San Francisco's Care Not Cash Program

In SanFrancisco, the mayor has established a program that he says is responsible for a 28% drop in the homeless population. This project aims to provide the homeless with housing and counseling, versus giving them money which may be spent for alternative motives. Although the mayor does claim such a high decrease in homelessness, some programs still project their numbers at normal levels, "It's an outrageous undercount, politically motivated,We've been looking at encampments and visit 15 different sites a week, and the numbers may have dropped a little, but we have not seen as dramatic a drop." Read More

I think it is important for homeless programs to focus their efforts to make sure they benefit the poor in the most crucial ways. The city has set up a perfect example of this with the care not cash program. Although the numbers projected by the mayor may not be as exact as some believe, what is important is that steps are being taken to support those in need.