The researcher suggests that the proclaimed costs of $100,000 for each individual who is homeless is too high and does not take into consideration the variability amongst those who are homeless. To determine the true cost of supporting a chronically homeless client at the DI, (those with the highest no. of stays in 2009 – day and night sleep which includes Harm Reduction) the researchers undertook an analysis of the frequency of stay and emergency service interactions of the top 50 users at the DI. Within our top 50 chronically homeless clients, there were 27 EMS calls and 9 CPS calls (total) during 2009. The calls were attributable to 15 individuals in our top 50 users. The calculations demonstrate that at most, the highest user chronic homeless average less than half of what the Calgary Homeless Foundation purports – i.e. about $40,000. The homeless person with out high use of emergency facilities costs about $13,000. Essentially, this study shows that homelessness does not cost as much as expected, but nevertheless, attention is needed to how to manage homelessness generally.

Summary Credit:
Homelessness-Related Research Capacities in Alberta: A Comprehensive Environmental Scan, prepared by Dr. Katharina Kovacs Burns, MSc, MHSA, PhD and Dr. Solina Richter, PhD, RN for The Alberta Homelessness Research Consortium (2010)