Lloyd Pendleton: The Housing First approach to homelessness

The Housing First approach to homelessness

What do you think would happen if you invited an individual with mental health issues who had been homeless for many years to move directly from the street into housing? Loyd Pendleton shares how he went from skeptic to believer in the Housing First approach to homelessness -- providing the displaced with short-term assistance to find permanent housing quickly and without conditions -- and how it led to a 91 percent reduction in chronic homelessness over a ten-year period in Utah.

Placing even the most vulnerable, long-term homeless individuals directly into housing—without preconditions—can spark dramatic transformation. Utah's adoption of the Housing First model led to a 91 percent reduction in chronic homelessness over a decade. Case studies showed that trust and stability take time to build, yet with patient support, lives can stabilize and communities save millions in emergency costs. Meeting people where they are, not where we wish them to be, opens the door to real change.