House the Homeless... At Sea?

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For the last few decades, cities and public housing advocates have been debating existing and creating new ways of housing homeless populations. According to data compiled by Baruch College, providing shelter to 1 adult costs New York City $117.43 per day and $187.46 for a family. The city also spends $174 a night putting those struggling to stay off the streets in hotels (at least 75% of which is covered by FEMA), according to the New York Times. I guess you can see where we're going with this: We should house those in need on a cruise ship.

Now, hear us out. Is this plan perfect? No. Is it politically feasible? Probably not. Is it a creative low cost solution that should be trialed? 100%.

Rightfully, there are a number of concerns with such a solution. How will they work and get back on their feet if they are floating at sea? Does this create a Moral Hazard? Will they impact the other cruisers? All legit. In 2019, the City Council President in Oakland, California proposed a similar idea which got mocked mercilessly on Twitter. My favorite:

https://twitter.com/ilovepets420/status/1205158357574803460


A "land houseboat"

A "land houseboat" sounds like common sense but it isn't readily available and cheaper than our proposal. At the time of publishing, some cruise itineraries cost as little as $28 a day! Government bulk pricing can definitely get that down, especially on ships leaving with empty rooms. The truth is, constructing new buildings in the US is ever more costly. New building/fire code regulations, environmental reviews, land prices, rising construction costs, and NIMBY activists all contribute to long and costly construction projects. It costs $700,000 to construct one housing unit in San Francisco. Plus, they don't include all you can eat buffets and toiletries. There, just saved the USDA SNAP a few bucks too. 



Neighbors

New York City has had it's fair share of issues with housing the homeless in hotels. Many complain of ruined ambiance, drug use, and loitering in the area. We're not standing here saying it won't be an issue. The cruise line will have to regulate behavior like they do for any other guest and probably enforce a "1 strike and you're out" policy with the housing authority to avoid ruining the experience for others. For those who still believe Nixonian measures, the cruise lines have their own jails just in case. 


Job prospects

The Oakland proposal called for leaving the ship at a port but that doesn't jive well with the business model. And we admit, it's a little harder to justify. But we should explore the option for those who are unable to work such as the disabled and elderly. Additionally, the program can incorporate job training on board. Maybe they can work for the cruise line for a few days? Think of the all the networking opportunities with guests. The benefits of vacation are clear but maybe rotate the eligible population so no one is on board too long and gets "too comfortable". These are all details that could be worked out in a trial.


Conclusion

Simply put: This idea deserves a trial. Does it have pitfalls brought by classic economic textbooks? Absolutely. Given the enormous price discrepancy of $90-150 a day per person, it will be cheaper to experiment in the real world than not. Other ideas, such as raising the minimum wage to $15/hour, Universal Basic Income, ending cash bail and legalized cannabis, started off in the same boat (pun intended) and are showing both signs of success and failure. While those ideas are still evolving, we hope this one does too. 

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