How can homelessness be costing tax payers money?
Due to their continued movement through the service system without obtaining the help they need, chronically homeless people consume more than 50% of all the services provided to homeless people. Chronically homeless individuals are also frequent users of other costly public services, such as hospital emergency rooms, psychiatric emergency wards and the criminal justice system. According to an unofficial study completed in January 2006, homelessness costs the City of Santa Barbara between $600,000 – $700,000 each year for police, public works, parks and recreation, library and fire services. Although the City would not likely have an annual budget savings of this amount, services could be redirected to other needed areas.
