Report: Homelessness Cost in Oklahoma City at $28 Million

News9.com

OKLAHOMA CITY – The amount of money spent by private and public agencies on Oklahoma City's homeless population totals more than $28 million, according to a report released Tuesday by the Oklahoma City Planning Department.

The study took data gathered between April 1, 2009 and March 31, 2010 by Spangler & Associates for the Mayor's Homelessness Action Task Force. The study included numbers from more than 40 agencies and organizations.

"The cost to our community for serving the homeless population is astounding," program coordinator Jane Ferrell said. "Only by studying homelessness can we understand how to better use our resources to serve homeless individuals and families."

According to the city of Oklahoma City, key findings from the study found that:

• The cost of homelessness during the year-long study period was $28,746,094.

• Emergency shelters and hospital emergency rooms combined accounted for more than 50 percent of the overall costs.

• The cost of law enforcement (county jail and police) and first response (Fire and EMSA) was $2.5 million.

• During the study period, one chronically homeless man cost more than $160,000 in emergency room visits, jail and police interactions and EMSA transports. He was not served in the homeless system during that time.

• Fifty nine percent of the money spent on homelessness came from private sources (foundations, faith-based organizations, hospitals, individuals etc.), and 41 percent came from public sources (federal, state and local government)

Numbers showed that during a point-in-time count in 2010, 1,128 homeless people live in Oklahoma City, including 79 families (with 41 children), and 890 individuals (264 chronically homeless). That count revealed a decrease in the number of homeless people for the first time in eight years.

The city suggests the following as recommendations found from the study:

• Improve program cost effectiveness and performance.

• Provide better outreach to serve homelessness. This could be done by increasing our outreach and engagement efforts targeting persons living on the streets, under bridges and in abandoned buildings.

• Realign homeless services. Once open, the West Town Resource Center will significantly aid in these efforts.

• Increase coordination of referrals and services to stretch resources. 211 could be a powerful partner in this effort.

• Move from an emergency "crisis" mode to focus on prevention and permanent housing.

"The City and the various agencies serving the homeless will use the information gathered from this study to initiate changes that will better serve the homeless population and use financial resources more effectively," Ferrell added.

Read the complete study.