Fix Homelessness

Discovery Institute Joins North America Recovers Coalition to Combat Homelessness

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January 25, 2023
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With support from Discovery and other coalition partners, North America Recovers has launched a public campaign calling on lawmakers to embrace addiction recovery for Americans, not addiction enablement.

Discovery Institute Releases National Report on Homelessness

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October 11, 2022
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The problems linked to homelessness, including substance abuse, mental illness, and crime, are increasing in America despite untold sums of government money spent to address this complex problem.

Assessing Alternatives to Homelessness

_{Marvin Olasky
January 26, 2023
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Homeless people given their own apartments are often the same. We are apparently made for community with at least one other person.

Examining the Scholarly Record

_{Marvin Olasky
January 20, 2023
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The academic journal literature on homelessness is vast, but during the past decade oversimplification has ruled. The Obama administration made “Housing First!” the official U.S. policy, with homeless people to be given their own apartments. Programs that emphasized “Clean and Sober first” became ineligible for federal aid, and mental health issues became secondary. Typical academic analyses of homelessness found — surprise! — that “Housing First!” is great. A lot of scholarly research up to 2009, though, revealed homelessness complexities. Here are four examples: Key insights:Homeless adults who are alcoholics have “unusually high levels of mental health symptomatology…. Adults with alcohol problems are so debilitated that they readily become homeless (as compared to being domiciled under very trying circumstances) when also Read More ›

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Street Report

from Jonathan Choe

“Housing First” Five Year Plan will Cost King County Billions

_{Jonathan Choe
January 26, 2023
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Five Year Plan Today, @KC_RHA released strategy to “Dramatically Reduce Unsheltered Homelessness.” Agency says there will be “measurable, accountable success.” But it’s based on failed “HOUSING FIRST” policy. No requirements for drug addiction and mental health treatment. #Seattle Costs Nearly 12 Billion Bucks @KCCReaganDunn blasting @KC_RHA 5 year plan essentially saying the agency is focused on funding the wrong things. Says it will be a failure and black hole for tax payers. #Seattle#KingCounty#Bellevue#Kirkland#Redmond#FederalWay#Kent#Renton Mark Dones’s Baby Here is the Executive Summary. Click image below. #Seattle#KingCounty Quite A Read I’m still digesting @KC_RHA and Marc Dones’ game plan. Notice the agency is careful not to say this will end homelessness. Ultimately, what does success or failure look like after 5 years? Read More ›

Seattle’s DESC Reveals Pitfalls of “Housing First”

_{Jonathan Choe
January 24, 2023
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Where’s the Accountability? @DESCSeattle properties remain a massive drain on #Seattle especially when city is already down officers. These units house formerly homeless, but do not require treatment for drug addiction or mental illness. This is the “HOUSING FIRST” model in action. DESC Problems #Seattle‘s first homicide of year on Jan. 2 happened inside CANADAY HOUSE. @DESCSeattle properties deal with high rates of complaints and 911 calls. Units house formerly homeless, drug addicts, and people struggling with mental health issues. Complaints Stacking Up Homeowners near @DESCSeattle’s Clement Place(“HOUSING FIRST”model) documented numerous problems caused by some residents. Fights, drugs, attempted burglary. Neighbors claim DESC building managers are ignoring them. #seattleicestorm Downtown Disaster City has cleared tents off 3rd Ave and Cherry Read More ›

Crews Clear Ballard Encampment, But Campers Say They Will Return

_{Jonathan Choe
January 23, 2023
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Repeat Performance Monday, I arrived after crews removed Ballard encampment near Fred Meyer and Albert Lee stores. City cleared several times in past. Few homeless fellas returned and showed me how to get high off fentanyl residue.

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Our Mission

Discovery Institute’s Fix Homelessness initiative offers innovative research and compassionate solutions to the growing crisis of homelessness, addiction, and mental illness facing many American cities. Our mission is to serve as a resource for policy leaders, business owners, and neighborhood organizations trying to meaningfully reduce homelessness and to help those suffering realize their full human potential.

Support Our Work

Jim Palmer of the Orange County Rescue Mission on causes and cures for America’s homelessness crisis

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Tom Shakely
November 1, 2021}

In this episode of Humanize, Wesley J. Smith speaks with Jim Palmer, the president of the Orange County Rescue Mission about the many causes and potential cures of America’s seemingly intractable homeless crisis. It is a crucial, if disturbing, conversation that touches upon the most existential needs of people and our mutual responsibilities to each other. Homelessness has reached crisis Read More ›

Robert Marbut on America’s Homelessness Crisis, Strategies for Uplifting the Homeless, and Effective Government Policies

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Tom Shakely
May 23, 2022}

Homelessness has reached crisis proportions. Few issues of human dignity are as heart wrenching as the wretched scenes in our most prosperous cities — San Francisco, Los Angeles, Portland, and Seattle — where one can drive down main thoroughfares and be confronted with tent encampments lining streets that provide scant shelter for thousands of destitute people. The crisis is as Read More ›

[not] anything helps

Discovery Institute’s Center on Wealth & Poverty is leading a research project on homelessness, addiction, and mental illness. Our mission is to help city leaders, business owners, and neighborhood organizations meaningfully reduce homelessness and improve lives.

Resources

National Report

“Housing First” — and often only — has demonstrably failed. Congress and the Executive Branch need to focus more on untreated mental illness and substance abuse to reduce homelessness, drug overdoses, jail overcrowding, and misuse of emergency rooms. Herein we make policy recommendations to Congress to truly help rebuild human lives.

Get the National Report

Legal Guide

We have created a legal guide for cities to maintain compliance with the Martin v Boise decision. The guide outlines best practices for compliance and provides models for successful ordinances that balance enforcement, housing, and legal requirements. The guide is written by Joseph Tartakovsky, attorney for the City of Boise in the Martin v Boise case.

Get the Legal Guide

Case Studies

We have created case studies of cities that have delivered cost-effective and rapid results on homelessness. We’ll show you how San Diego built an emergency shelter and moved 700 people off the streets, how Burien eliminated camping in public parks, and how Modesto reduced quality-of-life crimes associated with homelessness by 83 percent — all within 60 days.

Get the Case Studies

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