Even Housing First works better in Texas, but why?

The CalMatters team parses why, when Texas spends 172% less per unhoused person than California, the Lone Star State has us beat in homelessness rates—which continue to drop as CA's increase (see also SJ's largest-in-13-years homeless population findings). While Texas follows Housing First, they've also banned and regularly clear public encampments; and the lack of zoning codes makes it affordable, and easy, to build permanent shelters.

Sending someone from the street into permanent housing is the ultimate goal for Darden and legions of other outreach workers like him all over America. But it seems to happen more often in Houston, where the homeless population shrank by more than half over the past decade. Compare that to California’s major cities, where the population surged by double-digits, and in some cases triple-digits.

It’s not just Houston. Texas as a whole last year recorded a 28% drop in homelessness since 2012, while California’s homeless population grew by 43% over the same period. In Texas, 81 people are homeless for every 100,000 residents. In California, the rate is more than five times worse.

And that’s despite the fact that Texas spends far fewer state dollars on homelessness. Last year, not counting federal money, Texas put $19.7 million into its three main homelessness programs – equal to about $806 per unhoused person. California, on the other hand, poured $1.85 billion into its three main programs – or $10,786 for every unhoused person....

One reason more people find housing in Texas: costs. The median rent for a one-bedroom home in the state was $1,233 in early June, according to Zillow. In California, it was $2,200 – making it harder for people to get and stay housed here.

Land and construction costs are cheaper in Texas, too, and the Lone Star State has fewer regulations that restrict construction. The city of Houston, for example, has no zoning – coupled with a strong mayor who can push projects through – making it easier to build and harder to block housing.

Last year, Texas permitted more than twice as many new homes as California, even though California has about 9 million more residents....

Other parts of Texas’ approach to homelessness are more punitive than practices favored by California cities and state officials.

The red state passed a law banning encampments throughout Texas in 2021, obligating cities to clear camps and empowering law enforcement to cite and fine campers. California Republicans proposed two similar bills this year, but got no traction.

This article originally appeared in CalMatters. Read the whole thing here.

Read more on Housing First’s failures here.

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