United Way Study Exposes Cost of Life
On The Streets

United Way of Greater Los Angeles has just unveiled the findings of its new Homeless Cost Study. The study exposes the costs of living on the streets of Los Angeles and the social and financial benefits of permanent supportive housing programs. Conducted by researchers at the University of Southern California’s Center for Community Health Studies at the Keck School of Medicine and Housing works, it profiles four previously-homeless individuals who have now been placed in a supportive housing environment. Among the findings are the tremendous savings to the average taxpayers of placing chronically homeless people into permanent supportive housing.

In addition to providing context around the issue of chronic homelessness, the study also underscores the immense need for programs to address the growing problem of homeless families and--the most vulnerable segment—the chronically homeless. With current economic conditions and heightened unemployment further exacerbating the homeless issue, solutions must be devised to drive the homeless population off the streets and integrated back into our communities.

Ending homelessness is a critical part of United Way’s work to create pathways out of poverty, and the organization has implemented strategies to impact the three inter-related root causes of poverty (and homelessness, the most extreme form of poverty). These include programs to impact housing and healthcare, education and financial stability.

“With more people living on the streets in Los Angeles than any other city in the nation,” said Elise Buik, president and CEO of United Way of Greater Los Angeles, “we cannot continue to ignore the growing chronically homeless issue, which is crowding our health and criminal justice systems and impacting the strength of our community. Our goal is to prove there is a better way and facilitate change.”