providing voluntary supportive services as needed. With housing first a percentage of the homeless population will be able to not only qualify but be employed by having a current address. As stated in National Homelessness unemployment, underemployment, and low wages relative to rent are frequent causes of homelessness. In agreement with Soapboxie many homeless do not have a mailing address they can use on job applications or have the address to a PO Box, Church, or mission to use. Employers are put off by irregular addresses on job applications. This decreases their chance of getting the job. As reported by the National Coalition for the Homeless, even after the next wage increase to $7.25, a family of three will remain about $3,000 below the poverty line, and a family of four will be more than $6,000 below it. If provided a home they will still be living in poverty but will be able to support themselves and their family to an extent, no longer be homeless.

The percentage of the homeless will decrease if housing first is provided and taxpayer money will be saved. As stated in Mother Jones, in the past nine years, Utah has decreased the number of homeless by 72 percent—largely by finding and building apartments where they can live, permanently, with no strings attached. In consonance with Homeless Link, 1 billion pounds or 820 million us dollars is the estimated annual cost of homelessness. According to National Alliance to End Homelessness, in Denver, PSH saved $15,733 per year, per person in public costs for shelter, criminal justice, health care, emergency room, and behavioral health costs. The savings were enough to completely offset the cost of housing ($13,400) and still save taxpayers $2,373. Housing First and programs alike not only save money but better the economy and reduce the homeless population

Communities should provide housing first to the homeless, saving taxpayer money and lowering the percentage of the homeless population in the US.

Works Cited

National Alliance to End Homelessness : Housing First

http://www.endhomelessness.org/pages/housing_first

National Homelessness : Employment and Income

http://nationalhomeless.org/issues/economic-justice/

Soapboxie : Why Don’t Homeless People Just Get Jobs?

https://soapboxie.com/social-issues/why-homeless-people-dont-just-get-a-job

National Coalition for the Homeless : Employment and Homelessness

http://www.nationalhomeless.org/factsheets/employment.html

Homeless Link : Impact of Homelessness

http://www.homeless.org.uk/facts/understanding-homelessness/impact-of-homelessness