What keeps homeless people off the streets?

What keeps homeless people off the streets?

The guy tucked into a stained blanket on the bench, the woman pushing a cart filled with everything she owns — from New York to Los Angeles, there are more than half a million people sleeping outside or in some form of transitional housing.

What have large American cities done that has successfully reduced the number of people living on the streets?

In New York City, the answer to reducing our chronically homeless population is supportive housing: permanently affordable homes with on-site social services.

Supportive housing is a time-proven, cost-effective strategy that gives the homeless a second chance at life.

Thousands of supportive housing units have been built under this program, and in the past year, New York City has actually recorded a decrease in the number of unsheltered homeless people on its streets.

Recently, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio initiated a separate plan to build 200,000 units of affordable housing, including units specifically set aside for homeless people.

Brenda E. Rosen is president and CEO of Common Ground, a New York City nonprofit that develops and sustains high-quality, affordable supportive housing.

The root causes of homelessness are complex and interrelated: lack of affordable housing, job loss, economic inequality, poor decisions that result in prison sentences, physical and mental health challenges, and ineffective public policy have all contributed to the problem.

Rigorous evaluations of several programs demonstrate that formerly homeless individuals that hold a job for at least six months are significantly more likely to stay out of prison, maintain stable housing, have better health incomes and significantly decrease their reliance on public support.

Mark Loranger is the president and CEO of Chrysalis, a Los Angeles nonprofit that works with the homeless and those in poverty to help them find and retain employment.

[...] because a home can be such an elusive goal for so many in today’s economy, a city’s capacity to keep people off of its streets is directly correlated with its ability to provide the range of services required to fully engage and support someone experiencing homelessness.

During the training, clients are given intensive case management, housing assistance, a stipend and transportation assistance.

Clients can also utilize all of the other services offered by the agency, including showers, laundry, phones, hot meals, pantry services, computer access and a mailing address.

If we don’t want people living in the street, then we had better get about the business of providing them with somewhere to live, where they can conduct their lives privately and with the appropriate supports, like those of us lucky enough to have a place we call home.

Alicia Horton is the executive director of Thrive DC, a homeless and low-income service organization dedicated to preventing and ending homelessness.

The plan centered on collaboration among local and state governments and communities, caring community support, and champions who built up local resources to improve services for the homeless.

The reduction in Utah’s chronic homelessness is primarily due to the provision of permanent housing using a “Housing First” approach.

Tamera Kohler is the interim director of the Housing and Community Development Division at Utah’s Department of Workforce Services.

The U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness just initiated an amendment to the federal strategic plan to prevent and end homelessness, and we did so with more confidence than ever.

Challenging the status quo and embracing evidence-based practices across the full range of homeless programs and services.

Keeping the focus on people experiencing homelessness, making person-centered planning a centerpiece in system design and quality improvement efforts.

Staying in it for the long haul, recognizing that housing is not the end point for people but an intervention to be used as a platform for community involvement.

Matthew Doherty is the executive director of the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness and is responsible for the implementation of the Opening Doors plan.