The absolutely astronomical cost of housing a homeless person, the amount of graft that goes into a y program designed for charity on that scale, and the knock-

The absolutely astronomical cost of housing a homeless person, the amount of graft that goes into a y program designed for charity on that scale, and the knock-on effects on the housing economy by pouring that money in. $1100 will buy you cheap rent and basic food. It will not buy you the ability to put our homeless into those houses or to run the kitchens to feed them. If you give it as direct subsidy, the money will go straight into the hands of drug lords. If you administer it, you will spend 50% more than that on just the administration costs of tracking down the homeless and offering them services. The marginal value of a dollar decreases substantially as you give something more funding. We already have shelters and programs - they're ineffective at keeping people off the streets long term. Adding more shelters until there's always large quantities of empty beds will not help. Well meaning though it may be, it's giving a man a fish, one who doesn't want to be taught.