Text
Homelessness in
Orange County:
The Costs to Our
Community
HOMELESSNESS IN ORANGE COUNTY:
The Costs to Our Community
An Orange County United Way, Jamboree & UCI Sponsored Study
Research Team
David A. Snow and Rachel Goldberg
Professors of Sociology
Sara Villalta and Colin Bernatzky
Graduate Research Assistants
University of California, Irvine
COST STUDY DESIGN
Street
Homeless
Municipalities
InstitutionalOrganizational
Cost
Data
Emergency
Shelters
Hospitals with
ERs
NonGovernmental
Agencies
County
Costs
Bridge Housing
Rapid
Re-Housing
Permanent
Supportive
Housing
Interview
Service
Utilization
Data
Key Findings
WHO ARE OUR HOMELESS?
• Mainly long-term Orange County residents: 68% of those surveyed had
been here over 10 years
• Predominantly US-born individuals: 90%
• Middle aged: 52% are age 50 or older
• Mostly non-Hispanic White: 47%
• Primarily male: 57%
• Live with Children under 18: 17%
• Reporting Fair/Poor Health: 45%
SELECTED CHILDHOOD CONDITIONS THAT
INCREASE VULNERABILITY TO HOMELESSNESS:
32% experienced sexual and/or physical abuse as a child
42% had parent or other adult household member with alcohol or drug problem
when growing up
14% had parent or immediate family member who spent at least one night
homeless when growing up
18% spent time living with non-parental relatives, foster parents, or in orphanage
in childhood
TOP 3 REASONS FOR HOMELESSNESS
• Securing or retaining jobs with sustainable wages: 40%
• Finding or retaining affordable housing: 36%
• Family issues: 28%
4. What is the annual cost of addressing homelessness in
Orange County?
a) $50 Million
b) $16 Million
c) $299 Million
d) $150 Million
Annual Cost of Addressing Homelessness Across
$299M
Four Institutional Sectors in OC:_________
$140,000,000
$120,000,000
$120M
Dollars
$100,000,000
$77M
$80,000,000
$62M
$60,000,000
$35M
$40,000,000
$20,000,000
$0
Municipalities
(21 reporting + 13 imputed)
Hospitals
County
Housing agencies
(20 reporting plus 21
imputed)
Notes: Housing agencies are agencies providing Emergency Shelter, Bridge Housing, Rapid Rehousing, or Permanent
Supportive Housing services. The figure provided totals the program budget spent on homelessness across these agencies.
Annual Cost of Addressing Homelessness
By Cost Cluster
$140,000,000
$120,000,000
$121M
$106M
Dollars
$100,000,000
$80,000,000
$60,000,000
$40,000,000
$23M
$20,000,000
$0
Health Care
Housing
Police/Legal
Note: Each cluster contains costs spanning institutional sectors (e.g., counties, municipalities, non-governmental agencies)
CHRONIC VS NON-CHRONIC ON THE STREETS
AVERAGE COSTS PER PERSON, PER YEAR
$120,000
$100,759
Column1
$100,000
Dollars
$80,000
$60,000
$42,010
$40,000
$20,000
$0
Chronic - street
Non-chronic street
Notes: Cost estimates consider utilization of soup kitchens, food pantries, substance abuse services, ambulance services, ER services,
inpatient hospital stays, mental health services, other health services, motel/voucher/rental assistance services, shelter nights, transitional
housing nights, rapid rehousing nights, PSH nights, policing, nights in jail/prison. These estimates do not capture other potential costs,
including probation, changes in property values, park maintenance costs, etc. Reports from the last month are annualized.
TREATMENT FIRST MODEL
Philosophy: One size
fits all. Every issue
(health, addictions,
employment etc.)
must be addressed
before someone can
“graduate from
homelessness” and
move into
permanent
housing.
REWARD
Case
Management
Transitional
Shelters
Support
Services
$$$
Hospital
Visits/Stays
Emergency
Shelters
Soup Kitchens
Law
Enforcement
Time on
Streets
THE TURNING OF THE TIDE
• George H.W. Bush: Research findings change the federal
conversations on homelessness
• George W. Bush: push for communities to create ten year plans to
end chronic homelessness using evidence based practices
• Clear distinction made between chronic and non-chronic homelessness
• Foreword movement with new model: Housing First
• Obama: expands goal to end ALL types of homelessness, chronic,
non-chronic, youth etc.
Hospital
HOUSING FIRST MODEL
Visits/Stays
Law
Enforcement
Time on
Streets
Philosophy:
People should be permanently housed
AND provided support services as
quickly as possible. Homelessness is
viewed first and foremost a housing
problem and is treated as such. E.g.
Permanent Supportive Housing and Rapid
Re-Housing.
.
.
Stable Housing
Support Services
Case Management
.
.
$
NON-CHRONIC STREET VS NON-CHRONIC IN RAPID RE-HOUSING
AVERAGE COSTS PER PERSON, PER YEAR
$45,000
$42,010
Column1
$40,000
$35,000
Dollars
$30,000
$25,000
$20,000
$15,000
$10,000
$5,000
$0
$9,175
Housing
AND
Support Services
Non chronic - street
Rapid Re-Housing
Notes: Cost estimates consider utilization of soup kitchens, food pantries, substance abuse services, ambulance services, ER services,
inpatient hospital stays, mental health services, other health services, motel/voucher/rental assistance services, shelter nights, transitional
housing nights, rapid rehousing nights, PSH nights, policing, nights in jail/prison. These estimates do not capture other potential costs,
including probation, changes in property values, park maintenance costs, etc. Reports from the last month are annualized.
CHRONIC STREET VS CHRONIC HOUSED
AVERAGE COSTS PER PERSON, PER YEAR
$120,000
$100,759
Column1
$100,000
Dollars
$80,000
$60,000
$40,000
$20,000
$0
$51,587
Housing
AND
Support
Services
Chronic - street
PSH
Notes: Cost estimates consider utilization of soup kitchens, food pantries, substance abuse services, ambulance services, ER services,
inpatient hospital stays, mental health services, other health services, motel/voucher/rental assistance services, shelter nights, transitional
housing nights, rapid rehousing nights, PSH nights, policing, nights in jail/prison. These estimates do not capture other potential costs,
including probation, changes in property values, park maintenance costs, etc. Reports from the last month are annualized.
NUMBER OF CHRONIC PHYSICAL HEALTH CONDITIONS REPORTED BY
STREET/SHELTER HOMELESS, BY LENGTH OF TIME ON THE STREET
100%
90%
80%
15%
35%
Percent
70%
23%
33%
44%
38%
60%
50%
40%
50%
30%
33%
20%
29%
10%
0%
0-12 months
0 conditions
1-2 years
1-2 conditions
3+ years
3 or more conditions
Note: Chronic physical health conditions include arthritis, asthma, cancer, cardiovascular disease, chronic bronchitis,
chronic obstructive lung disease, cirrhosis or severe liver damage, diabetes, emphysema, epilepsy or other seizure
disorder, HIV/AIDS, hypertension, leukemia, and lymphoma
MOST COSTLY 10% OF CHRONIC HOMELESS
On the Streets
Housed WITH Services
$439,787
$55,343
Per person, per year
Per person, per year
TO HOUSE AND PROVIDE SERVICES
TO ALL OF OC’s CHRONICALLY
HOMELESS WOULD
SAVE $42M
DIFFERENCES IN PATTERNS OF BEHAVIOR AND WELLBEING ACROSS
HOUSING CATEGORIES
Variables
Street
Shelter
Housed
Total
Trans/Int
RR
PSH
# times ticketed*
0.68
0.10
0.11
0.05
0.08
0.30
# times arrested*
0.15
0.02
0.02
0
0
0.06
# times in ambulance
0.20
0.15
0.02
0
0.06
0.11
% had trouble getting things done because of alcohol or drugs in last
month*
22%
13%
0
0
10%
12%
% Find it difficult or very difficult to find safe place to sleep
49%
29%
5%
4%
2%
25%
% Find it difficult or very difficult to find place to wash/shower
56%
13%
12%
0
0
24%
% Find it difficult or very difficult to get clean clothes
40%
15%
2%
0
12%
20%
% Find it difficult or very difficult to find toilet
47%
19%
0
4%
4%
21%
% Find it difficult or very difficult to feel good about self
43%
33%
12%
12%
18%
28%
89
48
41
24
49
251
Total number interviewed
* Differences between housing categories are statistically significant at p<0.05 level
THREE MAJOR TAKE-AWAYS
and a QUESTION
1. The primary cause of homelessness is the gap between the cost of
rental housing and the availability of living wages to access that
housing.
2. The cost of homelessness decreases markedly with the provision of
housing, and this cost reduction is most pronounced for the chronic
homeless.
3. Many of the troublesome issues associated with homelessness
disappear or diminish markedly with the provision of housing.
SO WHY NOT HOUSING FIRST??
Executive Summary
&
Full Report Available at
https://www.unitedwayoc.org/resources
Launched – February
th
28
2018
Goals of United to End Homelessness
Our overall goal is to end homelessness in Orange County. Key to achieving this is
implementing the recommendations laid out in the groundbreaking 2017 UCI
Homelessness Cost study. To that end, we will:
• Rally our community in support of a permanent supportive housing solution for
chronically homeless individuals.
• Identify homes for our chronically homeless neighbors in need through accessing
existing rental units and by working with our partners to support and champion efforts
to develop new units.
• Work with the County and others to leverage data that can help the community gain
detailed insights so that we may enhance the overall system of care.
Public Awareness Campaign: The Proclamation
Public Awareness Campaign: The Survey
Public Awareness Campaign: Stories
Video from the other Orange County
Unique Role of the Faith Based Community
Currently recruiting for our Faith Leaders Committee
Phase One
1.
2.
3.
Equip faith leaders through training and accurate information so they can help build a movement of
champions in the community
Build movement of champions for homeless solutions:
•
“From the pulpit”
•
Homelessness 101 trainings
•
Public Awareness Campaign/Social Media trainings
•
Advocacy trainings: speaking at City Council/Board of Supervisor meetings, writing effective
letters etc.
Mobilize the champions:
•
Participation in Public Awareness Campaign
•
Advocating for solutions: speaking at public meetings, petitions, letters of support etc.
Phase Two
Train and mobilize faith community to provide support and fellowship for people once they are housed.
Action Items
Complete the contact card
Join the Faith Committee
Follow us on social media
Proclamation: sign and share!
Survey: sign and share!
Stories: please send us leads
Spread the word!
UnitedToEndHomelessness.org
#EndHomelessnessOC
Orange County:
The Costs to Our
Community
HOMELESSNESS IN ORANGE COUNTY:
The Costs to Our Community
An Orange County United Way, Jamboree & UCI Sponsored Study
Research Team
David A. Snow and Rachel Goldberg
Professors of Sociology
Sara Villalta and Colin Bernatzky
Graduate Research Assistants
University of California, Irvine
COST STUDY DESIGN
Street
Homeless
Municipalities
InstitutionalOrganizational
Cost
Data
Emergency
Shelters
Hospitals with
ERs
NonGovernmental
Agencies
County
Costs
Bridge Housing
Rapid
Re-Housing
Permanent
Supportive
Housing
Interview
Service
Utilization
Data
Key Findings
WHO ARE OUR HOMELESS?
• Mainly long-term Orange County residents: 68% of those surveyed had
been here over 10 years
• Predominantly US-born individuals: 90%
• Middle aged: 52% are age 50 or older
• Mostly non-Hispanic White: 47%
• Primarily male: 57%
• Live with Children under 18: 17%
• Reporting Fair/Poor Health: 45%
SELECTED CHILDHOOD CONDITIONS THAT
INCREASE VULNERABILITY TO HOMELESSNESS:
32% experienced sexual and/or physical abuse as a child
42% had parent or other adult household member with alcohol or drug problem
when growing up
14% had parent or immediate family member who spent at least one night
homeless when growing up
18% spent time living with non-parental relatives, foster parents, or in orphanage
in childhood
TOP 3 REASONS FOR HOMELESSNESS
• Securing or retaining jobs with sustainable wages: 40%
• Finding or retaining affordable housing: 36%
• Family issues: 28%
4. What is the annual cost of addressing homelessness in
Orange County?
a) $50 Million
b) $16 Million
c) $299 Million
d) $150 Million
Annual Cost of Addressing Homelessness Across
$299M
Four Institutional Sectors in OC:_________
$140,000,000
$120,000,000
$120M
Dollars
$100,000,000
$77M
$80,000,000
$62M
$60,000,000
$35M
$40,000,000
$20,000,000
$0
Municipalities
(21 reporting + 13 imputed)
Hospitals
County
Housing agencies
(20 reporting plus 21
imputed)
Notes: Housing agencies are agencies providing Emergency Shelter, Bridge Housing, Rapid Rehousing, or Permanent
Supportive Housing services. The figure provided totals the program budget spent on homelessness across these agencies.
Annual Cost of Addressing Homelessness
By Cost Cluster
$140,000,000
$120,000,000
$121M
$106M
Dollars
$100,000,000
$80,000,000
$60,000,000
$40,000,000
$23M
$20,000,000
$0
Health Care
Housing
Police/Legal
Note: Each cluster contains costs spanning institutional sectors (e.g., counties, municipalities, non-governmental agencies)
CHRONIC VS NON-CHRONIC ON THE STREETS
AVERAGE COSTS PER PERSON, PER YEAR
$120,000
$100,759
Column1
$100,000
Dollars
$80,000
$60,000
$42,010
$40,000
$20,000
$0
Chronic - street
Non-chronic street
Notes: Cost estimates consider utilization of soup kitchens, food pantries, substance abuse services, ambulance services, ER services,
inpatient hospital stays, mental health services, other health services, motel/voucher/rental assistance services, shelter nights, transitional
housing nights, rapid rehousing nights, PSH nights, policing, nights in jail/prison. These estimates do not capture other potential costs,
including probation, changes in property values, park maintenance costs, etc. Reports from the last month are annualized.
TREATMENT FIRST MODEL
Philosophy: One size
fits all. Every issue
(health, addictions,
employment etc.)
must be addressed
before someone can
“graduate from
homelessness” and
move into
permanent
housing.
REWARD
Case
Management
Transitional
Shelters
Support
Services
$$$
Hospital
Visits/Stays
Emergency
Shelters
Soup Kitchens
Law
Enforcement
Time on
Streets
THE TURNING OF THE TIDE
• George H.W. Bush: Research findings change the federal
conversations on homelessness
• George W. Bush: push for communities to create ten year plans to
end chronic homelessness using evidence based practices
• Clear distinction made between chronic and non-chronic homelessness
• Foreword movement with new model: Housing First
• Obama: expands goal to end ALL types of homelessness, chronic,
non-chronic, youth etc.
Hospital
HOUSING FIRST MODEL
Visits/Stays
Law
Enforcement
Time on
Streets
Philosophy:
People should be permanently housed
AND provided support services as
quickly as possible. Homelessness is
viewed first and foremost a housing
problem and is treated as such. E.g.
Permanent Supportive Housing and Rapid
Re-Housing.
.
.
Stable Housing
Support Services
Case Management
.
.
$
NON-CHRONIC STREET VS NON-CHRONIC IN RAPID RE-HOUSING
AVERAGE COSTS PER PERSON, PER YEAR
$45,000
$42,010
Column1
$40,000
$35,000
Dollars
$30,000
$25,000
$20,000
$15,000
$10,000
$5,000
$0
$9,175
Housing
AND
Support Services
Non chronic - street
Rapid Re-Housing
Notes: Cost estimates consider utilization of soup kitchens, food pantries, substance abuse services, ambulance services, ER services,
inpatient hospital stays, mental health services, other health services, motel/voucher/rental assistance services, shelter nights, transitional
housing nights, rapid rehousing nights, PSH nights, policing, nights in jail/prison. These estimates do not capture other potential costs,
including probation, changes in property values, park maintenance costs, etc. Reports from the last month are annualized.
CHRONIC STREET VS CHRONIC HOUSED
AVERAGE COSTS PER PERSON, PER YEAR
$120,000
$100,759
Column1
$100,000
Dollars
$80,000
$60,000
$40,000
$20,000
$0
$51,587
Housing
AND
Support
Services
Chronic - street
PSH
Notes: Cost estimates consider utilization of soup kitchens, food pantries, substance abuse services, ambulance services, ER services,
inpatient hospital stays, mental health services, other health services, motel/voucher/rental assistance services, shelter nights, transitional
housing nights, rapid rehousing nights, PSH nights, policing, nights in jail/prison. These estimates do not capture other potential costs,
including probation, changes in property values, park maintenance costs, etc. Reports from the last month are annualized.
NUMBER OF CHRONIC PHYSICAL HEALTH CONDITIONS REPORTED BY
STREET/SHELTER HOMELESS, BY LENGTH OF TIME ON THE STREET
100%
90%
80%
15%
35%
Percent
70%
23%
33%
44%
38%
60%
50%
40%
50%
30%
33%
20%
29%
10%
0%
0-12 months
0 conditions
1-2 years
1-2 conditions
3+ years
3 or more conditions
Note: Chronic physical health conditions include arthritis, asthma, cancer, cardiovascular disease, chronic bronchitis,
chronic obstructive lung disease, cirrhosis or severe liver damage, diabetes, emphysema, epilepsy or other seizure
disorder, HIV/AIDS, hypertension, leukemia, and lymphoma
MOST COSTLY 10% OF CHRONIC HOMELESS
On the Streets
Housed WITH Services
$439,787
$55,343
Per person, per year
Per person, per year
TO HOUSE AND PROVIDE SERVICES
TO ALL OF OC’s CHRONICALLY
HOMELESS WOULD
SAVE $42M
DIFFERENCES IN PATTERNS OF BEHAVIOR AND WELLBEING ACROSS
HOUSING CATEGORIES
Variables
Street
Shelter
Housed
Total
Trans/Int
RR
PSH
# times ticketed*
0.68
0.10
0.11
0.05
0.08
0.30
# times arrested*
0.15
0.02
0.02
0
0
0.06
# times in ambulance
0.20
0.15
0.02
0
0.06
0.11
% had trouble getting things done because of alcohol or drugs in last
month*
22%
13%
0
0
10%
12%
% Find it difficult or very difficult to find safe place to sleep
49%
29%
5%
4%
2%
25%
% Find it difficult or very difficult to find place to wash/shower
56%
13%
12%
0
0
24%
% Find it difficult or very difficult to get clean clothes
40%
15%
2%
0
12%
20%
% Find it difficult or very difficult to find toilet
47%
19%
0
4%
4%
21%
% Find it difficult or very difficult to feel good about self
43%
33%
12%
12%
18%
28%
89
48
41
24
49
251
Total number interviewed
* Differences between housing categories are statistically significant at p<0.05 level
THREE MAJOR TAKE-AWAYS
and a QUESTION
1. The primary cause of homelessness is the gap between the cost of
rental housing and the availability of living wages to access that
housing.
2. The cost of homelessness decreases markedly with the provision of
housing, and this cost reduction is most pronounced for the chronic
homeless.
3. Many of the troublesome issues associated with homelessness
disappear or diminish markedly with the provision of housing.
SO WHY NOT HOUSING FIRST??
Executive Summary
&
Full Report Available at
https://www.unitedwayoc.org/resources
Launched – February
th
28
2018
Goals of United to End Homelessness
Our overall goal is to end homelessness in Orange County. Key to achieving this is
implementing the recommendations laid out in the groundbreaking 2017 UCI
Homelessness Cost study. To that end, we will:
• Rally our community in support of a permanent supportive housing solution for
chronically homeless individuals.
• Identify homes for our chronically homeless neighbors in need through accessing
existing rental units and by working with our partners to support and champion efforts
to develop new units.
• Work with the County and others to leverage data that can help the community gain
detailed insights so that we may enhance the overall system of care.
Public Awareness Campaign: The Proclamation
Public Awareness Campaign: The Survey
Public Awareness Campaign: Stories
Video from the other Orange County
Unique Role of the Faith Based Community
Currently recruiting for our Faith Leaders Committee
Phase One
1.
2.
3.
Equip faith leaders through training and accurate information so they can help build a movement of
champions in the community
Build movement of champions for homeless solutions:
•
“From the pulpit”
•
Homelessness 101 trainings
•
Public Awareness Campaign/Social Media trainings
•
Advocacy trainings: speaking at City Council/Board of Supervisor meetings, writing effective
letters etc.
Mobilize the champions:
•
Participation in Public Awareness Campaign
•
Advocating for solutions: speaking at public meetings, petitions, letters of support etc.
Phase Two
Train and mobilize faith community to provide support and fellowship for people once they are housed.
Action Items
Complete the contact card
Join the Faith Committee
Follow us on social media
Proclamation: sign and share!
Survey: sign and share!
Stories: please send us leads
Spread the word!
UnitedToEndHomelessness.org
#EndHomelessnessOC