How ‘Housing First’ fueled the homelessness crisis: Adele Malpass
In New York City last week, a woman died when a homeless man pushed her onto the Times Square subway tracks. Over the weekend, Los Angeles suffered a tragedy when a homeless man with a long rap sheet stabbed a woman to death in an upscale furniture store.
For the last 40 years, America has been in a crisis of homelessness. The damage extends to the homeless, their victims, and the cities that suffer from failed policies. Far-left liberals have dominated policymaking, but the problem is getting worse, not better. It’s time for a reset on homeless policies.
It’s not about spending more money. Federal funding for homelessness has grown every year in the last decade, resulting in a jaw-dropping 200% increase . Despite this, from 2014 to 2019 (before COVID-19), the number of unsheltered people, who mostly live outdoors, increased 21%, according to a report from the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness. In California, the unsheltered homeless during this same period increased 47%, and overall homelessness increased 31%.
Liberal Democrats believe homelessness is due to a lack of affordable housing. They have spent billions pushing a rigid “Housing First” approach that denies the need for mental health and substance abuse services. Republicans argue that nearly 75% of the homeless population have mental health or drug problems that need to be addressed in conjunction with housing, work, and adherence to services.
“Housing First” was launched under President George W. Bush as “compassionate conservatism” but was dramatically altered under President Barack Obama. In 2013, the program began prohibiting funding to providers that have expectations or accountability for sobriety, work, or compliance with services. So, blue states defunded programs linked to work or sobriety.
“There’s growing evidence Housing First doesn’t work,” said Michele Steeb, an advocate for the homeless and senior fellow at the Texas Public Policy Foundation. In 2017, her homeless shelter for women lost $1 million in funding because it provided housing with holistic mental health and substance abuse services with a work requirement. She added: “Providing the homeless with a roof over their head without addressing root causes of their homelessness makes no sense.”
Another policy obstacle for homeless with mental health issues is that Medicaid funding doesn’t cover inpatient psychiatric care. This is a carry-over from the1960s when there was deep distrust of large mental health institutions. Recently, the federal government has been granting waivers to allow Medicaid reimbursement for longer mental health stays. Inpatient treatment will address severe mental illness such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorders, which afflict large numbers of the chronically homeless.
Seven states and the District of Columbia have received this waiver. More should ask. New York City’s newly elected Mayor Eric Adams may encourage the governor to pursue a Medicaid waiver according to Brian Stettin, a former New York assistant attorney general and policy director at the Treatment Advocacy Center. “He’s receptive to new ideas,” said Stettin, who spoke with Adams about this proposal by phone this week.
Liberals push a narrative that there is not a link between homelessness and crime. “In our women’s shelter, nearly 65% had a criminal history, and this figure is certainly going to be higher for men,” Steeb said. “It’s a taboo to state the obvious fact that homelessness can cause people to commit crimes and even end up in prison.”
Effective policing in conjunction with social workers is critical in safely bringing homeless people indoors to get services. Mayors have a lot of latitude to encourage the police in this area based on a broad interpretation of the “dangerous to self and others” standard. Liberals have litigated this standard, arguing that without a crime, the police should not be able to pick up people based on their housing status.
City governments have a responsibility both to treat those in need and keep residents safe. To be compassionate and reduce homelessness requires making “Housing First” less rigid, allowing Medicaid waivers, and offering policing that protects both the homeless and the community. It’s time to try some new approaches.
Adele Malpass has worked as a business and political reporter for CNBC, the New York Post, RealClearPolitics, and other media outlets. She also has been the chairwoman of the Manhattan Republican Party.
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