Since 1996, Texas has reduced the amount of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families dollars it spends on direct assistance to poor Texans from $400 million to $150 million, while non-assistance spending has increased from $200 million to over $700 million.

The National Alliance to End Homelessness is a national program that believes people experiencing homelessness must have their basic needs met in order to pursue personal goals. The NAEH uses the Housing First approach, which provides unconditional housing to those experiencing homelessness. The State of Utah reduced chronic homelessness by 91 percent after implementing the Housing First approach; Utah’s homeless population went from 2,000 in 2005 to fewer than 200 in 2015. Housing First also proved to be cost efficient, as the program annually spends about $10,000-$12,000 per participant, but the state spends an average of $20,000 annually on someone who is chronically homeless.

I, as a constituent of Texas House District 64, advocate that the Texas State Legislator partner with the National Alliance to End Homelessness to establish a statewide Housing First approach, which would offer unconditional housing to Texans experiencing extreme poverty and homelessness.