The Cost of 'Sheltering' The Homeless May Be Too High
A question I hear a lot when I’m talking about homelessness in New York, is: “why don’t the homeless just stay in shelters?” It is more complex than many New Yorkers imagine–both the problems and the purported solutions. For me, the more important question is: ‘why shelters at all?’
As someone who has spent a lot of time with the homeless–as a volunteer EMT and as someone who lived on the streets for 3 nights–I know firsthand how we have failed our homeless population. Providing shelters, both private and public, may seem like a solution for those who aren’t homeless, but for those who are, there are systemic problems. I agree with them, and here’s why:
Shelters are expensive
Shelters …show more content…
But aside from the monetary cost to New York taxpayers, there also exists the very real life-threatening dangers that face shelter dwellers. Because of these reasons, many homeless families choose the streets over shelters.
In 2015, incidents officially labeled as “violent” included 153 assaults leading to arrest, 65 cases of child abuse resulting in arrest or removal, 174 domestic violence incidents involving a removal or arrest and 90 allegations of sexual assault involving shelter residents.
It’s no better in “cluster” shelters–private apartments and hotels converted to house the homeless. Though cluster shelters may have fewer incidences of violence, they’re often rat-infested, poorly managed (if managed at all), and lacking in basic accommodations like clean water. And because these shelters are privately-owned and exempt from fines, the incentive to address safety and health violations are lost on the owners and city.
Though it should be mentioned that the locations run directly by the Department of the Homeless Services (DHS) are clean and well-maintained, cluster landlords are not contractually bound to follow DHS’ lead. So, the residents have no
A question I hear a lot when I’m talking about homelessness in New York, is: “why don’t the homeless just stay in shelters?” It is more complex than many New Yorkers imagine–both the problems and the purported solutions. For me, the more important question is: ‘why shelters at all?’
As someone who has spent a lot of time with the homeless–as a volunteer EMT and as someone who lived on the streets for 3 nights–I know firsthand how we have failed our homeless population. Providing shelters, both private and public, may seem like a solution for those who aren’t homeless, but for those who are, there are systemic problems. I agree with them, and here’s why:
Shelters are expensive
Shelters …show more content…
But aside from the monetary cost to New York taxpayers, there also exists the very real life-threatening dangers that face shelter dwellers. Because of these reasons, many homeless families choose the streets over shelters.
In 2015, incidents officially labeled as “violent” included 153 assaults leading to arrest, 65 cases of child abuse resulting in arrest or removal, 174 domestic violence incidents involving a removal or arrest and 90 allegations of sexual assault involving shelter residents.
It’s no better in “cluster” shelters–private apartments and hotels converted to house the homeless. Though cluster shelters may have fewer incidences of violence, they’re often rat-infested, poorly managed (if managed at all), and lacking in basic accommodations like clean water. And because these shelters are privately-owned and exempt from fines, the incentive to address safety and health violations are lost on the owners and city.
Though it should be mentioned that the locations run directly by the Department of the Homeless Services (DHS) are clean and well-maintained, cluster landlords are not contractually bound to follow DHS’ lead. So, the residents have no