Housing First works

Spending $150,000 on rocks doesn’t resolve homelessness; it just pushes it to another location.

Not only does this not resolve the problem, but also it creates a deeper wedge between the marginalized and society. The city says that rocks were placed for a landscape upgrade, but that same amount of money could have helped at least 21 homeless individuals get back on their feet via a Housing First approach.

Housing first is an effective initiative that provides the chronically homeless an opportunity to obtain safe and permanent housing initially, and then provides supportive services including employment, and healthcare to promote long-term housing stability. This program provides a safe place to live while decreasing the public’s cost for these individuals.

A high-need homeless person can cost the public $50,000 to $250,000 a year in various services. That same individual can live in a Father Bach Haven apartment for roughly $7,000 annually. The housing first system not only keeps the community safe, but the chronically homeless can feel protected and empowered to get back on their feet while reducing costs to the community.

Kathleen Mathews

Spokane