Key Facts
Innovative Solutions
After decades of government efforts and tens of billion dollars spent, the homelessness problem persists. This policy failure is due to the mismatch between government objectives and the incentives of recipients. Spending on reducing homelessness is often done in high-cost areas, reducing the efficiency of much-needed assistance.
Voluntary Agreements
This new “group quarters” program would involve licensed caregivers running homes that house a handful of homeless individuals. Living conditions and the rules in the house would all be spelled out and voluntarily agreed upon by caregivers and the people staying there.
Targeted Assistance
Money spent alleviating homelessness is usually done through costly new complexes in high-rent areas. Federal rent-support programs subsidize housing for those who have incomes or funds, but they do nothing to help the neediest among the homeless.
Targeted Assistance at a Lower Cost
One advantage of the group housing program is that it wouldn’t require new homeless shelters to be built, especially in high-cost areas. Those cost savings add up, and could be instead applied to housing more at-risk or high-need homeless individuals.