New study gave $7,500 to 50 unhoused people.

Guess what?

"They did not spend more money on alcohol or drugs, contrary to what people believe, and instead they spent the money on rent, food, housing, transit, furniture, a used car, clothes. It's entirely the opposite of what people think they're going to do with the money."

Congrats to my UBC colleague Jiaying Zhao on this study.

#Unhoused #CashTransfers #UBC #IRES

https://bc.ctvnews.ca/a-b-c-study-gave-50-homeless-people-7-500-each-here-s-what-they-spent-it-on-1.6540030

A B.C. study gave 50 homeless people $7,500 each. Here's what they spent it on.

A new B.C.-based study undercuts the persistent stereotype that homeless people can't be trusted with cash, according to the lead researcher who says it also highlights a different way to respond to the crisis.

British Columbia
@hishamzerriffi The right has been remarkably successful till now in spreading that that propaganda of the homeless spending money on booze and drugs. Think "welfare queens". Good to see this study come out. Though Finland and other places have been doing "housing first" for some time now.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Housing_First
Housing First - Wikipedia

@Miro_Collas @hishamzerriffi they did a test in Florida to see if they could enforce drug testing on welfare recipients and cut them off if they were found to use drugs. Turns out it cost way more to drug test everyone than it did to cut benefits to the less than 3% or so that did use drugs. https://www.tampabay.com/news/courts/florida-didnt-save-money-by-drug-testing-welfare-recipients-data-shows/1225721/
Florida didn't save money by drug testing welfare recipients, data shows

TALLAHASSEE — Required drug tests for people seeking welfare benefits ended up costing taxpayers more than it saved and failed to curb the number of prospective applicants, data used against the...

Tampa Bay Times