Motel Homeless Numbers on the rise

This morning, The Boston Globe ran a front page story on the record numbers of families being placed by the state into area motels because homeless shelters are over capacity. As of June 15, there were 751 families, with about 1000 children total, living in local motels at a cost to taxpayers of nearly $2 million last month ($85 a night). The article interviews Joe Kriesberg, president of United Way partner agency -- the Massachusetts Association of Community Development Corporations who said, "It's an extraordinary waste of money when we know the best way to house people is in permanent housing."

Stabilizing families experiencing homelessness in permanent housing is the core of an approach called Housing First.  Housing First aims to solve episodic homelessness by getting families out of unstable shelter or motel situations and investing in permanent homes as the foundation from which individuals experiencing homelessness can begin to rebuild their lives. Housing First as a solution is actually less expensive over the long-run and has a higher success rate in ending homelessness for individuals and families.  For example, As of February 23, 2009, 357 formerly chronically homeless people have been housed in the Home & Healthy for Good, a Housing First program run by United Way partner agency Massachusetts Housing and Shelter Alliance. Tenant retention stands at 84 percent. [source].

An even more compelling explanation, though, is George's story, below: