What are the state of the art approaches for addressing homelessness in the U.S? In his article, “The Limits of Housing First,” Christopher Rufo offer lots of facts and figures but no optimism. Homelessness is a massively daunting problem and U.S. cities are struggling for answers. An excerpt:
In Los Angeles, this could spell disaster. In the most optimistic scenario laid out by the controller’s office, the city will build 5,873 supportive housing units at an initial cost of $1.2 billion, plus an estimated $88 million in annual service costs associated with the Housing First model. The recipients of this housing will not meaningfully improve their lives in terms of addiction, mental illness, and spiritual well-being — and there will still be 60,000 people on the streets across Los Angeles County. In other words, even under its own theoretical assumptions, Proposition HHH is doomed to fail.
The City of Los Angeles did not return a request for comment.
The simple answer is that there are no simple answers to many of our headline problems, including homelessness, immigration, drugs and others. People who suggest “Why don’t you just” need to keep silent. Those with nebulous recommendations such as “Just be fair,” or “Remember the brotherhood of Man,” and even “Ensure Equity and Justice” cannot define their terms without circular logic. The reasons for homelessness are many, and the solutions must be, as well.
When a solution is proposed it rarely covers everyone, and always is met with disparate reactions depending on individual and group interests. I was astounded when President Biden announced that tax rates on corporations had to go up because “many Fortune 500 companies pay no taxes with all the loopholes.” The obvious issue is math. It doesn’t matter what the rates are if the “loopholes” allow the corporation to exempt all of its income from taxes. A slightly less obvious issue is that only a small slice of people will be satisfied at a proclamation about raising taxes on corporations while doing nothing to cause the corporation to pay an additional dollar. Those who value form over substance will be pleased, as well as those who buy into class warfare and the politics of envy, And this was just taxes. Wait until we talk about mental illness.