As a former Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and a sitting United States Congressman, we share a deep concern about the ongoing crisis of homelessness in America. Despite decades of effort and billions of taxpayer dollars, the number of homeless individuals has continued to rise to unprecedented levels. More and more we are seeing the visible consequences of untreated substance abuse disorders and mental illness is having on individuals, the environment, and our communities. It is apparent that Housing First, the dominant approach to addressing homelessness in the United States for well over a decade, has proven ineffective in solving this problem.
Housing First is premised on the idea that by giving people housing without preconditions, the homeless individual will then have the means to stabilize his life. However, the problem with this approach is that it prioritizes permanent housing for the homeless without requiring them to address any of the underlying problems or root causes — usually substance abuse and mental illness — that led to their homelessness in the first place. For example, Housing First does not require homeless individuals to meet behavioral criteria such as any level of sobriety or participate in treatment programs which have proven instrumental in getting homeless individuals back on their feet as productive, functioning members of society.
The problem with this [Housing First] approach is that it prioritizes permanent housing for the homeless without requiring them to address any of the underlying problems or root causes…
While this approach at first blush may sound well-intentioned, in practice it does not achieve lasting results. A recent report from the US Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) has shown that Housing First ultimately fails in its goal of addressing the root causes of homelessness. In fact, after years of increased investment, states like California that wholeheartedly embraced Housing First policies are experiencing unprecedented increases in homelessness. At the end of the day, homelessness is not just a housing problem. Homelessness is a complex issue that requires a multi-faceted approach, and the USICH report found that the Housing First model fails to provide wraparound services such as job training, mental health services, and addiction treatment that are necessary to address the underlying issues at play. Often the key to success is a combination of housing and treatment, which is why more holistic wraparound services are essential for the homeless to achieve improved and lasting outcomes.
That is why we support eliminating HUD’s exclusive reliance on the Housing First policies. HUD directs billions of dollars towards homelessness services through the Continuum of Care program (CoC) yet it does not incentivize the provision of, or access to, wraparound services which help individuals suffering with homelessness achieve personal transformation and put them on the path to self-sufficiency.
Furthermore, faith-based organizations have been and will continue to be a critical part of the solution to homelessness in America. They are partners in addressing homelessness in our communities, operating nearly 30 percent of emergency shelter beds. We cannot end homelessness without their partnership. We firmly believe that these organizations should not be excluded from general funding opportunities simply because of their religious affiliation.
Often the key to success is a combination of housing and treatment, which is why more holistic wraparound services are essential for the homeless to achieve improved and lasting outcomes.
In this economic downturn, we fear homelessness will only get worse. To move forward we must recognize the failures of current policies so that we can get to the business of actually solving America’s homelessness crisis. We need to take a more comprehensive approach that recognizes the dignity of the person rather than simply offering everyone a house and leaving them to their own devices. Rather than looking at a person as someone who needs only to be housed, we should look at a person as someone who needs to be helped. We urge Congress to support legislation and both sides of the aisle to put our partisan differences aside to address this ongoing crisis, and solutions like those presented in Representative Barr’s Housing Plus Act are exactly the kinds of changes we need to implement to be successful. Only by coming together and tackling this problem head-on can we hope to make a lasting difference in the lives of those experiencing homelessness in America. Abandoning the failed Housing First approach is the first, but essential, step in doing so.
Dr. Ben Carson is the Founder and Chairman of the American Cornerstone Institute and previously served as the 17th Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Andy Barr represents the 6th District of Kentucky in the U.S. House of Representatives.