Preliminary Indications of the Effects of Homelessness Expenditures on Point-In-Time Count

The San Diego Taxpayers Educational Foundation (SDTEF), the research-oriented branch of SDCTA, conducted a study to answer the question of: Which type of expenditure in the area of homelessness (crisis management, diversion, or prevention) is most effective (and to what extent) in reducing the total number of people experiencing homelessness as indicated by the annual “Point in Time” count?

To answer this, we explore correlations between the expenditures of the 18 cities in San Diego County and the number of people experiencing homelessness, controlling for likely variables which minimize bias (by city and year).

Preliminary indications show that of the three types of expenditures, prevention-related spending may be the most effective, or more accurately, the only type that is actually shown to correlate with a reduction in homelessness.