In the first outcomes paper from DESC’s 1811 Eastlake Housing First program for chronically homeless people with severe alcohol problems, University of Washington researchers show that providing housing and on-site services without requirements of abstinence or treatment is significantly more cost-effective than allowing them to remain homeless. See the following two publications:
Health Care and Public Service Use and Costs Before and After Provision of Housing for Chronically Homeless Persons With Severe Alcohol Problems – The Journal of the American Medical Association (Vol. 301 | No. 13, April 1, 2009)
1811 Eastlake: 2009 Evaluation highlights (one page, April 2009)