[ExI] Vancouver homeless New Leaf Project

[BillK]

A B.C. research project gave homeless people $7,500 each — the results
were 'beautifully surprising'
Participants found housing faster, boosted food security and reduced
spending on substances, study found
Bridgette Watson · CBC News · Updated: August 30, 2023

<https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/new-leaf-project-results-1.5752714>

Quotes:
A Vancouver-based research project gave homeless individuals cash and
tracked their progress for a year. The 50 cash transfer recipients not
only found stable housing, they freed up space in shelters and,
according to project data, saved the shelter system $8,100 per person
over those 12 months.

All 115 participants, ranging in age between 19 and 64, had been
homeless for at least six months and were not struggling with serious
substance use or mental health issues. Of those, 50 people were chosen
at random to be given the cash, while the others formed a control
group that did not receive any money.

According to Williams, providing people like Ray the cash they need to
get ahead also helps Canadian taxpayers.

She said it costs, on average, $55,000 annually for social and health
services for one homeless individual. According to study data, the
project saved the shelter system approximately $8,100 per person for a
total of roughly $405,000 over one year for all 50.
"The common belief is that the status quo is cheap... in fact, it is
incredibly expensive," said Williams.
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BillK