Evidence mixed on effectiveness of ‘Housing First’ strategy

By Jason DeParle

When the Trump administration announced plans in the fall to redistribute billions of dollars in homelessness aid, the move capped a conservative attack on the once-bipartisan philosophy that has guided federal work for a generation, an approach called Housing First.

The administration called the policy a permissive approach that had let homelessness rise, while supporters said Housing First was backed by proven science.

Housing First provides chronically...