Many American cities are rethinking their approaches to dealing with homeless populations by placing people in apartments instead of temporary shelters. The new strategy is not only reducing the number of chronically homeless, but it is also more cost-effective for cities, according to a story in the Christian Science Monitor.

"From New York to Dallas to Seattle, cities across the country are focusing not just on emergency shelter, but on getting the homeless homes. As a result, they're seeing reductions in the numbers of chronically homeless people on their streets and in their shelters. The movement, known as Housing First, has had the most success in moving the chronically homeless, mentally ill, and drug addicted into housing complexes with social services, like counseling. That's proved to be more effective and less expensive than leaving people on the streets or in shelters. Now, the concept is being expanded and adapted to help the growing number of potentially homeless families like the Cedanos, giving them short-term help in getting back on their feet and, where possible, long-term help with rent subsidies.

"'There's a paradigm shift occurring,' says Dennis Culhane, a homelessness expert at the University of Pennsylvania. 'The successes ... achieved among chronically homeless adults have led people to understand that that same paradigm shift can apply to all homeless families.'"

Read the full story here.

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