Demonstrated Local Cost Effectiveness
Nationally, high fidelity to a Housing First approach has demonstrated remarkable impact on health indicators, housing status and systems costs. Albuquerque Heading Home has drawn
encouraging preliminary data from a recent study of the City’s Housing First program, demonstrating that similar outcomes are
feasible in Albuquerque. Among the compelling local findings by UNM’s Institute for Social Research are:
- A 65.9% decrease in emergency room costs.
- There is a 93% decrease in emergency shelter costs.
- A 95.9% decrease in jail costs.
- A 40% decrease in medical outpatient costs.
- Persons, once housed, nearly double their individual income, increasing their likelihood of success.
- At lowest, most conservative estimate, there is a 3.8% overall savings to have someone housed rather than living on the streets.
Housing First Study,
Albuquerque, May 2011
