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> I'm pretty sure it is, due to basic economics... Not being funny, but basic economics also rules out a bunch of other stuff that exists. For example, in Medi

• dpark 10y ago
  Basic economics make that really expensive, but not just a waste of money, which is what excess capacity in shelters is. And yes, it's possible that there are places with tons of excess capacity because the people there have chosen to intentionally overfund out of an abundance of caution and compassion, but I've never heard of such a place.
  • richmarr 10y ago
    > Basic economics make that really expensive, but not just a waste of money, which is what excess capacity in shelters is. If you boil it down to a bed counting problem you're right, but it's not as simple as that. Take London as an example. There are shelters, hostels, and even B&Bs in use to keep homeless folks off the street. Each serves different markets, with seasonal changes. Empty beds are already part of the operating model for hostels and B&Bs, so the capacity exists. In my opinion the more challenging questions are around how to connect the supply and demand (in the presence of funding, obviously). I'm not saying basic economics isn't a useful tool, just that it's usually a poor proof of anything in the real world. The clue is in the word "basic".