The Huffington Post, that bastion of social science learning and sexual licentiousness, is publicizing a study that claims that it is cheaper to provide housing to the homeless than...not to provide housing.

Even in a city with soaring rents, giving out free housing to homeless people is more cost efficient than leaving them on the streets. The Economic Roundtable report analyzed six years of data of a homeless housing initiative in Santa Clara, taking into account each of the group’s varying financial needs. It found that members of one of the participating groups each cost the city an estimated $62,473. After those homeless people were given housing, that figure dropped to $19,767, a 68 percent decline annually. Some of those reductions related to a drop in emergency room visits, justice system encounters and drug and alcohol treatment.

This makes no sense.  There was a drop in drug and alcohol treatment costs simply because the homeless got homes?  They kicked their habit by getting an apartment?  If only it were so easy!

Some of that other money saved was by reduced "justice system encounters."  To translate that into English, are liberals incapable of using the words "homeless" and "arrested for committing crimes" in the same sentence?  Again, why would giving the homeless homes reduce arrests?

You know, in Detroit and other places, large housing projects were built for "the poor."  It was felt that by providing them homes, they wouldn't turn to crime or drugs.  Well, we all know what happened.  Many of those housing projects became unlivable ganglands simply filled with drugs and crime.

And this study is claiming that by trying the same thing, crime and drug use declined?  It's simply unbelievable.

And then there is the "cost" sited in this "study."  A homeless man on the street "costs" $62,000 a year?  How can that possibly be?  It's a ridiculous figure.

And then, to provide housing to a homeless man (and other services) costs only $20,000 a year, in Santa Clara county?  Equally preposterous.

When a "study" is produced, there is a feeling that "well, we can't challenge that; after all, it's a study."  But studies, like polls, can be fixed, can be falsified, to suit the agenda of big-government statists.  To figure it out, all you need is common sense.

This article was produced by NewsMachete.com, the conservative news site.