[NEWS] Can Philly Become the First Major U.S. City to End Homelessness?

Our President and CEO, Donna Bullock, recently spoke to The Philadelphia Citizen and made the case that our city is well-positioned to realize a functional end to street homelessness. From the piece:

When cities try to end homelessness, most are working toward a goal of “functionally zero” or “effectively ending homelessness.” These terms don’t mean that no one ever becomes homeless; rather, they mean a city has the systems in place to ensure that homelessness is brief, rare and nonrecurring.

Compared to the costs of letting people live on the street, the costs of ending unsheltered homelessness are low. Permanent supportive housing for one person over one year costs approximately $12,800. The costs associated with one homeless individual living on the street, according to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, is $35,578 annually in police and emergency services, healthcare and other costs.