Multi-service programs like Boise’s Our Path Home are the solution to growing homelessness expenses

Millions up front saves millions for Boise taxpayers. Multi-service programs are a solution to the growing expense of homelessness.

Around the country, cities and organizations are finding multi-service programs save money and are changing how the U.S. is finding solutions for their homeless citizens. According to Sven Berg’s article in the Idaho Statesman, it costs $53,000 a year to local governments and hospitals for a person to live on the streets, a multi-service housing apartment in comparison costs only $16,000 annually. In Long Beach, Calif., they call it the full-service approach and have several “villages” serving the homeless population. In Washington’s King County, they call it a holistic approach and include hundreds of community partnerships. In Boise, it is being called a single-point approach that includes a housing unit of 40 for chronically homeless people and families in the Treasure Valley.

Boise’s multi-service program model is called Our Path Home, it consists of on-site social services, medical treatment, life skills training and a place to call home. New Path Community Housing is a Housing First approach defined by the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness as “an approach that is centered on the belief that everyone can achieve stability in permanent housing directly from homelessness and that stable housing is the foundation for pursuing other health and social services goals.” The care in this model will be primarily provided through Terry Reilly Health Services with help from hundreds of community partnerships including; CATCH, Saint Alphonsus, the City of Boise, Northwest Integrity Housing Co. to name a few. According to New Path, the Tomlinson and Associates property management company will be overseeing the management of the housing unit. The management and onsite services will be paid for through grants from the City of Boise, from the federal government according to the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, and other funding.

Many may be wondering how building a multimillion dollar housing unit saves the Boise citizens money. It’s been shown that having people off the streets reduces the costs associated with homelessness; including and not limited to hospital visits, jail time and ambulance trips. With this model working in other cities, it seems reasonable that providing more multi-service programs in the Treasure Valley are needed to address the many unsheltered citizens of Boise.