Why does the Ten-Year Plan focus on chronically-homeless people? Why not work to end all homelessness?
Chronic homelessness is the starting point. Although the people in this category make up only a small proportion of the homeless people in the United States, they consume about 50% of all resources utilized by all homeless people. This is due to their heavy consumption of public social services, including law enforcement, jails, drug clinics, psychiatric facilities, and hospital emergency rooms. Our society will be improved when all homelessness is a thing of the past, but we will be most effective as we address the issue strategically. It makes good strategic sense to focus on the fewest people who consume the most resources.
