Presentation given by Rina Beers, Federatie Opvang, Netherlands at a FEANTSA conference on "People who are homeless can be housed: An insight into successful practices from across Europe", Cardiff, Wales, 2008

1. Why waste money on prevention of
homelessness?
Premise:
• Prevention of homelessness through
housing measures is ineffective and
expensive…
Rina Beers, Federatie Opvang, Netherlands

2. Which measures are proven effective?
Are housing subsidies effective in
preventing homelessness?
Is affordable housing preventing
homelessness?
Is availability of housing preventing
homelessness?

3. It is a choice!
 Measures which are proven to be effective and
expensive
(adressing structural causes of homelessness):
 Minimum income, health insurance, employment
and training opportunities, minimum wage
 Social housing, social benefits, social welfare

4. Penny wise, pound foolish
• Measures which are proven to be
ineffective and expensive:
• Investing in emergency shelters,
emergency medical care, emergency
transportation, and prisons
• Investing in short term and temporary
solutions such as food banks and
night or winter shelters

6. Effective and less expensive
preventative measures?
• Stabilization (assistance paying rent arrears or outstanding utility
bills, at a cost of perhaps $500 to $1,000 per case),
• Relocation grants (first and last month’s rent and security deposit,
at a cost of approximately $3,000), to transitional rent subsidies of
varying duration (6–24 months)..
• Services ranging from assessment and referral only, to
employment training and placement, to intensive case
management services, depending on the characteristics of the
family or individual.
• This all being cheaper than offering medium or long term shelter
• (from: Rearranging the deck chairs, prof Dennis Culhane)

7. Solutions which are ineffective and
inexpensive:

8.  Measures which are effective and cheap:
?