Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY — Affordable housing is not only a key to preventing homelessness, it's the cure to chronic homelessness, officials say.
But Utah's needs far outstrip the state's ability to build affordable housing. Utah needs some 44,000 units of affordable housing statewide to keep pace with demand, according to federal and state estimates.
When a segment of Utahns can't afford housing, they're at great risk of becoming homeless, says Gordon Walker, director of the Utah Division of Housing and Community Development.
"When they fall into homeless, from our studies and our experience, we find it's a greater expense to deal with them in society than to deal with them at the housing level," he said.
While the state's annual Comprehensive Report on Homelessness generally focuses on characteristics of Utah's homeless population, this year's report takes a hard look at affordable housing and its role in the state's future ability to address homelessness.
The report highlights significant challenges.
"The percent of renters who cannot afford rental housing for a two bedroom apartment in Utah was estimated around 47 percent in 2014, an increase from 36.7 percent in 2010," it says.
The report notes the strong connection between affordable housing and homelessness. "Several studies looking at the rate of homeless across the metropolitan areas found as the rate of affordable or available housing decreases, the total number of homeless persons increases," the report says.
Matt Minkevitch, executive director of the Road Home, which shelters, houses and provides intensive case management to homeless families, men and women, said the report's focus on affordable housing is important.
Housing immediately eliminates one's homelessness. There may be a bevy of other problems that an individual is facing, but housing is a cure for homelessness. That the Comprehensive Report on Homelessness is devoting necessary attention to affordable housing is very helpful.
–Matt Minkevitch, executive director of the Road Home
“Housing immediately eliminates one’s homelessness. There may be a bevy of other problems that an individual is facing, but housing is a cure for homelessness,” Minkevitch said. "That the Comprehensive Report on Homelessness is devoting necessary attention to affordable housing is very helpful.”
While Utah has made signficant progress in reducing the numbers of chronically homeless people statewide over the past nine years, there is still a significant need for housing specifically for that population.
"In 2014, it was determined that 718 permanent supportive housing beds were needed for single individuals and 553 permanent supportive housing beds for families," the report states.
Overall homelessness in Utah fell 9.4 percent from a year ago, but numbers of chronically homeless people ticked up slightly, according to the report. Officials attribute the increase to better counting techniques.
Based on the 2014 homeless Point In Time Count required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, an estimated 13,621 people in Utah will experience homelessness over the course of the year.
In 2005, the state set a 10-year goal to end chronic homelessness. The report says 3.9 percent of the state's homeless population is experiencing chronic homelessness, down 72 percent.
Cost is a significant factor in focusing on chronic homelessness.
"Although this population comprises less than 5 percent of the total homeless population, they consume about 50 percent of the resources for homeless services," the report says.
The report also notes significant cost savings resulting from the reduced use of emergency rooms and jails. "For every one chronically homeless housed, there is an estimated $8,000 net cost savings to community systems and our front-line providers are able to serve an additional 2.4 temporarily homeless individuals through existing programs," the report says.
But the primary reason to target chronic homeless, according to the report, is because the population is highly vulnerable. Housing improves their safety and quality of life.
The report also focuses on the needs of sub-populations among the homeless, in particular people leaving prisons and jails, as well as behavioral health treatment programs and foster care.
Walker said Gov. Gary Herbert has tasked the Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice, working with the Pew Charitable Trust, to develop strategies to decrease recidivism in Utah as part of the state's plans to reform the state's corrections system.
"One of the very key factors that was mentioned at the beginning of the reporting cycle was that housing is a very critical component of that. We recognize that, now what we have to do is convince other people, funders and other institutions that affordable housing is a very critical component because our resources to create and develop affordable housing are somewhat limited," Walker said.
Government, nonprofit and private partners have worked collaboratively over the past decade to significantly reduce rates of chronic homelessness, Minkevitch said. That level of planning and skill set can be directed to address the state's need for affordable housing.
"We have the means by which to create housing alternatives that are sensible and can bring in finite numbers of people who need a place in to live. Through thoughtful planning and collaboration we can create those housing opportunities," he said.
