The impact of homelessness prevention programs on homelessness
It is demonstrated that the volatile nature of funding availability leads to good-as-random variation in the allocation of resources to individuals seeking assistance, and temporary financial assistance can be used successfully to prevent homelessness, is affordable, and helps individuals and families.
Abstract
<jats:title>Programs that buffer a financial shock work</jats:title> <jats:p> For people without a safety net of social and financial resources, a shock, such as medical expenses not covered by insurance, can be the first step in a downward spiral toward homelessness and morbidity. Evans <jats:italic>et al.</jats:italic> evaluate the effectiveness and cost of a program in Chicago that provides temporary financial assistance with the aim of enabling individuals to stay in their homes and out of homeless shelters. They find that one-time payments of up to $1500 greatly reduce the likelihood of homelessness. The estimated economic benefits exceed the estimated costs, with immeasurable psychic and physical benefits. </jats:p> <jats:p> <jats:italic>Science</jats:italic> , this issue p. <jats:related-article xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" ext-link-type="doi" issue="6300" page="694" related-article-type="in-this-issue" vol="353" xlink:href="10.1126/science.aag0833">694</jats:related-article> </jats:p>