The Problem
Each year more than 6,300 people experience homelessness
within Santa Barbara County. On any given night, over 4,000 people
are homeless. Within Santa Barbara County spending on homelessness
now surpasses $36 million per year1.
Based on nationwide research, it is estimated that
10-15% of the homeless population is chronically homeless, and
that they consume 50% to 65% of the resources directed towards
aiding homeless people.
As a conservative estimate for Santa Barbara County,
that is 945 people consuming over $18 million in services and
other assistance annually – and still remaining unstable,
un-housed, and without any hope of real change.
The cost of
doing nothing – letting our response to homelessness
continue as it has – will result in continued spending
without truly solving the problem, compounded by an increasing
number of inadequately served people who have no place
to call home.
Our efforts of system transformation are directed where
the most significant and cost effective impacts will result:
chronically homeless individuals and families. Most homeless
people, a very large majority, are homeless for only a
short period of time. They are then able to utilize the
various services and assistance available to them to secure
housing and remain off the streets. However, for a smaller
and very specific portion of the homeless population the
process of regaining stable housing is not as direct.
The category of chronic homelessness is significant because
of the substantial amount of resources and tax-payer dollars
this population consumes and specific, but known, service
needs that are required to end their homelessness and
reduce their system dependency.
The sizable and increasing social and economic costs
of homelessness require a change in policy. Regionally,
we must redirect our resources away from responses that
merely manage this crisis, to those with the explicit
goal of ending homelessness.
Learn about our solution.
1 Heroux,
Roger. “A Report on Homelessness Services in the
County of Santa Barbara.” 2006.
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