One item in the plan I feel needs addressing is the "prevention of homelessness" idea.
The idea of preventing homeless sounds great but basically appears not to be an effective investment of resources. A randomized study was just completed in Utah of 443 households at risk of homelessness. Half received resources (total of $257,000) to keep them housed and half the other half received no additional services. Of those who received prevention assistance, 7, or 3%, became homeless and those who received no assistance, 15, or 7%, became homeless. We have concluded that the investment of resources into rapid housing is a much more effective approach as it is difficult to predict who will become homeless. Therefore, we suggest the Plan encourage communities invest more towards rapid rehousing.
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Anonymous commented
Many families could be prevented from becoming homeless if agencies could provide rental assistance or short-term subsidies to those who are not in "prioritized literally homeless" living situations (doubled- or tripled-up with family or friends, living in a single motel room with parent(s) and children, etc.).
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Anonymous commented
Prevention might work better if it were better targeted. Although people in the Utah study may have been needy on other grounds, they were clearly NOT at immediate risk of homelessness.