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Nationwide, 1.6 million homeless people received shelter in 2008, according to government figures.

The new study does not look at the cost-effectiveness or quality of the programs. Costs to shelter first-time homeless people varied based on the type of shelter and other services provided, how long they stayed and overhead. Shelters may offer drug and alcohol treatment, mental health care, family counseling and help obtaining government benefits.

Mark Johnston, deputy assistant secretary of HUD, says the report should prompt communities to lower costs by targeting people with only the services they need and to improve aid for those who repeatedly become homeless.

"We saw higher costs and longer lengths of stay than expected," he says. The longest average stay for individuals was73 days in Des Moines. The longest average stay for families was 309 days in Washington.

"We do not want people to languish in emergency shelter," Johnston says.

Neil Donovan of the National Coalition for the Homeless says the report is limited because it covered 2004 through2006. It doesn't include families who became homeless in the recession.

"A lot of things have become very different in the last couple of years," he says. "If it's used to a greater degree than a conversation starter, it will be used to a greater degree than it's worth."

HOUSING THE HOMELESS

A study by the Department of Housing and Urban Development finds that the average monthly cost to house the homeless varies widely.

Individuals:

	Des Moines	Jacksonville	Houston
Emergency shelter	$581	$799	$968
Transitional housing	$1,386	$870	$1,654
Market-rate, one-bedroom apt.	$549	$643	$612

Families:

	Houston	Kalamazoo, Mich.	Greenville, S.C.	Washington
Emergency shelter	$1,391	$1,614	$2,269	$3,530
Transitional housing	$3,340	$813	$1,209	$2,170
Market-rate rent, two-bedroom apt.	$743	$612	$599	$1,225