[wintermutestwin]

>"Tenant screening and selection practices promote accepting applicants regardless of their sobriety or use of substances, completion of treatment, or participation in services"

This is such an important piece of a complex puzzle. It easy to see from the outside that substance abuse is self-destructive behavior. The problem is that these abusers, consciously or not, feel that the substance is the only thing that helps them and keeps them from totally losing their shit. The authoritarian approach of "quit abusing substances or no housing for you" has failed spectacularly.

Getting these people on the path of recovery requires the lower tiers of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs (like safety, food, shelter, etc...) to be securely in place first.

[specialist]

Yes and:

Emphatically agree with you.

Substance abuse contributes to homelessness AND homelessness contributes to substance abuse. It's a downward spiral.

(When living rough, a lot of people turn to self medication. Someone already suffering (eg chronic pain) loses access to proper meds will then use whatever's available. Etc.)

Expecting people to be clean and sober before getting housing is imposing inappropriate morals and standards onto an already terrible situation.