On the one hand it seems implausible, on the other hand ridiculous. What worse way could there be to combat homelessness in America than to provide the homeless with a place to live?

It's such a ridiculous proposition that only Utah, a bastion of gay sex and other conservative values could dare suggest and then implement it. Now, with the alleged success of the policy - against all common sense - it has a chance of spreading to more liberal locales such as Wyoming.



n 2005, Utah set out to do something very different than the typical strategy of getting the hard-core homeless off drugs and alcohol, and making them jump through enough bureaucratic hoops to obtain some state assistance and finally get what they need most: permanent housing... The "Housing First" program's goal was to end chronic homelessness in Utah within 10 years. Through 2012, it had helped reduce the 2,000 people in that category when it began by 74 percent. Lloyd Pendleton, director of Utah's Homeless Task Force, said the state is on track to meet its goal by 2015, and become the first state in the nation to do so... I don't care whether people support the program because it's the right thing to do, or because they realize it saves them money in the long run. Whatever their motivation, people need to explore innovative solutions for Wyoming's increasing homeless population, and not keep doing the same things over and over... By giving them a roof over their heads instead of a hospital bed or jail cell, Wyoming communities can show that they are both compassionate and good stewards of public funds.

Can we agree that Ayn Rand will not be visiting Utah any time soon? I believe we can.