A study by USC and a San Francisco-based nonprofit has found that a $750 monthly stipend improves the lives of homeless people.

If 100 homeless people were given $750 per month for a year, no questions asked, what would they spend it on?

That question was at the core of a controlled study conducted by a San Francisco-based nonprofit and the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work.

The results were so promising that the researchers decided to publish results after only six months. The answer: food, 36.6%; housing, 19.5%; transportation, 12.7%; clothing, 11.5%; and healthcare, 6.2%, leaving only 13.6% uncategorized.

Those who got the stipend were less likely to be unsheltered after six months and able to meet more of their basic needs than a control group that got no money, and half as likely as the control group to have an episode of being unsheltered.

Archived at https://web.archive.org/web/20231221131158/https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-12-19/750-a-month-no-questions-asked-improved-the-lives-of-homeless-people

  • @AeonFelisEnglish
    23•11 months ago

    How did they collect data on what these homeless people were spending the money on? Sounds like some questions were asked after all…

      • @Pogbom
        12•11 months ago

        Exactly, they gave it to them and said “do whatever you want with it” then just checked what they did later.

      • @Buddahriffic
        5•11 months ago

        Yeah, I bet that “uncategorized” is just the amount of cash they took out, some of which might have gone to drugs, some of which might have gone to other random cash shit.

        • @Thermal_shocked
          17•11 months ago

          And that’s ok. Sounds like they spend it on the same things people with jobs/income do.

          • @Buddahriffic
            6•11 months ago

            Yeah, nothing wrong with enjoying some substances and hopefully the money enables them to not have to rely on dealers who take advantage of people who can’t afford to ask questions or be picky about what they put into their body.

            • @butterflyattack
              4•11 months ago

              Yeah, and TBF being homeless is shit. When I was, I self medicated with smack and booze just to turn down the volume on the screaming insecurity and worry I felt pretty much constantly. Some homeless people are also mentally unwell and need additional support but a lot will take whatever help is available and use it to improve their lives.