Is Permanent Supportive Housing Cheaper Than Shelters in New York City?
ali - stock.adobe.com In previous blog posts, we have frequently made reference to the high cost of living in New York City. On average, the monthly cost of living can range from approximately $4,441 for a single person to around $10,033 for a family of four. This makes New York the most expensive city in the U.S. and among the top 0.1 percent of most expensive cities in the world. [ 1 ] These statistics no doubt contribute to New York being home to the largest homeless population in the U.S. [ 2 ] Nevertheless, this blog post will discuss why it is cheaper to provide the homeless with permanent supportive housing than to pack people into shelters. What Is The Cost of Homelessness in New York? You might not realize it, but there is a society-wide cost to the homelessness crisis. The exact costs will vary depending on the individual, but homelessness can cost taxpayers up to or in excess of $44,700 a year per chronically homeless person. [ 3 ] And yes, this number takes into...