--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Giving away free housing, it turned out…" description: "\"“Giving away free housing, it turned out, was actually a windfall for the state budget. State economists calculated that a drifter living on the street..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/366/rutger-bregman-2463_quote_giving-away-free-housing-it-turned-out-w_588228.jpg" --- # Giving away free housing, it turned out, was actually a… ![“Giving away free housing, it turned out, was actually a windfall for the state budget. State economists calculated that a drifter living on the street cost the government $16,670 a year (for social services, police, courts, etc.). An apartment plus professional counseling, by contrast, cost a…” quote by Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/366/rutger-bregman-2463_quote_giving-away-free-housing-it-turned-out-w_588228.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/366/rutger-bregman-2463_quote_giving-away-free-housing-it-turned-out-w_588228.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/366/rutger-bregman-2463_quote_giving-away-free-housing-it-turned-out-w_588228.jpg) > ““Giving away free housing, it turned out, was actually a windfall for the state budget. State economists calculated that a drifter living on the street cost the government $16,670 a year (for social services, police, courts, etc.). An apartment plus professional counseling, by contrast, cost a modest $11,000.30 The numbers are clear. Today, Utah is on course to eliminate chronic homelessness entirely, making it the first state in the U.S. to successfully address this problem. All while saving a fortune.”” [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Providing housing and support to the homeless reduces overall public costs and improves societal outcomes. **In simple terms:** Housing the homeless saves money and helps people. Key Takeaway Invest in housing and services for the homeless. Themes social policy economics humanitarianism Mood optimistic pragmatic Type policy analytical When to use this quote - city budgeting - social services - non‑profits - community outreach Key Concepts cost‑benefit analysis public health urban planning Questions to Reflect On - How can other states replicate Utah’s model? - What barriers exist to scaling housing programs? A Different Perspective Implementation requires political will and sustained funding. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Housing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/housing/) [Utah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/utah/) ## Related quotes > [The Democratic position seems to be everything is going to be free. Free education. Free health care. Free housing. Free love. Free kittens, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kennedy/the-democratic-position-seems-to-be-everything-is-going-to-be-free/) [John Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kennedy/) > [The worst thing the federal government could do is to increase the size, reach and cost of government. If government failed in its response…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-thomas/the-worst-thing-the-federal-government-could-do-is-to-increase-the/) [Cal Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-thomas/) > [“These bills include hundreds of thousands of economic migrants who, after years in the UK, probably still can’t believe that British taxpayers are stupid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-craig/these-bills-include-hundreds-of-thousands-of-economic-migrants-who/) [David Craig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-craig/) > [What does it mean when Republicans and Democrats alike warn us about the 'pain' involved in cutting government spending - in their spending less…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-j-forstmann/what-does-it-mean-when-republicans-and-democrats-alike-warn-us-about/) [Theodore J. Forstmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-j-forstmann/) > [“I don’t know why I seem to be the only one who understands that when the government provides something for free—whether it’s food, housing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-carolla/i-don-t-know-why-i-seem-to-be-the-only-one-who-understands-that-when/) [Adam Carolla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-carolla/) > [“The Economic Policy Institute, a progressive think tank, estimated that the hedge fund loophole cost the government over $6 billion a year—the cost of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/the-economic-policy-institute-a-progressive-think-tank-estimated-that/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [One of the reasons some of the advocates of ever larger government and more government intrusiveness get nervous about discussions of the actual cost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grover-norquist/one-of-the-reasons-some-of-the-advocates-of-ever-larger-government/) [Grover Norquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grover-norquist/) > [Imposing excessive new regulations, or closing coal-fired power plants, would produce few health or environmental benefits. But it would exact huge costs on society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-driessen/imposing-excessive-new-regulations-or-closing-coal-fired-power-plants/) [Paul Driessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-driessen/) > [Child-care costs are now the largest family expenditure in much of America, even exceeding the cost of housing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/child-care-costs-are-now-the-largest-family-expenditure-in-much-of/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [Actually, high housing prices don't help the economy. They raise the cost of living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hudson/actually-high-housing-prices-don-t-help-the-economy-they-raise-the/) [Michael Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hudson/) > [One of the biggest problems that we have right now is that in some areas of the State we cannot get additional jobs created…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-deukmejian/one-of-the-biggest-problems-that-we-have-right-now-is-that-in-some/) [George Deukmejian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-deukmejian/) > [Yeah, no one really grows up competing in the bobsled. You have to be 16 years old before you can even drive one. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elana-meyers/yeah-no-one-really-grows-up-competing-in-the-bobsled-you-have-to-be/) [Elana Meyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elana-meyers/) > [“what it is...is a place where I can return to myself. It's enough of a scramble to get to...that the energy expended is significant,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-it-is-is-a-place-where-i-can-return-to-myself-it-s-enough-of-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Do you own this?” “It’s registered to the bank of Utah.” “But really it’s yours?” He shrugs. “Own nothing control everything.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgia-le-carre/do-you-own-this-it-s-registered-to-the-bank-of-utah-but-really-it-s/) [Georgia Le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgia-le-carre/) > [Coming back, Utah just felt like home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derrick-favors/coming-back-utah-just-felt-like-home/) [Derrick Favors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derrick-favors/) ## More by Rutger Bregman > [“If all the developed countries would let in just 3% more immigrants, the world’s poor would have $305 billion more to spend, say scientists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/if-all-the-developed-countries-would-let-in-just-3-more-immigrants/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [“When Lehman Brothers collapsed on September 15, 2008, and inaugurated the biggest crisis since the 1930s, there were no real alternatives to hand. No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/when-lehman-brothers-collapsed-on-september-15-2008-and-inaugurated/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [I think one of the most important facts of basic income would be that it's not only a redistribution of income, but also of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/i-think-one-of-the-most-important-facts-of-basic-income-would-be-that/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [The great thing about money is that people can use it to buy things they need instead of things self-appointed experts think they need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/the-great-thing-about-money-is-that-people-can-use-it-to-buy-things/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [“The idea that the GDP still serves as an accurate gauge of social welfare is one of the most widespread myths of our times.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/the-idea-that-the-gdp-still-serves-as-an-accurate-gauge-of-social/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [Most of Mark Zuckerberg's income is just rent collected off the millions of picture and video posts that we give away daily for free.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/most-of-mark-zuckerberg-s-income-is-just-rent-collected-off-the/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [“To calculate the GDP, numerous data points have to be linked together and hundreds of wholly subjective choices made regarding what to count and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/to-calculate-the-gdp-numerous-data-points-have-to-be-linked-together/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [“Countless studies have shown that people who work less are more satisfied with their lives.37 In a recent poll conducted among working women, German…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/countless-studies-have-shown-that-people-who-work-less-are-more/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [“Precisely when we should be shouldering the historic task of investing this rich, safe, and healthy existence with meaning, we’ve buried utopia instead. There’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/precisely-when-we-should-be-shouldering-the-historic-task-of/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [Believing in the good of humanity is a revolutionary act - it means that we don't need all those managers and CEO's, kings and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/believing-in-the-good-of-humanity-is-a-revolutionary-act-it-means/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [Poor people aren't making dumb decisions because they are dumb, but because they're living in a context in which anyone would make dumb decisions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/poor-people-aren-t-making-dumb-decisions-because-they-are-dumb-but/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [“The bottom line is that wealth can be concentrated somewhere, but that doesn’t also mean that’s where it’s being created. This is just as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/the-bottom-line-is-that-wealth-can-be-concentrated-somewhere-but-that/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [“Recently, the International Monetary Fund published a report which revealed that too much inequality even inhibits economic growth.22 Perhaps the most fascinating finding, however,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/recently-the-international-monetary-fund-published-a-report-which/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [“Not coincidentally, the countries with the shortest workweeks also have the largest number of volunteers and the most social capital.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/not-coincidentally-the-countries-with-the-shortest-workweeks-also/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [It matters so much that from a very early age we encounter different kinds of different people, because that's what real life should be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/it-matters-so-much-that-from-a-very-early-age-we-encounter-different/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) [Explore all 164 Rutger Bregman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) ## More Cost quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I would borrow money all day long, if the cost of borrowing is less than the expected return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-schneider/i-would-borrow-money-all-day-long-if-the-cost-of-borrowing-is-less/) [Brad Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-schneider/) > [I do not want to live at the cost of the life even of a snake. I should let him bite me to death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-do-not-want-to-live-at-the-cost-of-the-life-even-of-a-snake-i/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [What a thrill. You know you've entered new territory when you realise that your outfit cost more than your film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-yu/what-a-thrill-you-know-you-ve-entered-new-territory-when-you-realise/) Jessica Yu > [ \[Photography is \] likewise even French impressionists. So the Sculls bought pop. It was politics, and they moved with it. And I think that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-winogrand/photography-is-likewise-even-french-impressionists-so-the-sculls/) [Garry Winogrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-winogrand/) > [What has drug addiction done for me? It's cost me my career, my fortune and basically my sex life when I found out I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robbin-crosby/what-has-drug-addiction-done-for-me-it-s-cost-me-my-career-my-fortune/) Robbin Crosby > [I agreed a long time ago, I would not live at any cost. If I am moved or forced away from what I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/i-agreed-a-long-time-ago-i-would-not-live-at-any-cost-if-i-am-moved/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [I believe that government is too large, costs too much, spends too much, and has too much regulatory power in our lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-walberg/i-believe-that-government-is-too-large-costs-too-much-spends-too-much/) [Tim Walberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-walberg/) > [One reason for the tremendous increase in health-care costs in the U.S. is managerial neglect of the "hotel services" by the people who dominate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/one-reason-for-the-tremendous-increase-in-health-care-costs-in-the-u/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [They brought on someone who cost more than our stadium.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendan-rodgers/they-brought-on-someone-who-cost-more-than-our-stadium/) [Brendan Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brendan-rodgers/) > [When the government pays, health care's lack of affordability becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. In health care, as in other things, government is the high-cost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-kling/when-the-government-pays-health-care-s-lack-of-affordability-becomes/) [Arnold Kling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-kling/) > [“In your goals to go the extra mile, prepare to pay an extra cost. Excellence is to be exceptional, surpassing, more competent and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/in-your-goals-to-go-the-extra-mile-prepare-to-pay-an-extra-cost/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [First impressions are often the truest, as we find (not infrequently) to our cost, when we have been wheedled out of them by plausible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/first-impressions-are-often-the-truest-as-we-find-not-infrequently-to/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [The term 'cost shifting,' as I use it, refers to those items in a university's budget that used to be reimbursed by the federal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-term-cost-shifting-as-i-use-it-refers-to-those-items-in-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Beauty's a doubtful good, a glass, a flower, Lost, faded, broken, dead within an hour; And beauty, blemish'd once, for ever's lost, In spite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/beauty-s-a-doubtful-good-a-glass-a-flower-lost-faded-broken-dead/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) Browse all 3,987 Cost quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Giving away free housing, it turned out, was actually a windfall for the state budget. State economists calculated that a drifter living on the street cost the government $16,670 a year (for social services, police, courts, etc.). An apartment plus professional counseling, by contrast, cost a modest $11,000.30 The numbers are clear. Today, Utah is on course to eliminate chronic homelessness entirely, making it the first state in the U.S. to successfully address this problem. All while saving a fortune.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Rutger Bregman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/giving-away-free-housing-it-turned-out-was-actually-a-windfall-for/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cost" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/giving-away-free-housing-it-turned-out-was-actually-a-windfall-for/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/366/rutger-bregman-2463_quote_giving-away-free-housing-it-turned-out-w_588228.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/366/rutger-bregman-2463_quote_giving-away-free-housing-it-turned-out-w_588228.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/366/rutger-bregman-2463_quote_giving-away-free-housing-it-turned-out-w_588228.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Giving away free housing, it turned out, was actually a windfall for the state budget. State economists…” — Rutger Bregman", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Rutger Bregman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Giving away free housing, it turned...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/giving-away-free-housing-it-turned-out-was-actually-a-windfall-for/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/giving-away-free-housing-it-turned-out-was-actually-a-windfall-for/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```