Almost 70 per cent of people who received the payments were food secure after one month. In comparison, spending on alcohol, cigarettes and drugs went down, on average, by 39 per cent.

Too often people dismiss the idea of giving homeless people money because they assume it will be mismanaged, Williams said.

According to study data, the project saved the shelter system approximately $8,100 per person for a total of roughly $405,000 over one year for all 50. it costs, on average, $55,000 annually for social and health services for one homeless individual.