It's not just a matter of a leaky roof; even the building's foundation may be collapsing. If we don't invest in aid for the homeless, there will be an even bigger gap between certain parts of society. There's a cost to that gap. I'm not an economist, and I couldn't tell you what the return on investment would be, but from the moment you help a person begin a process of achieving stable housing, regain power over his life, emerge from a survival situation, that person is going to integrate and reintegrate. No one is satisfied with welfare. There are way too many prejudices.
On October 25th, 2006. See this statement in context.