Investing $20,000 to keep a family housed is not only compassionate, it is financially smart and fiscally responsible. When families fall into homelessness, the combined costs to state and federal systems can quickly rise to $30,000 to $60,000 per year per household, including emergency shelters, subsidized housing, healthcare, food assistance, child welfare involvement, education disruptions, and long-term social services. In many cities, shelter placement alone can cost $3,000 to $6,000 per month, not including the additional burdens placed on public programs. By contrast, providing targeted rent assistance and short-term financial support—often within the $5,000 to $20,000 range—helps families remain stable, prevents trauma, and saves taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars. Prevention isn’t just the right thing to do; it is the smarter economic investment.