The common idea of Housing First assumes that providing a home is the only requirement for social integration. However, as Stephen Eide argues in Homelessness in America, this model often ignores the psychological and civic foundations of a community. True integration requires more than just a physical building; it needs a shared commitment to personal responsibility and social contribution. When building a community involves people from different backgrounds, the underlying beliefs about accountability become the main factors for success. Eide notes that a functional community cannot be formed when one group accepts personal responsibility while another group views all hardships as the fault of a distant, oppressive system.

This friction is clear in the setting of supportive housing facilities. Adult single male residents who lack meaningful work often see no reason to respect the norms of the surrounding neighborhood. When residents find no job worth doing, they often use public spaces in ways that disrupt the local area. Loitering and audible disorder are not just lifestyle choices; they are signs of a failure to integrate people into the workforce. A healthy neighborhood relies on a shared understanding of order, which is often at odds with the modern social service model. A person provided with a permanent home without a work-related goal often remains a client of the system, separated from the broader community.

Therefore, the resolution of homelessness must prioritize employment as a primary way to integrate people. Work functions more effectively than housing alone because it positions the individual as a contributor to the well-being of others. The act of contributing to the shared economy reduces the burden on families and restores the dignity of the person. Working provides a sense of self-worth that unconditional housing cannot provide. While systemic factors contribute to displacement, the lack of personal accountability remains a major barrier to long-term stability.

Addressing the complex nature of homelessness requires moving away from the single story of victimhood. A national strategy must acknowledge that housing is a basic requirement, but integration is a process driven by effort and conformity to civic rules. Success in solving the homelessness crisis should not be measured only by the number of people in shelters. Instead, it should be measured by the degree to which individuals are restored as autonomous, contributing members of society. By combining the expectation of responsibility with the provision of material needs, communities can mend the social contract.

Analysis of data from: Eide, Stephen, Homelessness in America : history and tragedy of an intractable social problem, Lanham : Rowman & Littlefield, [2022]