Sunday, April 19, 2015

The surprisingly simple way Utah solved chronic homelessness and saved millions



For years, the thought of simply giving the homeless homes seemed absurd, constituting the height of government waste. Many chronically homeless, after all, are victims of severe trauma and significant mental health and addiction issues. Many more have spent thousands of nights on the streets and are no longer familiar with living in a home. Who, in their right mind, would willingly give such folk brand-new houses without any proof of marked improvement?

But that's exactly what Utah did.

First the state identified the homeless that experts would consider chronically homeless. That designation means they have a disabling condition and have been homeless for longer than a year, or four different times in the last three years. Among the many subgroups of the homeless community – such as homeless families or homeless children – the chronically homeless are both the most difficult to reabsorb into society and use the most public resources.

So in 2004, as part of a trial, the state housed 17 people throughout Salt Lake City. Then they checked back a year later. Fourteen were still in their homes. Three were dead. The success rate had topped 80 per cent, which to Mr Walker "sounded pretty good".

It's now years later. And these days, Mr Walker says, the state saves $US8000 ($10,271) per homeless person in annual expenses.

And now, the chronic homeless are no longer tallied in numbers. They're tallied by name. The last few are awaiting their houses.
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