The Economic Consequences of Homelessness in The US

General Principles
Housing First is an approach that offers permanent, affordable housing as quickly as
possible for individuals and families experiencing homelessness, and then provides the
supportive services and connections to the community-based supports people need to
keep their housing and avoid returning to homelessness. The principles behind this
approach are:
1. Move people into housing directly from streets and shelters without preconditions
of treatment acceptance or compliance;
2. The provider is obligated to bring robust support services to the housing. These
services are predicated on assertive engagement, not coercion;
3. Continued tenancy is not dependent on participation in services;
4. Units targeted to most disabled and vulnerable homeless members of the
community;
5. Embraces harm-reduction approach to addictions rather than mandating
abstinence. At the same time, the provider must be prepared to support resident
commitment to recovery;
6. Residents must have leases and tenant protections under the law;
7. Can be implemented as either a project-based or scattered site model.
History and Evolution
In Los Angeles, California in 1988, the "Housing First" Program for families was
launched at Beyond Shelter by Tanya Tull in response to a sharp increase in the
number of homeless families with children. The "housing first" approach for families
includes in-depth screening and assessment for child safety. Families should not be
relocated to rental housing if there are indicators that a child might be in danger. In
"housing first" for families, services are available before, during, and after relocation to
rental housing - but engagement is not a requirement for participation. Unfortunately the
"housing first" philosophy was often misinterpreted in later years and, today, many
government programs promote faulty application of "housing first." For households with
children, appropriate services and monitoring may be delivered through home visits,
outpatient treatment, or linking to appropriate services in the community at-large.
In 1992 Dr. Sam Tsemberis, a faculty member of the Department of Psychiatry of
the New York University School of Medicine, founded Pathways to Housing in New York
City. Housing First for the chronically homeless is premised on the notion that housing
is a basic human right, and so should not be denied to anyone, even if they are abusing
alcohol or other substances. The Housing First model, thus, is philosophically in
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