Arizona spends $1B annually on homelessness

A new report highlighted the cost of homelessness in Arizona, with more than $1 billion spent annually. The report comes from the Common Sense Institute (CSI), a non-partisan research organization. Katie Ratlief, Executive Director of the Common Sense Institute, joined “Arizona Horizon” to discuss the details of the report.

CSI estimates the state of Arizona has spent approximately $933 million to $1.1 billion annually, which includes shelter, treatment, food, and other support services for people experiencing homelessness.

This means various government and nonprofit providers spend between 88% and 284% of the median annual rent for a home or apartment in the Greater Phoenix area on every homeless person. For context, CSI found the estimated average annual spend per homeless person in Arizona is $44,300.