In 2016, California passed legislation mandating Housing First as the only state-approved funding model for homeless services. Housing First has several key features, the most prominent of which is that state-funded programs cannot require sobriety as a condition of participation.
Additionally, these programs are prohibited from referring to substance use in judgmental terms. Any program that does not conform to these guidelines is labeled “high barrier.”
Housing First also requires all programming to be voluntary or non-mandated.
At Solutions for Change, we have spent 25 years empowering thousands of individuals and families to escape homelessness, dependency, and the generational cycle of poverty — what we call “crushing the Churn.”
Our classes, coaching, therapy, or interventions are critical for helping individuals achieve lasting change, leading to a 76% success rate. However, under Housing First, participation cannot be required.
We are one of the programs the legislature dismisses as a “high barrier.” In reality, we set “high standards” for those we serve and hold them accountable.
It doesn’t take decades of experience to understand that homelessness stems from various factors. While the cost of housing is certainly a factor, it’s nearly impossible to escape homelessness without addressing its other root causes. For those struggling with substance use or mental health issues, allowing substance use in shelters or being prohibited from discussing it honestly is not just contradictory to effective solutions—it’s fundamentally flawed.
That’s why we made the decision to reject government funding tied to Housing First, forgoing tens of millions of dollars to stay true to our mission and values.
Since California adopted Housing First in 2016, despite over $20 billion in state funding, homelessness has skyrocketed, leading to untold suffering and thousands of deaths. Legislators might argue that the situation would be worse without their policies, but recent legislative proposals suggest they might recognize cracks in their approach.
Assembly Bill 2893, the Supportive Recovery Residence Program, introduces minor amendments to the state’s one-size-fits-all approach. The bill would allow up to 10% of funding to be allocated to shelters that require abstinence from substance use as a condition of participation.
But the devil is in the details, and AB 2893 leaves much to be desired.
While the bill suggests that programs like ours might receive funding, it still demands compliance with other Housing First “low barrier” standards, including allowing participants to stay in the program even if they repeatedly relapse. This is a significant concern because relapse can be harmful to others, and protecting our program students and their families is a top priority.
AB 2893 also continues to mandate that shelters only refer to substance use in nonjudgmental terms. We unapologetically take a firm stance on this issue, knowing that active substance use is incompatible with the journey out of homelessness. Our experience has shown that addressing substance use directly and with accountability is essential to overcoming homelessness. Furthermore, participation would remain voluntary, leaving out thousands of homeless individuals who are lost in addiction and mental illness who require accountability to successfully transform their lives.
Housing First, as a blanket solution for California’s homelessness crisis, is an abject failure. That’s not up for debate. The results are evident in the data, in our communities, and on our streets. The principles underpinning Housing First might benefit a small fraction of the homeless population, but they fall short of addressing the needs of many others.
Unfortunately, AB 2893 won’t reverse these failures. It’s time to go back to the drawing board and rethink our approach to solving homelessness in California.
Chris Megison is a social entrepreneur, cofounder and CEO of Solutions for Change.
