Episode 7: Strong Opinions, Weak Facts: Debunking Homelessness Myths

Most people have strong opinions about homelessness.

And lately, politicians and public figures are building entire campaigns around misinformation about it.

California gubernatorial candidate Chad Bianco recently claimed that 95% of people experiencing homelessness are addicted to drugs. LA mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt argued that there is enough housing for everyone but unhoused Angelenos are choosing to stay on the street to use “super meth”.

The data simply does not support these claims. When policy is driven by fear and misinformation instead of evidence, the crisis gets worse. Money and resources get directed toward what sounds good politically instead of what has actually been proven to work.

In our newest episode of Defining Affordable, “Strong Opinions, Weak Facts: Debunking Homelessness Myths,” we break down some of the biggest misconceptions about homelessness and talk about what the research and real-world outcomes actually show.

We discuss:
• why housing costs are one of the strongest drivers of homelessness
• why seniors and working families are increasingly falling into housing instability
• how properly funded interventions have dramatically reduced veteran homelessness

This is one of the most emotionally charged issues in America right now. But strong emotions are not the same thing as facts.