WASHINGTON, Nov. 23, 2007

How To End Homelessness? Provide Homes

Successful Program Gives People Housing First, Social Services Second

  • Play CBS Video Video Housing First For Homeless

    Traditionally, homeless people had to be clean and sober before they could get an apartment. A new program is providing the housing first and is having great success. Wyatt Andrews reports.

  •  (CBS)

  • Interactive Living In Poverty

    A state-by-state look at U.S. Census Bureau data on income and poverty levels.

(CBS)  Imagine your best day ever, and you'll understand what Doretha Cotton is feeling, holding the keys to her first apartment in 20 years.

"This is the key to my new mansion," says Cotton.

Until now, Cotton was homeless on the streets of Washington, mentally ill and alcoholic, and part of America's unsolvable problem.

Unsolvable, reports CBS News correspondent Wyatt Andrews, until Sam Tsemberis turned the approach to homelessness upside down with his "housing first" approach.

Instead of the old way, which required the homeless to get clean or sober first, before getting an apartment, Tsemberis starts with the apartment.

"The treatment for homelessness is housing, so we are simply (saying), 'here is an apartment'", says Tsemberis. "Housing is the cure for homelessness. It's that simple."

Cotton says she feels that having an apartment does change her in some way. "It makes me feel... that I can be independent and responsible, that I can be a good neighbor."

Housing first also involves intensive in-home visits. Cotton will see nurses, social workers and drug counselors. They come with the apartment.

Tsemberis brushes off criticism that he's made it too easy on the homeless. He argues that housing first works - for less. Chronically homeless people now cost taxpayers $40,000 a year each for shelters, jail time and emergency room visits. He says doing it his way costs just more than half that amount.

Quote

Housing is the cure for homelessness, it's that simple.

Sam Tsemberis,
Founder, Pathways to Housing
"Here's a program for $22,000 that gives a person housing and services that end their homelessness and puts them on their way to getting better," says Tsemberis.

Housing first has documented an 85 percent success rate, and is now the official policy in more than 150 cities, including the nation's capital.

"It's actually cheaper than it is to run the shelter system, and a lot better for the people who are in it," says Washington Mayor Adrian Fenty.

"I don't want to drink. I don't want to solicit, panhandle," says Cotton. "I don't have to do those things anymore."

When we left Cotton, her counselor was teaching her to use the intercom.

But it's Tsemberis who has taught officials a brand new way to solve the unsolvable.

Wyatt Andrews © MMVII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Add a Comment See all 212 Comments
by actornaught November 26, 2007 3:26 PM EST
Posted by Libsluvsuvs at 11:52 PM : Nov 25, 2007:

"to cure poverty..hold a concert"

-nothing to do with the article, or even reality. Many many things are being done besides raising public awareness thru events.

"to solve homeless..give a house"

-It WORKS, READ the article, dummasz

"to solve drug problem..legalize drugs"

-nothing to do with the article. (not a solution, not even a popular concept, see: dummasz...)

"to solve murders and crime..take away the guns and give murderers a noble prize and book deals."

-STILL not on topic. (prizes & books? YOU must be on crack. Your sources are un-american scumbags, btw...)

"to solve war on oil....have a caravan of fossil burning suvs to go to protest."

-more off-topic stupidity.

And i realize i''m wasting my time trying to be logical with someone who''s primary mission here is to be a jerk. But I just wanted to point that out.

But mostly my point is your perjorative use of "libs". By your definition, that will be like 70% of americans. Hardly thought out on your part.
Reply to this comment
by libsluvsuvs November 26, 2007 2:52 AM EST
Posted by actornaught at 10:41 AM : Nov 25, 2007
+ report abuse
****

let go and review the most famous liberal solitions..

to cure poverty..hold a concert

to solve homeless..give a house

to solve drug problem..legalize drugs

to solve murders and crime..take away the guns and give murderers a noble prize and book deals.

to solve war on oil....have a caravan of fossil burning suvs to go to protest.


Reply to this comment
by Krazcarl November 25, 2007 2:24 PM EST
They will do little or nothing for the homeless screen_ident is right no one wants them for nieghbors unless they win the lottery. I''ts like Chares Dickens sais isn''t there jails shelters and food stamps?
Reply to this comment
by actornaught November 25, 2007 1:41 PM EST
...the most idiotic solution...
Posted by libsluvsuvs at 02:45 AM : Nov 25, 2007

The article says they''re having an 85% success rate in 150 cities, cheaper by almost half over jail and such.

85%

150 cities

Much less costly.

Solution? I''d say yes. Idiotic? I''d say you. Learn to read.
Reply to this comment
by chad55555 November 25, 2007 10:56 AM EST
THERE ARE ALMOST 7 billion people in this world and most of them want to get into the GOOD OLD USA.How can we feed and house everybody in this world because our leaders will not put a stop to how many sneak over the boarder. WE ALREADY HAVE 60 million kids without insurance,40 million go to bed hungry every night in this country(Thanks to Mrs Clinton)and her health care reform the last time.OUR RESOURSES ARE USED UP NOW WE ARE TURNING THIS COUNTRY INTO A 3ed WORLD COUNTRY.IF WE HIT A DEPRESSION LIKE THE 20''s WITH OVER 350 million people in this country now, this country is screwed big time.NO MEDICAL,NO FOOD,POLICE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO HANDLE THE CRIME.WE HAVE TO START THINKING ABOUT WHAT DID HAPPEN IN THE PAST AND PREPARE FOR IT. THERE ARE MORE AT STAKE THEN JUST GETTING VOTES.IT''S TIME TO PUT OUR FOOT DOWN HARD AND REAL SOON.
Reply to this comment
by libsluvsuvs November 25, 2007 5:45 AM EST
I dont see how the liberal mind function. Let us say that intention is genuine and they do want to help..why do they always go on the most idiotic solution to help??
Reply to this comment
by libsluvsuvs November 25, 2007 5:40 AM EST
why dont we set a homeless tract housing right by the middle of san francisco...let us see how they like it
Reply to this comment
by libsluvsuvs November 25, 2007 5:38 AM EST
Without a safe place to call home, i don''''t see a person going forward.

Posted by ericv2644 at 06:23 PM : Nov 24, 2007
+ report abuse

*******************

it is not home ownership that drives a person forward..it is the attitude..
Reply to this comment
by actornaught November 24, 2007 10:17 PM EST
Posted by screen_ident at 06:18 PM : Nov 24, 2007

You''re only expressing your own evil and stupidity. How many names have you been banned under?
Reply to this comment
by ericv2644 November 24, 2007 9:23 PM EST
Without a safe place to call home, i don''t see a person going forward.
Reply to this comment
by name_verify November 24, 2007 9:18 PM EST
Require 10% of new housing units to be set aside for low income persons. But Libs hate the idea because 1) they cant raise taxes this way 2) they dont want low income persons in their condo tower. F*cking libs.
Reply to this comment
by raskal_2 November 24, 2007 7:06 PM EST
...seven years ago, involvement in Denver Colo.,homeless committee, that was sponsored by the city generated the Welcome Home Denver 10 year plan. It''s key point was housing first. The city''s shelter system was a real problem, costing millions. Back then we felt that this was crucial.
The point I raised was that the problems we faced was not solvable by the same minds that created them.
Housing first,costing 1/3 of total income, leaving 2/3 creates the possibility of quality of life for the homeless person. And the reality is that the drive for a quality life is a far greater force than the drive for comfort. This is why housing first is the right path for homelessness. simple...

Reply to this comment
by actornaught November 24, 2007 5:56 PM EST
Posted by screen_ident at 02:21 PM : Nov 24, 2007

On & on about libbies, libs & liberals.

Here''s a clue: you''re imagining things. You''re talking about PEOPLE. Forget what the radio tells you, it''s their packaged fantasies to sell bottled tea and peniss drugs.

Never mind your preprogramming attempt at "phony" inoculation, you are duped.
Reply to this comment
by name_verify November 24, 2007 5:21 PM EST
The issue isnt find the money. The issue is getting the local city planning and zoning approvals to permit the construction. Nobody wants this in their own backyard because they fear a negative impact on surrounding home values. Libs are phoney this way. Libs are always the first to say they support these kinds of ideas. Until they learn it is going to happen 1/2 block from their home. Then the Libs march on city hall with the torches and pitche forks and free lawyers and demand the project be stopped. Libs are p*h*o*n*e*y. At least conservatives are straight about their objections. Libs pretend to be on the side of the homeless, just to use it as a wedge issue during election year.
Reply to this comment
by actornaught November 24, 2007 4:34 PM EST
Posted by Klingon69 at 12:22 PM : Nov 24, 2007

One unique moment in the gospels, and it outweighs the many acts of charity?

And just to put a finer point on it, no one that''s ever existed on this planet should even consider being compared to Jesus. To use that line as an excuse for gross consumption is vile.
Reply to this comment
by klingon69 November 24, 2007 3:22 PM EST
I KNEW it would come out. sblake63, go read your bible and tell me where in there is says to NOT help others in need. Your Jesus helped all the poor and sick, right? Your Jesus helped all the lepers, right? Your Jesus healed all the infirm that he came across, right? How can you claim some following of this god, and then tell those that are in need to stay away?
Posted by adasher1 at 12:36 PM : Nov 23, 2007
Jesus also told Judas(when he complaigned about the oils used by Mary Magdalene to annoint Jesus, saying they could''ve sold it to get money for the poor)that we will always have the poor with us, and we should look to the Christ while we had him.
Reply to this comment
by name_verify November 24, 2007 2:02 PM EST
lastdance4 = transgender pedo
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by name_verify November 24, 2007 2:00 PM EST
This is another one of those great hypocrisies of Liberals. Even in cities where Liberals dominate the voting, and approve local tax funding for homeless shelters, the Libs cant agree on which neighborhood should be required to be burdened with the development for the next 50 years. Nobody wants it in their own back yard, because of the potential negative influence on their own home values. Libs are phoney.
Reply to this comment
by mamichael59 November 24, 2007 10:35 AM EST
I''m really pleased to read this story and I hope it gets caught up in the rest of the US, if not worldwide.

It is too easy to blame those less fortunate than us, instead of taking a good look at society in general. Some preach about personal responsibility, especially those who claim to be Christians, when in reality Christianity teaches us to be responsible not just for ourselves but for those around us.

Society is only as good as the least of those amongst us.
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by lastdance4 November 24, 2007 5:42 AM EST
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