 Stanhope and Dunn, the Housing First “is an example of research-driven policy making but also resulted in a progressive policy being promoted by a conservative administration.In discussing the case, the paper elaborates on the relationship between evidence and policy, arguing that evidence-based policy fails to integrate evidence and values into policy deliberations.The paper concludes with alternative models of policy decision-making and their implications for research.”

Housing First has been criticized on its failure to address broader service outcomes, namely substance abuse (in one case, it was argued that the only reason substance abuse outcomes were no worse was that the residents were not severely addicted).