The Arthur Street Hotel Proves that Providing Housing First Leads to Recovery and Stability
Over the last couple of years, housing advocates in Louisville, Kentucky, have operated a new hotel where homeless folks can receive case management, therapy, substance abuse treatment, and other services.
The hotel, known as the Arthur Street Hotel, uses a Housing First model where guests receive a room before they are required to access services or treatment. Up to 80 guests can stay at the hotel at one time, and advocates say they have helped more than 200 people transition from the streets to housing.
Rising Homelessness Meets Criminalization in Kentucky
Arthur Street opened as homelessness is increasing across Kentucky and the nation. Data from the Kentucky Housing Corporation shows there are more than 4,700 homeless people across the state, about 25% of whom live in Jefferson County, where Louisville is located. That total represents a more than 19% increase year over year.
Lawmakers in Kentucky have responded by passing laws that criminalize acts associated with homelessness, such as sleeping, eating, or lying down in public spaces. One example is the “Safer Kentucky Act,” which Kentucky lawmakers adopted in April 2024. The law prohibits street encampments in most public areas and allows homeowners to use vigilante violence to remove encampments from their property.
The “Safer Kentucky Act” is already having a negative impact on homeless people’s lives. A report from Louisville Public Media found dozens of cases where homeless people were arrested for failing to appear before a judge after receiving an “unlawful camping” citation from police officers.
“It’s not whether we’re ready,” Arthur Street co-founder Donny Greene told The Guardian. “It’s that there is a need that is still unmet here, as well as a million other places in this country.”
Proven Success of Housing First Programs
Housing First programs like the Arthur Street Hotel have been consistently attacked by right-wing figures as a waste of taxpayer dollars. So-called think tanks like the Manhattan Institute or the Heritage Foundation have published multiple articles arguing that housing first is a “failed experiment.”
However, the approach has proven to be one of the most effective ways to disrupt cycles of homelessness. Housing first prioritizes putting someone into a housing unit before asking them to connect with services or enter a treatment program. In essence, the model seeks to address individual issues before asking someone to meet the requirements of government programs.
Houston, Texas, instituted a housing first model in 2012 and has since seen a 63% drop in homelessness. The city combined no-strings-attached housing placements with services that help people overcome trauma and address personal issues. The city has also seen a steep decline in the number of homeless people in jails and hospitals, which is saving taxpayers money.
Challenges in Scaling and Sustaining Housing First Programs
The impacts of Arthur Street have also been quick to materialize. One resident, Bonnie Baker, told The Guardian that the hotel helped connect her with a treatment program that helped her get sober. Baker also received a housing voucher and has been able to look for an apartment while staying at the hotel.
Even though vouchers are designed to help people get off the streets, homelessness can prevent people from using them. It takes a lot of time and effort to find an apartment and a landlord who accepts a housing voucher. That creates a situation where a homeless person has to decide whether to spend their day looking for housing or finding food and water.
“I’ve seen a lot of people fail and lose their houses, like, right away. I want to keep this,” Baker said.
Greene contends that scaling Arthur Street’s impact could be challenging. The hotel costs about $3 million to operate, or roughly $150 per guest per night. Its operations are funded by a local nonprofit called the Rita June Foundation.
However, accessing outside funding comes with its own challenges. Funders and other nonprofits have their own metrics of success, which can sometimes conflict with Arthur Street’s mission. At the same time, no single funder can foot the entire bill, which requires the organization to operate using a patchwork of funding sources.
“The fact that we’ve put so many people into housing and taken them off of the street, it’s kind of hard to argue with it,” Lisa Dischinger, who co-founded the nonprofit that financially supports Arthur Street, told The Guardian. “You know, people are going to do it, it’s just a matter of where and a matter of getting them the support they need so they can keep getting better.”
Rethinking Homelessness Solutions Beyond Criminalization
Handcuffs will never solve homelessness. The pandemic proved that we need to rethink housing in the United States. It also showed that many programs designed to address homelessness are rooted in law enforcement rather than social services.
Tell your representatives you support revamping how your city addresses homelessness. Handcuffs do not get anyone closer to stable housing. Instead, we must focus on compassionate solutions, the first step to ending homelessness.
