NOT THE SHARPEST KNIVES IN THE DRAWER: Homeless Shelters Pricier Than Permanent Housing
A study by the Department of Housing and Urban Development finds that local, state and federal agencies pay far more to place the homeless in short-term shelters than what it would cost to rent permanent housing, reports USA Today:
Emergency shelter for families was the most costly. In Washington, D.C., the average bill for a month in an emergency shelter ranges from $2,500 to $3,700. In Houston, the average is $1,391.
Many communities probably don't know that they are spending as much "to maintain a cot in a gymnasium with 100 other cots" as it would cost to rent an efficiency apartment, says Dennis Culhane, a University of Pennsylvania professor who studies housing policies. "We are paying for a form of housing that is largely substandard, and we are paying as much, if not more, than standard conventional housing." …
Costs to shelter first-time homeless people varied based on the type of shelter and other services provided, how long they stayed and overhead. Shelters may offer drug and alcohol treatment, mental health care, family counseling and help obtaining government benefits.
Efficiency apartment? In most U.S. cities $3,700 a month will get you a huge apartment in the most chi-chi section of town.
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