Better to house the homeless than let them roam free Pix for representational purpose only. PETALING JAYA : Spending money to house homeless people with mental illness has proven to be a strategy that helps governments save money. Sounds like a contradiction but a study by the Arizona State University’s Morrison Institute of Public Policy has revealed that it is cheaper to provide them with housing equipped with the necessary behavioural and medical support than to have them cycle through emergency rooms, prisons and homeless shelters. The study estimated that the healthcare cost per head could drop by up to US$20,000 if proper housing is provided for this group of underprivileged people.