Radical Redesign of Homelessness Services
The current system for addressing homelessness in the US is broken, with cities spending more on services each year, yet homelessness continues to rise, and public frustration grows.
The issue may be that the system is trying to solve too many problems at once, without effectively addressing any of them. A thought experiment, based on work at the Harvard Kennedy School Government Performance Lab (GPL), explores the potential for radical redesign of services for people with severe mental illness living on the streets.
A precedent for reimagining complex systems can be found in communities across the country, offering valuable insights into what it takes to create meaningful change.
What if we're trying to solve too many problems at once with a system built to solve none of them well?
- Local governments, nonprofits, and philanthropists can work together to create a more effective system.
- Exploring new approaches and learning from existing precedents can help drive innovation and improvement.
Author's summary: Redesigning homelessness services around outcomes is crucial.