About Chronic Homelessness

Many communities across the country have struggled to end homelessness by providing the basics of food, clothing, and shelter. Although these strategies help address the needs of the transitionally homeless, they have been less successful addressing chronic homelessness.

 Who is Chronically Homelessness?

As defined by H.U.D. (the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development) a person is chronically homeless if they are an unaccompanied homeless individual with a disabling condition (such as mental illness or addiction) who has either been continuously homeless for a year or more, or has had at least four episodes of homelessness in the past three years.

Why Focus on the Chronically Homeless?

According to the Culhane Study 10% - 15% of the homeless population is chronically homeless, but consumes over 50% of the resources. Without help managing the symptoms of their disabilities, they may experience repeated trips to the emergency room, place strains upon local law enforcement, and/or become incarcerated.

The Culhane Study concludes that providing permanent supportive housing for the chronically homeless can reduce the utilization of public resources, by creating an average annual public resource savings of $16,282 per individual, including:

We feel permanent supportive housing is the most cost-effective option for the chronically homeless, improving client stability, quality of life, and outcomes.

NHH Census: A Task Force Report, January 7, 2005