Costa Rica Travel and Vacation

You want a cheap second home, you want it in a great area you can enjoy and you want your property to make money as well this is easy.
You just need to look at different locations and pick the best and thats what this article is all about.
If you are American you may find the cost prohibitive in the southern US states, as cheap second homes are just not available.
Look just a little further a field and just 3 hours from Miami, you can pick yourself up a cheap second home in a paradise location that gives you a lot for your money and can make you money to.
Record numbers are buying a cheap second homes in Costa Rica check out the facts below and you will see why and why this could be your best purchase ever.
1. Proximity
Just 3 hours from the US with regular cheap flights.
2. Low Cost
Buy a second home in Costa Rica and you get more for your money as real estate costs up to 70% cheaper than in Florida and Arizona and the cost of living is low.
You can live comfortably on just $2,000 a month, you simply get more for money here. FREE
3. Lots to do
Costa Rica has it all rolling hills, pristine beaches, volcanoes mountains and much more. Fancy a round of golf or maybe some fishing or a rainforest tour? Costa Rica has them all and is ranked as one of the best adventure tourism spots in the world.
You also get quality shops, vibrant nightlife and all the comforts of home.
4. Safe, stable and friendly
The country is safe and stable, serious crime is rare and Costa Rica has a history of strong ties with the US and if you buy you get the same rights as residents.
5. Tax efficient and capital growth
Its extremely tax efficient and capital growth on real estate here is great. You may by a cheap second home but it will go up in value and property prices are up 500% in the last 10 years!
When your not enjoying your cheap second home you can take advantage of the buoyant rental market and make even more cash.
Record numbers of Americans are buying?
Maybe you should to.
You get a cheap second home in a paradise location, just three hours from the US and the potential to enjoy it and make a lot of money on your investment as well.
As the real estate market in the US is over priced and runs out of steam, more people are buying cheap second homes in Costa Rica in fact, their buying in record numbers.
There getting more for their money and a lifestyle that has variety and quality.
The best cheap second home location for value and lifestyle
Maybe you have not considered a cheap second home in Costa Rica but the advantages as you have seen are huge and it really is a slice of paradise thats affordable to all.
There is not enough room to cover all the benefits of buying a cheap second home in Costa Rica here but if you want to enjoy your ne home or make money from it, you should look at Costa Rica and you will be glad you did.

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If you want to make money fast the ideal investment is one that has huge upside and low downside but of course you need to pick wisely, you will also want an affordable investment that investment is
Costa Rican real estate that can be bought for just $30 – 60,000 and investors who have bought in the right locations, have doubled or tripled their gains!
Average gains for ALL properties have been 300% over the last ten years, but you can exceed this by choosing your location wisely.
Investing is easy
As we shall see, you can get affordable properties that can make money quickly and everything is easy to arrange, with many companies catering for foreign buyers.
How to change good capital growth to fantastic growth!
So if you have an average investment you will make a good return, but pick your location wisely and you can make stunning gains.
Costa Rica real estate is hot and offers you a lot of advantages that include:
1. Affordable entry levels of investment at up to 80% less than Florida property
2. A track record of growth with low risk that is accelerating
3. The opportunity to double or triple your investment if you buy in the right location
4. The comfort of knowing you are investing in a stable country
5. The comfort of knowing that you have the same rights as residents of Costa Rica
6. The government encourages investment and that means buying is easy
7. Buying property is very tax efficient
8. Costa Rica is only 3 hours by direct flight from the Southern USA states
9. Costa Rica is a market that is established and growing
10. Costa Rica is a beautiful country with well developed infrastructure with all the comforts of the US at 70% less cost
Costa Rica has all the ingredients to make money fast and foreigners are investing hundreds of millions each year in property.
Location the key to huge gains
If you want to be smart and make gains above the average, look at the coming infrastructure.
A new international airport, the biggest marina in the country and a new freeway linking the main towns of the pacific coast are all coming to Costa Rica – this means that investors who buy before these amenities are completed could make a killing.
Of course, after they are completed people will want to buy to be near them however you will be in first and take advantage of the property price increases that follow.
This is just one example, but there are many more.
Just look at the infrastructure and buy in advance. This will give you far greater returns on your money than buying in an established area.
Investment and rental income
You can make huge returns on your investment but you can also make money fast by taking advantage of the rental market, renting your property on long or short term, if you don’t want to sell.
Of course, this is an investment you can enjoy and it’s far more fun visiting your property than your mutual fund manager!
Costa Rica has it all rolling hill, stunning beaches, Volcanoes, rivers, mountains and an abundance of wildlife and is simply one of the friendliest and most breathtaking countries in the world.
High rewards low risk – the way to make money fast
As you can see from the above in just a few years you make a lot of money in Costa Rican real estate bank your profit, or get extra rental income
caution!
Mind you if you ever visit the place, you may end up spending more time in your investment than you thought!

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If you are thinking of buying Florida real estate for any of the above reasons then you should consider what more Americans than ever are doing – buying property in Costa Rica.
Florida real estate in terms of cost is 70 – 80% more expensive than Costa Rica and Costa Rica has many other advantages that Florida real estate simply cannot compete with here are just a few.
For investment
Costa Rica offers properties at 70 – 80% less than the cost of Florida real estate for an equivalent home. But it gets better, with an average price increase of 300% in the last 10 years, buying in Costa Rica offers great capital growth potential way in excess of Florida real estate.
Consider that the above is just average and many investors have doubled their investment in just a few years!
Florida real estate in terms of growth rates simply cannot compete and if you buy in Costa Rica don’t worry, you get the same rights as residents, so your investment is secure and a number of tax incentives are available.
For living and retiring
Many Americans fed, up with high crime, inflation and the fast pace of life and are taking advantage of Costa Rica.
Houses are cheaper and so to are living expenses, which are up to 70% less than in the US.
Consider the fact that you can get a full time maid for $150. 00 a month and done out on $10 and you can see your money simply goes further. You have all the amenities of the US and are still only three hours from home!
Many who have thought About buying Florida real estate have changed there mind and moved to Costa Rica, especially people retiring, they get more for their money, in one of the most beautiful and relaxed places to live in the world.
For a holiday home
We have already seen many of the advantages of Costa Rica for living and investment, so why not combine the two by buying a holiday home here rather than buying over priced Florida real estate.
Consider these advantages:
You can buy real estate as an asset and you can use it whenever you wish.
With growth rates on property values of over 300% in just ten years and it sure beats boring mutual funds!
The major advantage of course is, you can enjoy it whenever you wish – to relax and when your not their you can rent it out and take advantage of soaring rentals and demand.
You can therefore get an appreciating asset, extra rental income and enjoy your asset as well.
The fact is Florida real estate is expensive and is unlikely to rise any where near as fast as the Costa Rican property market.
Get a home in paradise at an affordable cost
If you are looking for an investment home, looking to move, retire or finally, buy a second home in Costa Rica you get more for your money and you get much more variety than if you bought Florida real estate.
Leisure facilities are limited in Florida, however, but in Costa Rica you have it all – stunning beaches, volcanoes, rainforest white water rafting, rolling hills mountains, great nightlife and much more.
If you are thinking of buying Florida real estate, consider Costa Rica first and you may be glad you did – an affordable paradise just a few hours flight from the US could be yours!

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Small business owners or home-based business operators looking to expand their business may consider using the services of a virtual office.   Before you scoff and think that you don’t need, or can’t afford a virtual office, you should think of the many benefits it would afford you. The most obvious benefit is that a virtual office doesn’t require you look for office space for rent.   Office space is an expense that most small business owners cannot afford, but Executive Business Services provides you with meeting rooms and offices when you need them to conduct business in person. As a small business operator, you already know how difficult it can be to conduct your business without a legitimate business address.   Virtual offices through Executive Business Services provide entrepreneurs with office rentals in a strategic location to help enhance the stature of your company.   With a virtual office, you no longer have to worry about losing business because your dinner table is the only meeting room you have. Whether you need office space hourly, daily, or long-term, Executive Business Services can provide you with what you need to run your business smoothly.   Don’t lose business because your office doesn’t look like a traditional office; give your clients the office environment that makes them comfortable. If you’re operating your business out of your home, you probably miss plenty of important phone calls.   If you had a multi-line phone or a secretary, you could probably limit the number of calls you miss, if only you could afford it.   Think about the calls and messages you don’t receive when business hours end, what can you do to change that?  Utilizing the services of a virtual office can furnish you with an answering service, after hours voicemail, and secretaries to take messages when you can’t.   If you still don’t know why you should use a virtual office, thinking of all the things you wish you could do for your business and ask why you can’t do them.   You’ll find that the answer is that you’re limited by size and money.   If you answer yes to one or more of the following questions, your business needs a virtual office: • Do you ignore clients who require face-to-face meetings?• Is your kitchen or living room also your conference room?• Do you have a feeling that you miss out on clients because you don’t have the ‘right’ address?• Is renting an office an expense you can’t afford?• Do you need more exposure for your business?• Is most of your day spent on secretarial duties?As a small business owner, you face more obstacles than your big business counterparts, and it is up to you to find ways to even the field.   A virtual office can give you an address in the right area, a meeting room to look the part, and a secretary to complete the look. You get all the benefits of having an office, without the bank-breaking costs.  

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San Jose is the third largest city in California. It is located in the Santa Clara Valley at the southern end of the San Francisco Bay area. The “Capital of Silicon Valley” became its nickname. This is when a large development of high-technology computers, microprocessors, and engineering companies settled down in this region. Together with the rise of big companies and schools around the city, many hotels had been built surrounding it in order to accommodate the rising number of tourists. San Jose is the third largest city in California. It is located in the Santa Clara Valley at the southern end of the San Francisco Bay area. The “Capital of Silicon Valley” became its nickname. This is when a large development of high-technology computers, microprocessors, and engineering companies settled down in this region. With a total of area 178. 2 square miles (461. 5 km²), it is originally known as El Pueblo de San José de Guadalupe, in honor of Saint Joseph. Moreover, San Jose experienced earthquake activities along the areas that fall under and near the San Andres Fault. It also has a Mediterranean climate, which is similar to most areas near the bay area. Three sided mountain shelters within the city make it more semi-arid in its environment. Historically, San Jose was inhibited by groups of Ohlone Native Americans. In 1769, the Europeans began with a series of Franciscan missionaries. In fact, San Jose was founded as the first town in the Spanish colony of Nueva California. This was on November 29Th of the year 1777. It was made possible by a certain Lieutenant José Joaquín Moraga. By the year 1825, San Jose was ruled by Mexicans and became part of the United States. This was after surrendering on stipulated terms in the year 1846. It also supports military installations at Monterey and San Francisco, which were farming communities. Thus, between the 1960s and the 1990s; it became a magnet for suburban neophytes, particularly in new housing developments. Hence, San Jose served as its first capital when California gained statehood in the year 1850. During 1970s, there was a growth in businesses. Hence, after four decades of fast developments and growth in population, it became the third most populous city in California. San Jose shifted from agriculture to industrial manufacturing as the World War II started. In 1943, IBM established the West Coast headquarters and opened its doors for research and developmental facilities. Aside from this, a rapid heightening of technological industry was gained by San Jose in the year 1990. By then, Silicon Valley gave more economic and population expansion which led to an increase in housing costs. This is along with the highest rating of 93. 6% between the years 1976 up to 2001. San Jose also got the highest median household income as compared to any other city, with over 300,000 residents by year 2000. The cost of living in San Jose became high when the 25 companies began expanding. This included: • Flextronics • Adobe Systems • Cisco • Hewlett-Packard • BEA Systems • eBay • IBM • Lockheed Martin • Hitachi. U. S. – invested and received about thirty-five percent of all venture capital funds at San Jose. This is along with Silicon Valley companies. There are several federal and state agencies settling in San Jose, even courthouses. It also houses schools like: • San José State University Stanford University • University of California • Berkeley • Santa Clara University – specializes on computer and engineering courses. San Jose also became one of the safest large cities in the United States, along with a population of 989,496 as of January 2008. Furthermore, San Jose continually attracts tourists and more hotels now, offering great accommodations that would fit ones relaxing moments. Hotels to choose from are as follows: 1. Best Western Airport Plaza Price: $90 up to $215 Address: 2118 The Alameda Phone number: 408-243-2400 Check-in time – 1:00 PM Check-out time – 11:00 AM Best Western Airport Plaza is located near the airport, universities, restaurants, convention centers, museums and amusement parks. It is a boutique styled property situated just a drive away from Santa Cruz or San Francisco. Amenities: • Common areas wheelchair accessible • Non-smoking room • Crib/rollaway bed • Parking (free) • Multi-lingual staff • Smoke alarms • Sprinklers • Elevators • Fax (for guests) • Indoor/Outdoor Pool • Hot Tub 2. Comfort Inn San Jose Price: $72 up to $229 Address: 875 N 13th St Phone number: 408-287-9380 Check-in time – 3:00p Check-out time – 11:00a Amenities: • Complimentary breakfast • Wake-up service • Business center • Copy service • Electronic keys • 24 hour security • Outdoor parking • Multi-lingual staff • Iron • Ice machine • Fax • FREE High Speed Internet Access in all rooms • Brailed elevators • Laundry room • Photocopier service • Smoke detectors • TV remote control • Microwave • Non-smoking room • Phone service 3. Crowne Plaza Hotel Price: $113 Hotel Front Desk: 1-408-9980400 Hotel Fax: 1-408-2899081 Located at 282 Almaden Boulevard, San Jose Downtown, Crowne Plaza Hotel provides a 100% smoke free environment. The hotel is accessible to all freeways, train stations and light rails. Crowne Plaza is a 4 mile distance from the tennis court, 1 mile from a shopping mall and 3 miles from a golf club. It is also across the Tech Museum of Innovation, the San Jose McEnery Convention Center, the Adobe headquarters, and a walking distance to HP Pavillion. • Check-in 3:00 PM • Check-out 12:00 PM Nearby Attractions: • Children’s Discovery Museum (0. 2 MI / 0. 32 KM ) • St Joseph’s Cathedral (0. 5 MI / 0. 8 KM ) • Center for Performing Arts (0 MI / 0 KM ) • San Jose Airport (2. 9 MI / 4. 67 KM ) • Valley Fair Shopping Center (4 MI / 6. 44 KM ) • Santa Cruz Boardwalk (30 MI / 48. 28 KM ) • San Jose Center for Performing Arts (0 MI / 0 KM ) • SJSU (0. 9 MI / 1. 45 KM ) • McEnery San Jose Convention Center (0 MI / 0 KM ) • HP Pavillion (formerly San Jose Arena/Compaq Ctr) (0. 9 MI / 1. 45 KM ) • Tech Museum of Innovation (0. 2 MI / 0. 32 KM ) • Paramount’s Great America (6. 5 MI / 10. 46 KM ) Amenities: • Hotel Shops – Gift Shop, Newsstand • Public Space Data Services – Wireless Data Connection (Ibahn) Fee: $9. 95 ) – High Speed Internet Access Initial Fee: $9. 95 (USD) • Health & Fitness Center (On-Site) – Universal Weight System, Dry Sauna, Extensive Cardio Equipment, Spa Facilities and free weights • Business Services – Facsimile, PC available, Courier Service, Printer , E-mail & Internet, Copying, Executive Suites, Dedicated Lounge (or 24 Hour Lounge), Unstaffed Business Center, Porter/Bellman, Executive Floors • Housekeeping & Laundry Services – Dry Cleaning Pickup/Laundry, Daily Housekeeping, Same Day Dry Cleaning, Weekly Housekeeping Room Features: • Free Morning Newspaper Delivered to Room • Valet Service • Buffet Breakfast – complimentary, daily • Turndown Service • In Room Movies (pay per view/ premium cable) • Video Review / Checkout • High-end Video Equipment • Cable / Satellite TV • Tea Maker • Mini Refrigerator • CD Player • Coffee Maker Others: • Workspace desk • Phone / Fax • data services • Bathroom / personal care facilities Dining: • Cocktail Lounge • Room service – available from 6:00 AM up to 11:00 PM • Crowne Plaza San Jose Lounge Event Facilities: • Smallest Room Measurements: 37. 0 ft/11. 28 m x 19. 0 ft/5. 79 m • Largest Room Capacity: 640 Reception Style • 6 Sales & Meeting Professionals On Site • Largest Room Measurements: 99. 0 ft/30. 18 m x 60. 0 ft/18. 29 m (ceiling height = 10. 0 ft/3. 05 m) • 5 Meeting Rooms • 35 – 8′x10′ Booths can be accommodated • 6643 ft²/ 617. 15 m² of Meeting Space • 6000 ft²/ 557. 42 m² of exhibit space • The Park Center Plaza Ballroom – can accommodate up to 640 people Equipments: • Microphone • 35mm Slide Projector • Flip Chart and Markers • DVD Player • VCR • Modem Lines • Lectern • Overhead Projector 4. Dolce Hayes Mansion Price: $131 up to $221 Address: 200 Edenvale Avenue Phone number: 1-408-226-3200 Check-in time – 3:00 PM Check-out time – 12:00 NN Dolce Hayes Mansion is adjacent to the renowned Edentale Park and six miles from the downtown area of San Jose. It is a historic mansion. Aside from this, it is also once the grand home of the socially prominent, wealthy and politically powerful Hayes family. It is in close proximity to the Oakland Airport, San Francisco International, Nonnan Y Mineta San Jose International Airport and it is also a drive away from Santa Cruz or Monterey. Hence, it is also close to recreational activities such as: • Fabulous entertainment • Exciting nightlife • Local wineries • World-class dining • Golf courses • Beautiful beaches of Santa Cruz. Moreover, they have 214 guestrooms which would include 22 suites. Their units also have guestroom beds that are triple-sheeted and equipped with foam and feather pillows. This mansion offers a unique setting for business and social activities. Amenities: • Electronic keys • computer rentals • Meeting facilities • Gift shop • Spa • free parking • business center • airport shuttles • room service • outdoor swimming pool • laundry services • sand volleyball court • woodland park with children’s playground • billiards • sauna • fitness center • Sprinklers • Photocopier service • Car rental • Wheelchair • Computer use available • Bar • Complimentary transportation • Uniformed security • Health club and spa • Tennis (outdoor) • Pool (outdoor) Room features: • wake-up calls • telephones • free wired high-speed internet access • alarm clocks • iron/ironing boards • coffeemakers • hairdryers • free daily newspapers • movies on-demand • refrigerators 5. Extended Stay Deluxe San Jose – South – Edenvale Address: 6189 San Ignacio Avenue Phone number: 408- 229-9188 Check-in time – 3:00 PM Check-out time – 11:00 AM Extended Stay Deluxe is a 25. 00 USD per day, along with a non-refundable cleaning fee (cleaning fee). As a guest, you will receive free local phone calls and weekly housekeeping services. You will also receive free movie channels, access to a 24-hour, coin-operated laundry facility, and a two-line phone that has a computer dataport. To add comfort, there is a large work desk, comfortable arm chair, oversized studio suites and a sofa sleeper. Only one pet is allowed per unit. Amenities: • Sprinklers in rooms • Shower • Air-conditioned • Copy service • Smoke detectors • Recliner • Heated guest rooms • Fax • International direct dial • Bath tub • Family plan • Queen bed • Phone service • Maid service • Iron • Microwave • Kitchen • Vending machines • wheelchair • Temperature control • Sofa bed • Outdoor parking • Heated guest rooms • TV and TV remote control 6. Highland Inn Bed and Breakfast Address: 16203 Highland Dr. Highland Inn Bed and Breakfast provides business travelers with a comfortable, hassle-free and relaxing stay. It is a 4 bedroom and 4 bath executive home with a great view of the San Francisco Bay Area. Amenities: • Continental breakfast • Hi-speed DSL • WiFi Internet Access • Computer with printer • Telephone • Electronic combination safe. • private bath • Oversized towels • Toiletries • Dell Docking stations • Office supplies • Weekday mornings, with fresh seasonal fruit, gourmet cereal, and fresh roasted coffee 7. Holiday Inn, SAN JOSE Address: 1740 NORTH FIRST STREET Hotel Front Desk: 1-408-7933300 Hotel Fax: 1-408-4530259 Check-in 3:00 PM Check-out 12:00 PM Location: • Local Time: 12:49 AM PDT • Distance from Hotel: 3. 0 MI • Hotel is located at or near an Airport Facility: • 250 Single-Bedded Room(s) • Storage • 3 Floor(s) • 238 Double-Bedded Room(s) • Exterior Corridor • 494 Non-Smoking Room(s) • Interior Corridor • 12 Suite(s) • Amenities: • Spa Facilities – Whirlpool • Health & Fitness Center (On-Site) – accessible 24 hours with hotel room key • Television • AM/FM stereo • Showers This hotel is newly renovated. Its facilities include stairmasters, lifecycles and treadmills. Housekeeping & Laundry Services: • Dry Cleaning Pickup/Laundry • Same Day Dry Cleaning • Daily Housekeeping Others: • Outdoor swimming pool • Convenience Store • E-mail & Internet • Unstaffed Business Center • Newsstand • High Speed Internet Access Initial Fee: $5. 00 • Wireless Data Connection Initial Fee: $9. 95

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The travel industry is one of the booming businesses today. Start-up costs can be quite modest for someone who is willing to start small and grow. If you like to travel and would like to share your travel adventures, and make this your primary business, it is a good idea for you to know how to set up your travel website for optimal success. The travel business opportunity from home is a good option since travel is a growing industry and there is no stocking of any product involved. Business and corporate travel is a profitable specialized market too. Perks of starting your own travel business include low cost travel and cheap hotels. Travel is most commonly for recreation (as part of tourism or to visit friends and family), for business or for commuting; but may be for numerous other reasons. It is a wonderful way to relax, recharge and it is something to look forward to no matter what stresses you face every other day of the year. Travel may be local, regional, national or international. It is a way of getting more from life and rewarding yourself for all that you do. It is a form of business and leisure life that will always be in existence and is rapidly moving to the top of the “to do list”. When setting up your travel website there are many resources that you can include to earn a referral fee. For example, you can include information on car rentals, jet ski rentals, boat rentals, restaurants, hotels and inns. This is only limited by your imagination and creativity. Contract with the company you plan to refer to make sure you will be able to earn a referral fee for referring the customer. Additionally, hotels see an opportunity here and would gladly provide you with attractive discounts and free room facilities for getting more business for them. Unlike a travel agent, you specialize in your destination. It’s your “niche” — a place you know better than the back of your hand. Use that hand and the other to keyboard your way to travel profits by including resources like photos, information on scuba diving destinations, cycling and/or hiking routes, extreme adventure travel, golf courses, or about an off-season story or treasure that you found. You can include travel tips on how to work, what to pack, where to sit, whether a shuttle is headed for an orbit in deep space or just circling over O`Hare!Travel review sites provide wonderful insights and will be valuable to many baby boomers as they retire and travel over the next twenty years. Include your FREE Travel Newsletter with great vacation ideas and special offers. State tourism officials along with industry leaders will share innovative marketing strategies and provide key insights on new travel trends and recreation.

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What is homelessness?
Homelessness is a difficult and complex issue. So much so, that there is even
disagreement over the definition of who is truly homeless and who is not. The
U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) defines someone as
“homeless” if he or she:
resides in an emergency shelter or in transitional/• supportive housing for
homeless persons; or
• resides in a place not meant for human habitation, such as cars, parks, sidewalks,
abandoned buildings, encampments, and dilapidated buildings
The U. S. Department of Education uses an expanded definition that also includes
people who are:
• doubled up with family or friends due to economic condition
• living in motels and hotels for lack of other suitable housing
• migrant workers living in housing not fit for habitation
The State of Georgia, in the Act that created the State Housing Trust Fund for the
Homeless in 1988, defined homelessness as “persons and families who have no access
to or can reasonably be expected not to have access to either traditional or permanent
housing which can be considered safe, sanitary, decent, and affordable. ”1
Because of the important variations in the definition of homelessness, this report
primarily uses the more narrow HUD definition, except when otherwise noted.
What is chronic homelessness?
About 25% of the homeless population experience long spells of homelessness or
have had numerous homeless episodes. 2 These chronically homeless individuals
use a disproportionate share of public services and are vulnerable to continued
homelessness. HUD considers someone chronically homeless if he or she is
unaccompanied, has a disabling condition and has been homeless continuously for a
year or has had at least four episodes of homelessness in the past three years. 3
What is the impact of homelessness?
Homelessness has a profound impact on the individuals and families it affects
including increased health problems, increased mental health problems, difficulty
with maintaining employment, separation of families, and so on. Although we can
sympathize with people who are in difficult straits, it is fair to ask why homelessness
matters to the community at large. Homelessness affects more than just an
individual or family. It affects the whole community in a number of ways. The costs of
homelessness include:
• poor educational attainment and development among homeless children
• uninsured medical costs for a population with a high rate of disability
• public safety costs including police and jail costs for offenses such as
panhandling, loitering, or vagrancy
• sanitation and litter control in parks and public spaces where homeless people
congregate
• high cost of emergency shelters, transitional housing, and supportive services for
individuals and families experiencing homelessness
• high cost of crisis services such as emergency room and ambulance services
and inpatient hospitalization for acute and chronic health conditions as well as
mental health crises
• lost wages and revenue from individuals that would otherwise be able to work if
they had a permanent address
Myth: Homeless people are a fixed       
A February 2006 article in the New Yorker relates the story of Murray Barr, a chronicallyhomeless man
living in Reno, Nevada. Police
Officers Patrick O’Bryan and Steve Johns had numerous interactions with Murray over many years. They began tallying costs such as arrests,
incarcerations, ambulance service, and hospitalizations over a ten-year period.
Officer O’Bryan said, “It cost us one million dollars not to do something about Murray. ”
Malcolm Gladwell, “Million Dollar Murray,” The
New Yorker, Feb. 13, 2006
92% of homeless women have
experienced severe physical and/ or sexual assault at some point in their lives.
 
Violence Against Women Act, March 1, 2007
 

population who are usually
homeless for long periods of
time.
Fact: Research indicates that 40% of
homeless people have been
homeless less than six months,
and 70% have been homeless
less than two years.
University of Denver, Project Homeless Connect
www. du. edu/homelessness
Million-Dollar Murray
2007 Tri-J Homeless Census — Point-In-Time
Individuals Family Members Totals %
Unsheltered 2,071 44 2,115 31%
Emergency Shelters 2,027 359 2,386 35%
Transitional Housing 1,524 815 2,339 34%
Totals and % 5,622 (82%) 1,218 (18%) 6,840 100%
How many people are homeless in Georgia?
The difficulties of counting the homeless in any single community, much less a
large state, have been discussed in detail by both researchers and advocates for the
homeless. This report will not presume to provide a single, definitive, and indisputable
number of persons who are homeless in Georgia. However, it is important to have at
least some understanding of the magnitude and scope of the problem. Fortunately,
a significant amount of data from multiple sources is available to indicate how many
people in the state face the dreadful prospect of no place to live.
Point in Time Homeless Counts
The federal response to the problem of homelessness is embodied in the McKinney-
Vento Homeless Assistance Act, first passed in 1987. The McKinney-Vento programs
are administered by many federal agencies including HUD. In order to receive federal
funding, communities must organize services within a Continuum of Care umbrella.
In 2003, the U. S. Congress passed legislation requiring that the Continuums of Care
conduct point-in-time homeless counts once every two years. Accordingly, each of
Georgia’s Continuums of Care (CoCs) have been engaged in an effort to count the
state’s sheltered and unsheltered homeless population.
The CoCs that cover Chatham, Cobb, DeKalb, and Fulton Counties and the consolidated
governments of Athens-Clarke, Augusta-Richmond, and Columbus-Muscogee conduct
homeless counts annually or biennially. For example, every other year, the Metro Atlanta
Tri-Jurisdictional Collaborative on Homelessness (Tri-J), comprised of the City of Atlanta, Fulton
County, and DeKalb County, has over 500 volunteers and staff walk and drive the entire 750
square miles of the jurisdiction from midnight to 5 a. m. , looking for unsheltered homeless people. This national best practice canvassing model is coordinated by Pathways Community
Network for the Tri-J. On the same night, the Tri-J conducts a census of its emergency
shelter and transitional housing beds. On January 25, 2007, the Tri-J count identified
6,840 sheltered and unsheltered homeless people in the two county area. 4
Because the Balance of the State covers 152 counties, many of them rural, the Georgia
Department of Community Affairs (DCA) has always performed an annual assessment
of persons in shelters and transitional housing, but until 2008 did not have a feasible
way to count unsheltered homeless people. Beginning this year, DCA used a sampling
methodology and predictive model developed by statistics faculty at Kennesaw
State University. 5 The methodology took the unsheltered homeless count in 23 counties to arrive at a predicted count of unsheltered homeless persons by county. The count data used
in the model included counts from 2007 and 2008. The counts conducted in the Balance of the State were done using surveys primarily collected at locations where people receive services.
All of the count efforts around the state, along with the model, indicate that there were over 20,000 people in Georgia who were homeless at a single Point-In-Time (a one-night snap shot)
during the last week in January.   The homeless count surveys collected in January 2008 also
included a question about the length of time that people had been homeless. Using a weighted average of those responses provides an estimate of over 75,000 people who experience
homelessness in Georgia at some time during one year.
DCA and the other CoCs will be conducting new point-in-time counts during the last
week in January 2009. These counts will provide an opportunity to refine the count
methodologies and update our estimates for 2009. In addition, the counts will provide
trend data for the participating communities and the state as a whole.
Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) Data
The U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has also mandated that
Continuums of Care utilize a Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) for
their federally funded programs for the homeless. In Georgia, all of the Continuums
have adopted the use of the same system provided through Pathways Community
Network. Statewide, 277 homeless service providers use Pathways HMIS. In 2007, these
agencies enrolled 31,195 individuals and family members, in various service programs.
 
Who is homeless in Georgia?
As part of the point-in-time count in January 2008, 1,578 unduplicated surveys were
collected from people around the state who were having housing difficulties. The
surveys focused on the housing status of the survey respondents and their families
(2,041 people) on the night of January 27, 2008. The housing status of the survey
respondents and their families is shown in the table below.
861 428 556 196
The people categorized as “precariously housed” were staying with family or friends
or in hotels/motels. These people would be considered homeless under the more
expansive U. S. Department of Education definition of homelessness, but not under
the definition adopted by the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Children were more likely to be in families that were precariously housed or living
in homeless shelters. About 71% of the survey respondents who were precariously
housed were women. The unsheltered homeless were generally middle aged adults,
59% of those survey respondents were men. The sheltered homeless were split almost
evenly between women and men. Using the broader definition of homelessness, the
majority of Georgia’s homeless population are women and children.
What causes homelessness in Georgia?
Two factors play a huge part in the lives of people who become homeless: extreme
poverty and personal vulnerability.
Extreme Poverty
People can become homeless because of:
• very low incomes,
• unemployment, or
• the lack of available affordable housing.
Income and the cost of housing
People who are poor face a much higher risk of becoming homeless. Georgia’s poorest
citizens, who earn 50% or less of the poverty level, are at particular risk.
Housing Wage6
Georgia Non-metro Georgia Atlanta MSA
Annual Income Needed to
Afford Fair Market Rent*
One bedroom apartment $25,712 $18,949 $29,640
Two-bedroom apartment $29,084 $22,257 $32,960
*income needed to pay rent and utilities, without paying more than 30% of income on housing
Dr. Larry Keating, then Professor of City and Regional Planning at Georgia Tech,
conducted a study looking at households with low or moderate-incomes who have
one or more housing problems (cost burden, over-crowding, and/or lack of plumbing
and complete kitchen facilities). 7 Using data from the 2000 Census, Dr. Keating found
that 256,146 households (renters and homeowners) were spending 50% or more of
their gross incomes on housing. These are families for whom the cost of housing places
them in danger of becoming homeless. Using those averages, over 725,000 Georgians
live in households paying more than 50% of gross income for housing.
Number of persons living in poverty in Georgia in 2006: 1. 3 million
Number of persons with incomes that are one-half or less of the poverty level (extreme poverty): 595,665
Nationally, for every 100 extremely low- income renters there were 78 rental units that they could afford, but only 44 were actually available. The remainder were occupied by higher income households.
In Georgia, a family needs a yearly
income of $29,084 to afford a two bedroom
apartment – well above the
poverty rate for a family of four.
Out of Reach 2007 – 2008, National Low Income
Housing Coalition
Severely Cost Burdened
Number of Households
Severely Cost Burdened Home
Owner Households*
97,224
Severely Cost Burdened Renter
Households
158,922
* low and moderate income households paying 50% or more of their incomes on rent/mortgage and utilities, based
on 2000 Census data
In December 2007, over 200,000 Georgians were receiving SSI (Supplemental Security
Income). The recipients of these funds are low-income aged or disabled persons. The
monthly SSI payment in Georgia (see below) is less than the Fair Market Rent for a onebedroom
apartment in the state. 9
2008 Supplemental Security Income (SSI) in Georgia8
Monthly SSI Payment $637
Fair Market Rent for One-bedroom Apartment $643
Personal Vulnerability
The other factor that plays a role for many people that experience homelessness is a
personal situation that leaves them vulnerable to the loss of housing, such as:
• mental illness
• substance abuse
• developmental disabilities or brain injury
• physical disabilities or chronic medical problems
• family violence
• prior evictions or poor credit
• criminal background
Many individuals and families have personal vulnerabilities that place them at
significant risk of becoming homeless. Disabilities, including mental illness and drug
and alcohol abuse, exact a terrible toll on people. In the 2007 Metro Atlanta Tri-
Jurisdiction Survey, about 58% of the respondents indicated that they had one or more
disabilities. Of those, 22% had multiple disabilities. From a survey of 24 cities, the U. S.
Conference of Mayors estimates that about 22% of the homeless population suffers
from a severe mental illness. 10
Domestic violence plays a significant role in homelessness among women and
children. In a 1998 study of homeless parents in ten U. S cities (most of whom were
women), 22% said that they had left their last place of residence because of domestic
violence. 11
Past experiences and behaviors can also create significant barriers for individuals and
families who are trying to escape homelessness. Being homeless can lead to arrests
for behaviors such as trespassing and loitering. Criminal offenses such as these, and
certainly more serious convictions, can make it difficult to pass a required background
check when trying to rent permanent housing. Additionally, certain felony convictions
make it difficult to obtain a bed in an emergency shelter. Likewise, prior evictions and
poor credit can make it difficult to rent decent affordable housing.
Over 725,000 Georgians live in low
income households paying more than
50% of gross income for housing.
Larry Keating. Housing Needs in Georgia: How
Many and Who? December 21, 2004
2007 Poverty Guidelines
Family Size Poverty
1 $10,210
2 $13,690
3 $17,170
4 $20,650
5 $24,130
6 $27,610
U. S. Department of Health and Human Services
http://aspe. hhs. gov/poverty/07poverty. shtml
From July 1, 2007 to May 31, 2008
10,614 homeless adults and children
received services from the Georgia’s
Department of Human Resources for
mental health or substance abuse.
If just 11% of the homeless in GA
received full SSI benefits they are
eligible for, the total ANNUAL amount
of federal dollars coming to these
households would be approximately
$10,412,963.
What is Georgia doing to help people who are homeless?
Statewide Initiatives
The State of Georgia and many of its communities have been actively working to
address the issue of homelessness for over 20 years. With the creation of the State
Housing Trust Fund for the Homeless in 1988, the State dedicated funding for helping
individuals and families end their homelessness. Today the State Housing Trust Fund
provides funding to over 200 grantees across the state to implement a variety of
strategies intended to address homelessness. The funding is a combination of State
and Federal dollars from the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
These strategies include homeless prevention, emergency shelter, transitional housing,
supportive services, and permanent supportive housing. They also provide funding for
communities to hold resource fairs and participate in the homeless count.
The Housing Trust Fund provides rental assistance funding for over 1,200 units of
housing for individuals and families with disabilities. In addition, the Permanent
Supportive Housing Program at DCA provides funding for the development of new
supportive housing units. State and Federal funding enables local services providers to
provide support for residents.
The Department of Human Resources (DHR) has a number of programs that assist
individuals and families that experience homelessness, including funding for domestic
violence services through the Family Violence Unit, homeless outreach through the
Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (PATH) program, and expedited
access to Social Security Disability Benefits through the SSI/SSDI Homeless Outreach
Access and Recovery (SOAR) initiative. The SOAR initiative works closely with the
Department of Labor and the Disability Adjudication staff to improve the social security
application process for individuals who are homeless.
The Department of Education, through the McKinney-Vento homeless liaisons in each
school district, provides services for children who are experiencing homelessness.
Services are provided to prevent children from falling behind in school because of
homelessness. The Department of Community Health, through the Healthcare for the
Homeless Program, provides funding to provide primary health care for individuals and
families who are homeless.
There are also several state initiatives to address the needs of individuals being
released from state prison. One of these initiatives is the Re-entry Partnership between
the State Board of Pardons and Parole, Department of Corrections, Criminal Justice
Coordinating Council, and the Department of Community Affairs. The Department of
Corrections also has a Faith and Character Based Re-entry Initiative. These programs
attempt to prevent ex-offenders from falling into homelessness by connecting them
with temporary housing and employment opportunities.
Coordination and Collaboration
To coordinate the various initiatives of all the State Agencies that work to
address homelessness, the State formed the Interagency Homeless
Coordination Council in 2004. The Council was able to develop the State of
Georgia Ten Year Plan to End Homelessness. The Council has representatives
from multiple agencies and meets quarterly.
The Georgia Coalition to End Homelessness (GCEH) is a statewide nonprofit
and advocacy organization that provides training and technical assistance to homeless
service providers, information and advocacy for policy makers, and a Help Line for
those facing homelessness. In 2007, GCEH reported providing 460 hours of technical
assistance and training to 132 homeless service providers.
School Aged Children and
Homelessness
Homelessness has a profound
impact on children. Data from the
U. S. Department of Education (DOE)
indicates that while 87% of homeless
youth are enrolled in school, only 77%
attend regularly. Homeless families
move frequently impacting their
children. An Institute for Children
and Poverty study showed that 51%
of homeless children transfer schools
two or more times. There are estimates
that 3-6 months of education are lost
to every move.
The Georgia Department of Education
collects data from each school district
on homeless school children. In the
2007-2008 academic year, 22,888
children in Georgia public schools were
reported to be homeless.
Mitchell
Permanent Supportive Housing Beds
Source: 2007 Continuum of Care Housing Inventories
Type
Individual
Beds Family Beds
Emergency Shelter 2,638 1,337
Transitional Housing 2,519 2,338
Permanent Housing 2,318 1,493
Total 7,475 5,168
Serving Georgia’s Homeless:
2007 Statewide Bed Inventories
Local Initiatives
Two metro area planning bodies include the Regional Commission on Homelessness
in Metro Atlanta and the Chatham-Savannah Authority for the Homeless. There are
also a number of coalitions at the state and regional levels that participate in advocacy,
planning and service delivery.
A number of communities have used federal, state and local funding to create
innovative initiatives to address homelessness. Some examples of these innovative
initiatives include:
The 24/7 Gateway Se o rvice Center in Atlanta
has served more than 12,000 people over the
last two years. Gateway provides 300 beds
designated to various programs such as mental
health, employment and substance abuse.
There is also a women and children’s center
with 30 beds.
o Athens recently held the first Project Homeless
Connect Athens, based on a national model
encouraged by the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness.
The Athens event had over 140 attendees who received a variety of services
including haircuts, health and dental screenings, legal counseling, food stamp
applications, and AIDS/HIV testing. Almost 50 service providers participated in
the event.
o An evaluation of the Education and Community Services Engagement
Linkage program (ECSEL) was initiated in the spring of 2005 by Georgia State
University in cooperation with the United Way of Atlanta and Grady Health
System. The evaluation was conducted to assess whether the ECSEL program
improves outcomes for homeless mentally ill clients better than traditional
case management services. The ECSEL approach provides more support for
homeless mentally ill patients than traditional case management. The study
found an average net savings of $5,200 per person due to improvement in
housing status and decreases in incarceration and hospitalization. 12
o The Behavioral Health Services Program of
Union Mission, Inc. is provided through the
Savannah Area Behavioral Health Collaborative
(SABHC) in partnership with the Chatham-
Savannah Authority for the Homeless and
Memorial Health University Medical Center. 13
The program offers mental health and
substance abuse treatment programs for
adults in Chatham and surrounding areas.
The services include diagnostic assessments,
psychiatric services, day treatment, group
therapy, community support, residential services, and medication assistance.
o Hope House, Inc. in Augusta held a Groundbreaking Ceremony in January 2008
for its Permanent Supportive Housing project called “The Highlands West. ”
Hope House, Inc. provides long-term housing needs and a “Best Practice”
therapeutic recovery program for women and women with children who are
suffering from the disease of chemical addiction and a co-occurring mental
health illness. The property consists of 5. 22 acres of land and one building.
Rehabilitation of the existing building will be used as office space for Hope
House staff and clinical space to provide supportive services to its clients.
The development also includes the new construction of 42 new permanent
housing units for its clients. Construction is expected to be completed in a few months.
Cobb County non-profit organizations are working w o ith local health care
providers to develop alternative placement options for homeless individuals.
Alternatives are needed that provide more suitable care settings and reduce
overall costs to the health care system. Their research in Georgia and other
states indicates that buy-in by the health care system is key to developing
a sustainable program. They hope to initiate new options this year that will
reduce unnecessary hospitalization for homeless individuals, while more
efficiently using community resources.
o The Macon Housing Authority’s Shelter Plus Care program successfully
combined housing assistance with supportive services for homeless persons
during the late 1990s. MHA provided the housing assistance and the River
Edge Behavioral Health Center provided the supportive services for assisted
families. However, both agencies wanted to improve the basic program model.
To better serve homeless persons with a mental health and/or a substance
abuse diagnosis, MHA, River Edge and In-Fill Housing, Inc. developed Grove
Park Village (see sidebar this page). This 40-unit multi-family development,
completed in 2005, provides affordable residential housing where residents
pay no more than 30 percent of their adjusted monthly incomes for rent. River
Edge staffs a fulltime case manager at Grove Park Village. The $3. 2 million
development cost for Grove Park Village was provided by a DCA Permanent
Supportive Housing Program loan using resources from the federal HOME
program and the State Housing Trust Fund for the Homeless. When spread out
over the expected life of the development, the per unit cost is approximately
$2,700/year, compared to the $84,600 annual cost of hospitalizing patients for
mental health or substance abuse.
o After the 2000 Census, the City of Dalton became a CDBG Entitlement
community and was required by HUD to complete a Consolidated Plan. The
Needs Assessment for that Plan highlighted dismal housing conditions in
the community. In response, the City asked the Dalton-Whitfield Community
Development Corporation to help both city and county governments deal
with this issue. A Homeless Summit was convened in 2005 as the first activity
to address that request. The Committee for Housing Stability was formed as a
result of that Homeless Summit. The Committee is comprised of approximately
40 agencies which all share the need to find safe and decent housing for their
clients. The agencies have entered into a Memorandum of Agreement in order
to be able to work cooperatively to locate all resources available to their client
households. Working together, the Committee for Housing Stability is helping
address homelessness and housing stability in Dalton and Whitfield County.
Local 10-Year Plans to End
Chronic Homelessness
• City of Albany
• Metropolitan Atlanta (Regional
Commission on Homelessness
members: City of Atlanta and Cobb,
Clayton, Douglas, DeKalb, Fulton, and
Rockdale Counties)
• Athens-Clarke County
• Augusta-Richmond County
• City of Macon and Bibb County
• City of Savannah
United States Interagency Council on
Homelessness
Jennette and Macon’s River Edge
Jennette was first introduced to the
River Edge Behavioral Health Center
in January, 2003. She entered the
facility for drug addiction. Upon
completing their 14-day long-term
treatment program, Jennette was
placed into an apartment in Macon
through River Edge’s Shelter Plus
Care program where she lived for two
years. Three months after moving
to Macon and attending the DUAL
program, (which treats clients with
more than one addiction) she enrolled
in Central Georgia Technical College
where she graduated with honors
in June, 2004 receiving a Diploma in
Business Management/Supervisory
Development. In March of 2005,
Jennette was able to move into Grove
Park Village Apartments. Jennette
is still enrolled in Central Georgia
Technical College and will graduate
in June, 2008 with a second Associate
Degree in Administrative Office
Technology.
Grove Park Village
Macon, GA
Reunification
Homelessness can often be prevented
if individuals are able to reconnect
with family or other social support
systems. Over the past five years, over
8,000 people have been reunified
with their support systems through
Travelers Aid of Metropolitan Atlanta.
Next Steps
National research indicates that the
most effective strategy for addressing
homelessness is to move individuals and
families into permanent housing as quickly
as possible. Preventing or minimizing the
amount of time spent in the homeless
service system and providing services to
individuals within permanent housing
settings is more effective than long stays in
emergency and transitional shelters. This
change in our understanding of how to
best impact homelessness requires a shift
away from the traditional model of long shelter stays and two year transitional housing
programs. Strategies such as Housing First, Rapid Re-Housing, and Homeless Prevention
hold promise as better responses to the problem.
A constant challenge for homeless service providers is adequate resources, especially
for supportive services. HUD concentrates its focus on funding housing, with the
expectation that service funding will come from other sources. However, this puts
additional stress on the existing supportive services available in the State. It also makes
it difficult for service providers to help those that are hardest to serve, especially
chronically homeless individuals. Unfortunately, these are often the individuals who are
utilizing a great deal of state resources and who need help the most.
To better understand what is and is not effective in combating homelessness,
evaluations on the success of the programs is important. In SFY 2009, DCA is
implementing housing support standards which set a minimum level of service
standard and tracks the success of individuals and families utilizing the homeless service
system. It is expected that these standards and performance measurement will improve
the homeless service delivery system across the state.
Community awareness and public will are also challenges to addressing the issue of
homelessness. It is easy in suburban and rural areas to assume that homelessness does
not exist, while in urban areas, homeless individuals are seen as a public nuisance.
Increased education and awareness about the extent and causes of homelessness
would assist the communities of Georgia in coming together to address the issue. One
example of a community education initiative currently in place is the Union Mission
Homelessness 101 Curriculum in which volunteers are educated about poverty and
homelessness before they participate in volunteer activities.
A continual challenge for addressing homelessness is fully understanding the extent
and nature of the problem. We hope that this report is just the first step in increasing
our understanding of homelessness in Georgia.
Ms. Smith and SOAR
The DHR SOAR Project team first met
Ms. Smith under a bridge in downtown
Atlanta. It was 5:00 in the morning
and she had just fallen asleep after
having been awake all night due to her
crack use. Her psychiatric medication
had been stolen the night before.
She was dressed in an old, dirty tank
top and carried all of her belongings
in a ragged bag. She said that she
was ready to get off of the street and
away from the awful smells under the
bridge. Ms. Smith was very depressed
and did not have the energy to change
her clothes or go through her normal
grooming routine.
Ms. Smith has been diagnosed with
Bipolar Disorder and often experience
symptoms of posttraumatic stress
disorder. She has been using crack
cocaine for the last 20 years. The
drug gives her a momentary break
from her racing thoughts and manic
moods. Ms. Smith continuously
tries to get treatment for her mental
health symptoms but often finds her
depression and anxiety unbearable
and so she treats those symptoms with
substances. Her ability to function in
the community had been worsening
over the last 2 years. When we met her,
she had been homeless over a year.
Ms. Smith came with the team to
the Gateway homeless shelter and
began talking with us. Ms. Smith
had applied for SSI in the past and
been denied. She had most recently
applied a few months prior to our
first meeting. Upon calling the SSA
1-800 number, we found out that
she had been denied for failure to
communicate. Fortunately, we were
able to help Ms. Smith file a Request
for Reconsideration. Ms. Smith’s
application was approved! Since we
were able to appeal her original case,
Ms. Smith received back payments and
currently receives $623 a month. She
is moving into her own apartment and
is receiving outpatient mental health
treatment. She still struggles with her
addiction, but is on the first steppingstone
to recovery.

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What is homelessness? Homelessness is a difficult and complex issue. So much so, that there is even disagreement over the definition of who is truly homeless and who is not. The U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) defines someone as “homeless” if he or she: resides in an emergency shelter or in transitional/• supportive housing for homeless persons; or  resides in a place not meant for human habitation, such as cars, parks, sidewalks, abandoned buildings, encampments, and dilapidated buildings The U. S. Department of Education uses an expanded definition that also includes people who are: • doubled up with family or friends due to economic condition • living in motels and hotels for lack of other suitable housing • migrant workers living in housing not fit for habitation The State of Georgia, in the Act that created the State Housing Trust Fund for the Homeless in 1988, defined homelessness as “persons and families who have no access to or can reasonably be expected not to have access to either traditional or permanent housing which can be considered safe, sanitary, decent, and affordable. ”1 Because of the important variations in the definition of homelessness, this report primarily uses the more narrow HUD definition, except when otherwise noted. What is chronic homelessness? About 25% of the homeless population experience long spells of homelessness or have had numerous homeless episodes. 2 These chronically homeless individuals use a disproportionate share of public services and are vulnerable to continued homelessness. HUD considers someone chronically homeless if he or she is unaccompanied, has a disabling condition and has been homeless continuously for a year or has had at least four episodes of homelessness in the past three years. 3 What is the impact of homelessness? Homelessness has a profound impact on the individuals and families it affects including increased health problems, increased mental health problems, difficulty with maintaining employment, separation of families, and so on. Although we can sympathize with people who are in difficult straits, it is fair to ask why homelessness matters to the community at large. Homelessness affects more than just an individual or family. It affects the whole community in a number of ways. The costs of homelessness include : • poor educational attainment and development among homeless children • uninsured medical costs for a population with a high rate of disability • public safety costs including police and jail costs for offenses such as panhandling, loitering, or vagrancy • sanitation and litter control in parks and public spaces where homeless people congregate • high cost of emergency shelters, transitional housing, and supportive services for individuals and families experiencing homelessness • high cost of crisis services such as emergency room and ambulance services and inpatient hospitalization for acute and chronic health conditions as well as mental health crises • lost wages and revenue from individuals that would otherwise be able to work if they had a permanent address Myth: Homeless people are a fixed problem that can not be solved        A February 2006 article in the New Yorker relates the story of Murray Barr, a ronicallyhomeless man living in Reno, Nevada. Police Officers Patrick O’Bryan and Steve Johns had numerous interactions with Murray over many years. They began tallying costs such as arrests, incarcerations, ambulance service, and hospitalizations over a ten-year period. Officer O’Bryan said, “It cost us one million dollars not to do something about Murray. ”Malcolm Gladwell, “Million Dollar Murray,” The New Yorker, Feb. 13, 2006 quoted 92% of homeless women have experienced severe physical and/ or sexual assault at some point in their lives.  Violence Against Women Act, March 1, 2007 population who are usually homeless for long periods of time. Fact: Research indicates that 40% of homeless people have been homeless less than six months, and 70% have been homeless less than two years. University of Denver, Project Homeless Connect www. du. edu/homelessness Million-Dollar Murray 2007 Tri-J Homeless Census — Point-In-Time Individuals Family Members Totals % Unsheltered 2,071 44 2,115 31% Emergency Shelters 2,027 359 2,386 35% Transitional Housing 1,524 815 2,339 34% Totals and % 5,622 (82%) 1,218 (18%) 6,840 100% How many people are homeless in Georgia? The difficulties of counting the homeless in any single community, much less a large state, have been discussed in detail by both researchers and advocates for the homeless. This report will not presume to provide a single, definitive, and indisputable number of persons who are homeless in Georgia. However, it is important to have at least some understanding of the magnitude and scope of the problem. Fortunately, a significant amount of data from multiple sources is available to indicate how many people in the state face the dreadful prospect of no place to live. Point in Time Homeless Counts The federal response to the problem of homelessness is embodied in the McKinney- Vento Homeless Assistance Act, first passed in 1987. The McKinney-Vento programs are administered by many federal agencies including HUD. In order to receive federal funding, communities must organize services within a Continuum of Care umbrella. In 2003, the U. S. Congress passed legislation requiring that the Continuums of Care conduct point-in-time homeless counts once every two years. Accordingly, each of Georgia’s Continuums of Care (CoCs) have been engaged in an effort to count the state’s sheltered and unsheltered homeless population. The CoCs that cover Chatham, Cobb, DeKalb, and Fulton Counties and the consolidated governments of Athens-Clarke, Augusta-Richmond, and Columbus-Muscogee conduct homeless counts annually or biennially. For example, every other year, the Metro Atlanta Tri-Jurisdictional Collaborative on Homelessness (Tri-J), comprised of the City of Atlanta, Fulton County, and DeKalb County, has over 500 volunteers and staff walk and drive the entire 750 square miles of the jurisdiction from midnight to 5 a. m. , looking for unsheltered homeless people. This national best practice canvassing model is coordinated by Pathways Community Network for the Tri-J. On the same night, the Tri-J conducts a census of its emergency shelter and transitional housing beds. On January 25, 2007, the Tri-J count identified 6,840 sheltered and unsheltered homeless people in the two county area. 4 Because the Balance of the State covers 152 counties, many of them rural, the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA) has always performed an annual assessment of persons in shelters and transitional housing, but until 2008 did not have a feasible way to count unsheltered homeless people. Beginning this year, DCA used a sampling methodology and predictive model developed by statistics faculty at Kennesaw State University. 5 The methodology took the unsheltered homeless count in 23 counties to arrive at a predicted count of unsheltered homeless persons by county. The count data used in the model included counts from 2007 and 2008. The counts conducted in the Balance of the State were done using surveys primarily collected at locations where people receive services. All of the count efforts around the state, along with the model, indicate that there were over 20,000 people in Georgia who were homeless at a single Point-In-Time (a one-night snap shot) during the last week in January.   The homeless count surveys collected in January 2008 also included a question about the length of time that people had been homeless. Using a weighted average of those responses provides an estimate of over 75,000 people who experience homelessness in Georgia at some time during one year. DCA and the other CoCs will be conducting new point-in-time counts during the last week in January 2009. These counts will provide an opportunity to refine the count methodologies and update our estimates for 2009. In addition, the counts will provide trend data for the participating communities and the state as a whole. Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) Data The U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has also mandated that Continuums of Care utilize a Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) for their federally funded programs for the homeless. In Georgia, all of the Continuums have adopted the use of the same system provided through Pathways Community Network. Statewide, 277 homeless service providers use Pathways HMIS. In 2007, these agencies enrolled 31,195 individuals and family members, in various service programs.   Who is homeless in Georgia? As part of the point-in-time count in January 2008, 1,578 unduplicated surveys were collected from people around the state who were having housing difficulties. The surveys focused on the housing status of the survey respondents and their families (2,041 people) on the night of January 27, 2008. The housing status of the survey respondents and their families is shown in the table below. 861 428 556 196 The people categorized as “precariously housed” were staying with family or friends or in hotels/motels. These people would be considered homeless under the more expansive U. S. Department of Education definition of homelessness, but not under the definition adopted by the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Children were more likely to be in families that were precariously housed or living in homeless shelters. About 71% of the survey respondents who were precariously housed were women. The unsheltered homeless were generally middle aged adults, 59% of those survey respondents were men. The sheltered homeless were split almost evenly between women and men. Using the broader definition of homelessness, the majority of Georgia’s homeless population are women and children. What causes homelessness in Georgia? Two factors play a huge part in the lives of people who become homeless: extreme poverty and personal vulnerability. Extreme Poverty People can become homeless because of: • very low incomes, • unemployment, or • the lack of available affordable housing. Income and the cost of housing People who are poor face a much higher risk of becoming homeless. Georgia’s poorest citizens, who earn 50% or less of the poverty level, are at particular risk. Housing Wage6 Georgia Non-metro Georgia Atlanta MSA Annual Income Needed to Afford Fair Market Rent* One bedroom apartment $25,712 $18,949 $29,640 Two-bedroom apartment $29,084 $22,257 $32,960 *income needed to pay rent and utilities, without paying more than 30% of income on housing Dr. Larry Keating, then Professor of City and Regional Planning at Georgia Tech, conducted a study looking at households with low or moderate-incomes who have one or more housing problems (cost burden, over-crowding, and/or lack of plumbing and complete kitchen facilities). 7 Using data from the 2000 Census, Dr. Keating found that 256,146 households (renters and homeowners) were spending 50% or more of their gross incomes on housing. These are families for whom the cost of housing places them in danger of becoming homeless. Using those averages, over 725,000 Georgians live in households paying more than 50% of gross income for housing. Number of persons living in poverty in Georgia in 2006: 1. 3 million Number of persons with incomes that are one-half or less of the poverty level (extreme poverty): 595,665 Nationally, for every 100 extremely low- income renters there were 78 rental units that they could afford, but only 44 were actually available. The remainder were occupied by higher income households. In Georgia, a family needs a yearly income of $29,084 to afford a two bedroom apartment – well above the poverty rate for a family of four. Out of Reach 2007 – 2008, National Low Income Housing Coalition Severely Cost Burdened Number of Households Severely Cost Burdened Home Owner Households* 97,224 Severely Cost Burdened Renter Households 158,922 * low and moderate income households paying 50% or more of their incomes on rent/mortgage and utilities, based on 2000 Census data In December 2007, over 200,000 Georgians were receiving SSI (Supplemental Security Income). The recipients of these funds are low-income aged or disabled persons. The monthly SSI payment in Georgia (see below) is less than the Fair Market Rent for a onebedroom apartment in the state. 9 2008 Supplemental Security Income (SSI) in Georgia8 Monthly SSI Payment $637 Fair Market Rent for One-bedroom Apartment $643 Personal Vulnerability The other factor that plays a role for many people that experience homelessness is a personal situation that leaves them vulnerable to the loss of housing, such as: • mental illness • substance abuse • developmental disabilities or brain injury • physical disabilities or chronic medical problems • family violence • prior evictions or poor credit • criminal background Many individuals and families have personal vulnerabilities that place them at significant risk of becoming homeless. Disabilities, including mental illness and drug and alcohol abuse, exact a terrible toll on people. In the 2007 Metro Atlanta Tri- Jurisdiction Survey, about 58% of the respondents indicated that they had one or more disabilities. Of those, 22% had multiple disabilities. From a survey of 24 cities, the U. S. Conference of Mayors estimates that about 22% of the homeless population suffers from a severe mental illness. 10 Domestic violence plays a significant role in homelessness among women and children. In a 1998 study of homeless parents in ten U. S cities (most of whom were women), 22% said that they had left their last place of residence because of domestic violence. 11 Past experiences and behaviors can also create significant barriers for individuals and families who are trying to escape homelessness. Being homeless can lead to arrests for behaviors such as trespassing and loitering. Criminal offenses such as these, and certainly more serious convictions, can make it difficult to pass a required background check when trying to rent permanent housing. Additionally, certain felony convictions make it difficult to obtain a bed in an emergency shelter. Likewise, prior evictions and poor credit can make it difficult to rent decent affordable housing. Over 725,000 Georgians live in low income households paying more than 50% of gross income for housing. Larry Keating. Housing Needs in Georgia: How Many and Who? December 21, 2004 2007 Poverty Guidelines Family Size Poverty 1 $10,210 2 $13,690 3 $17,170 4 $20,650 5 $24,130 6 $27,610 U. S. Department of Health and Human Services http://aspe. hhs. gov/poverty/07poverty. shtml From July 1, 2007 to May 31, 2008 10,614 homeless adults and children received services from the Georgia’s Department of Human Resources for mental health or substance abuse. If just 11% of the homeless in GA received full SSI benefits they are eligible for, the total ANNUAL amount of federal dollars coming to these households would be approximately $10,412,963. What is Georgia doing to help people who are homeless? Statewide Initiatives The State of Georgia and many of its communities have been actively working to address the issue of homelessness for over 20 years. With the creation of the State Housing Trust Fund for the Homeless in 1988, the State dedicated funding for helping individuals and families end their homelessness. Today the State Housing Trust Fund provides funding to over 200 grantees across the state to implement a variety of strategies intended to address homelessness. The funding is a combination of State and Federal dollars from the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. These strategies include homeless prevention, emergency shelter, transitional housing, supportive services, and permanent supportive housing. They also provide funding for communities to hold resource fairs and participate in the homeless count. The Housing Trust Fund provides rental assistance funding for over 1,200 units of housing for individuals and families with disabilities. In addition, the Permanent Supportive Housing Program at DCA provides funding for the development of new supportive housing units. State and Federal funding enables local services providers to provide support for residents. The Department of Human Resources (DHR) has a number of programs that assist individuals and families that experience homelessness, including funding for domestic violence services through the Family Violence Unit, homeless outreach through the Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (PATH) program, and expedited access to Social Security Disability Benefits through the SSI/SSDI Homeless Outreach Access and Recovery (SOAR) initiative. The SOAR initiative works closely with the Department of Labor and the Disability Adjudication staff to improve the social security application process for individuals who are homeless. The Department of Education, through the McKinney-Vento homeless liaisons in each school district, provides services for children who are experiencing homelessness. Services are provided to prevent children from falling behind in school because of homelessness. The Department of Community Health, through the Healthcare for the Homeless Program, provides funding to provide primary health care for individuals and families who are homeless. There are also several state initiatives to address the needs of individuals being released from state prison. One of these initiatives is the Re-entry Partnership between the State Board of Pardons and Parole, Department of Corrections, Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, and the Department of Community Affairs. The Department of Corrections also has a Faith and Character Based Re-entry Initiative. These programs attempt to prevent ex-offenders from falling into homelessness by connecting them with temporary housing and employment opportunities. Coordination and Collaboration To coordinate the various initiatives of all the State Agencies that work to address homelessness, the State formed the Interagency Homeless Coordination Council in 2004. The Council was able to develop the State of Georgia Ten Year Plan to End Homelessness. The Council has representatives from multiple agencies and meets quarterly. The Georgia Coalition to End Homelessness (GCEH) is a statewide nonprofit and advocacy organization that provides training and technical assistance to homeless service providers, information and advocacy for policy makers, and a Help Line for those facing homelessness. In 2007, GCEH reported providing 460 hours of technical assistance and training to 132 homeless service providers. School Aged Children and Homelessness Homelessness has a profound impact on children. Data from the U. S. Department of Education (DOE) indicates that while 87% of homeless youth are enrolled in school, only 77% attend regularly. Homeless families move frequently impacting their children. An Institute for Children and Poverty study showed that 51% of homeless children transfer schools two or more times. There are estimates that 3-6 months of education are lost to every move. The Georgia Department of Education collects data from each school district on homeless school children. In the 2007-2008 academic year, 22,888 children in Georgia public schools were reported to be homeless. Mitchell Permanent Supportive Housing Beds Source: 2007 Continuum of Care Housing Inventories Type Individual Beds Family Beds Emergency Shelter 2,638 1,337 Transitional Housing 2,519 2,338 Permanent Housing 2,318 1,493 Total 7,475 5,168 Serving Georgia’s Homeless: 2007 Statewide Bed Inventories Local Initiatives Two metro area planning bodies include the Regional Commission on Homelessness in Metro Atlanta and the Chatham-Savannah Authority for the Homeless. There are also a number of coalitions at the state and regional levels that participate in advocacy, planning and service delivery. A number of communities have used federal, state and local funding to create innovative initiatives to address homelessness. Some examples of these innovative initiatives include: The 24/7 Gateway Se o rvice Center in Atlanta has served more than 12,000 people over the last two years. Gateway provides 300 beds designated to various programs such as mental health, employment and substance abuse. There is also a women and children’s center with 30 beds. o Athens recently held the first Project Homeless Connect Athens, based on a national model encouraged by the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness. The Athens event had over 140 attendees who received a variety of services including haircuts, health and dental screenings, legal counseling, food stamp applications, and AIDS/HIV testing. Almost 50 service providers participated in the event. o An evaluation of the Education and Community Services Engagement Linkage program (ECSEL) was initiated in the spring of 2005 by Georgia State University in cooperation with the United Way of Atlanta and Grady Health System. The evaluation was conducted to assess whether the ECSEL program improves outcomes for homeless mentally ill clients better than traditional case management services. The ECSEL approach provides more support for homeless mentally ill patients than traditional case management. The study found an average net savings of $5,200 per person due to improvement in housing status and decreases in incarceration and hospitalization. 12 o The Behavioral Health Services Program of Union Mission, Inc. is provided through the Savannah Area Behavioral Health Collaborative (SABHC) in partnership with the Chatham- Savannah Authority for the Homeless and Memorial Health University Medical Center. 13 The program offers mental health and substance abuse treatment programs for adults in Chatham and surrounding areas. The services include diagnostic assessments, psychiatric services, day treatment, group therapy, community support, residential services, and medication assistance. o Hope House, Inc. in Augusta held a Groundbreaking Ceremony in January 2008 for its Permanent Supportive Housing project called “The Highlands West. ” Hope House, Inc. provides long-term housing needs and a “Best Practice” therapeutic recovery program for women and women with children who are suffering from the disease of chemical addiction and a co-occurring mental health illness. The property consists of 5. 22 acres of land and one building. Rehabilitation of the existing building will be used as office space for Hope House staff and clinical space to provide supportive services to its clients. The development also includes the new construction of 42 new permanent housing units for its clients. Construction is expected to be completed in a few months. Cobb County non-profit organizations are working w o ith local health care providers to develop alternative placement options for homeless individuals. Alternatives are needed that provide more suitable care settings and reduce overall costs to the health care system. Their research in Georgia and other states indicates that buy-in by the health care system is key to developing a sustainable program. They hope to initiate new options this year that will reduce unnecessary hospitalization for homeless individuals, while more efficiently using community resources. o The Macon Housing Authority’s Shelter Plus Care program successfully combined housing assistance with supportive services for homeless persons during the late 1990s. MHA provided the housing assistance and the River Edge Behavioral Health Center provided the supportive services for assisted families. However, both agencies wanted to improve the basic program model. To better serve homeless persons with a mental health and/or a substance abuse diagnosis, MHA, River Edge and In-Fill Housing, Inc. developed Grove Park Village (see sidebar this page). This 40-unit multi-family development, completed in 2005, provides affordable residential housing where residents pay no more than 30 percent of their adjusted monthly incomes for rent. River Edge staffs a fulltime case manager at Grove Park Village. The $3. 2 million development cost for Grove Park Village was provided by a DCA Permanent Supportive Housing Program loan using resources from the federal HOME program and the State Housing Trust Fund for the Homeless. When spread out over the expected life of the development, the per unit cost is approximately $2,700/year, compared to the $84,600 annual cost of hospitalizing patients for mental health or substance abuse. o After the 2000 Census, the City of Dalton became a CDBG Entitlement community and was required by HUD to complete a Consolidated Plan. The Needs Assessment for that Plan highlighted dismal housing conditions in the community. In response, the City asked the Dalton-Whitfield Community Development Corporation to help both city and county governments deal with this issue. A Homeless Summit was convened in 2005 as the first activity to address that request. The Committee for Housing Stability was formed as a result of that Homeless Summit. The Committee is comprised of approximately 40 agencies which all share the need to find safe and decent housing for their clients. The agencies have entered into a Memorandum of Agreement in order to be able to work cooperatively to locate all resources available to their client households. Working together, the Committee for Housing Stability is helping address homelessness and housing stability in Dalton and Whitfield County. Local 10-Year Plans to End Chronic Homelessness • City of Albany • Metropolitan Atlanta (Regional Commission on Homelessness members: City of Atlanta and Cobb, Clayton, Douglas, DeKalb, Fulton, and Rockdale Counties) • Athens-Clarke County • Augusta-Richmond County • City of Macon and Bibb County • City of Savannah United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Jennette and Macon’s River Edge Jennette was first introduced to the River Edge Behavioral Health Center in January, 2003. She entered the facility for drug addiction. Upon completing their 14-day long-term treatment program, Jennette was placed into an apartment in Macon through River Edge’s Shelter Plus Care program where she lived for two years. Three months after moving to Macon and attending the DUAL program, (which treats clients with more than one addiction) she enrolled in Central Georgia Technical College where she graduated with honors in June, 2004 receiving a Diploma in Business Management/Supervisory Development. In March of 2005, Jennette was able to move into Grove Park Village Apartments. Jennette is still enrolled in Central Georgia Technical College and will graduate in June, 2008 with a second Associate Degree in Administrative Office Technology. Grove Park Village Macon, GA Reunification Homelessness can often be prevented if individuals are able to reconnect with family or other social support systems. Over the past five years, over 8,000 people have been reunified with their support systems through Travelers Aid of Metropolitan Atlanta. Next Steps National research indicates that the most effective strategy for addressing homelessness is to move individuals and families into permanent housing as quickly as possible. Preventing or minimizing the amount of time spent in the homeless service system and providing services to individuals within permanent housing settings is more effective than long stays in emergency and transitional shelters. This change in our understanding of how to best impact homelessness requires a shift away from the traditional model of long shelter stays and two year transitional housing programs. Strategies such as Housing First, Rapid Re-Housing, and Homeless Prevention hold promise as better responses to the problem. A constant challenge for homeless service providers is adequate resources, especially for supportive services. HUD concentrates its focus on funding housing, with the expectation that service funding will come from other sources. However, this puts additional stress on the existing supportive services available in the State. It also makes it difficult for service providers to help those that are hardest to serve, especially chronically homeless individuals. Unfortunately, these are often the individuals who are utilizing a great deal of state resources and who need help the most. To better understand what is and is not effective in combating homelessness, evaluations on the success of the programs is important. In SFY 2009, DCA is implementing housing support standards which set a minimum level of service standard and tracks the success of individuals and families utilizing the homeless service system. It is expected that these standards and performance measurement will improve the homeless service delivery system across the state. Community awareness and public will are also challenges to addressing the issue of homelessness. It is easy in suburban and rural areas to assume that homelessness does not exist, while in urban areas, homeless individuals are seen as a public nuisance. Increased education and awareness about the extent and causes of homelessness would assist the communities of Georgia in coming together to address the issue. One example of a community education initiative currently in place is the Union Mission Homelessness 101 Curriculum in which volunteers are educated about poverty and homelessness before they participate in volunteer activities. A continual challenge for addressing homelessness is fully understanding the extent and nature of the problem. We hope that this report is just the first step in increasing our understanding of homelessness in Georgia. Ms. Smith and SOAR The DHR SOAR Project team first met Ms. Smith under a bridge in downtown Atlanta. It was 5:00 in the morning and she had just fallen asleep after having been awake all night due to her crack use. Her psychiatric medication had been stolen the night before. She was dressed in an old, dirty tank top and carried all of her belongings in a ragged bag. She said that she was ready to get off of the street and away from the awful smells under the bridge. Ms. Smith was very depressed and did not have the energy to change her clothes or go through her normal grooming routine. Ms. Smith has been diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder and often experience symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder. She has been using crack cocaine for the last 20 years. The drug gives her a momentary break from her racing thoughts and manic moods. Ms. Smith continuously tries to get treatment for her mental health symptoms but often finds her depression and anxiety unbearable and so she treats those symptoms with substances. Her ability to function in the community had been worsening over the last 2 years. When we met her, she had been homeless over a year. Ms. Smith came with the team to the Gateway homeless shelter and began talking with us. Ms. Smith had applied for SSI in the past and been denied. She had most recently applied a few months prior to our first meeting. Upon calling the SSA 1-800 number, we found out that she had been denied for failure to communicate. Fortunately, we were able to help Ms. Smith file a Request for Reconsideration. Ms. Smith’s application was approved! Since we were able to appeal her original case, Ms. Smith received back payments and currently receives $623 a month. She is moving into her own apartment and is receiving outpatient mental health treatment. She still struggles with her addiction, but is on the first steppingstone to recovery.

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Here are two propositions for you – you decide which one you like better.

Proposition One: Invest in spectacular real estate in an exotic location like Bulgaria, Malaysia or even a condo on a cruise ship.

Proposition Two: Put your money into a rental property investment far from your home, in a country where you don’t speak the language, don’t know anything about the laws or the government, and can only get to with two days of travel at a cost of more than $1,000.

The first proposition sounds a lot better, doesn’t it? But these are actually just two different ways of looking at the same deal. Sales pitches for overseas property investments focus on the “heart” aspects of the proposed deal – the glamour and status of owning property in a place your friends have never even heard of, much less ever visited. The “head” aspects, which go much further to determining if you will recover the cost of your original investment, or earn a tidy profit, aren’t mentioned.

On a purely rational basis, investing in your own country usually makes much more sense than investing overseas. Overseas investments only make sense in certain very special cases, for a small percentage of investors that meet certain qualifications (which I’ll describe later).

I am writing from the perspective of an American investor, so if you don’t live in the United States, the same conditions apply – but in reverse. I think American investors usually should invest in the United States, for common-sense reasons. On the other hand, if you live in Europe, a Bulgarian investment probably makes much more sense than investing anywhere in the United States. It will certainly be less risky on every level.

(I am also not singling out any particular overseas area as bad for investment. I picked these examples at random, but they are all heavily promoted for property investment. )

The added risks in overseas investing come because you must rely much more on the honesty of both the property seller, and the property manager. (For most overseas investments that are promoted heavily in the US, the seller and property manager are partners, or even the same company. )

Consider: your first job in evaluating a deal is to look at the area surrounding the property. If you are buying year-round rental property, you want the area to show strong job growth, because job growth is the single biggest indicator in predicting future growth in real estate values. If you are buying vacation property, you want a relatively undeveloped area that is becoming “hot”, with a stable local and national government, good travel options, and very good weather.

If the potential deal is in your country, you have options to make an independent review. You can find stories about the area in local and national media, read up on the local government, and even call local experts. You can even look up complaints and comments about the seller and property manager.

With an overseas investment, you may not be able to find newspapers and web sites that cover the area and report in your language. And good luck calling a local official or expert for information!

Long-distance property investors should always visit the areas where they are investing. There should be at least one visit before the first deal is made, and another visit every six months to a year afterwards to make sure the property is being managed and maintained properly. Just the travel costs of these visits make many overseas investments financially unworkable.

Consider that you can get from one corner to the other of the US for less than $400 at almost any time of the year. On the other hand, going from Boston to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, costs $2,300 – minimum. And the cheapest flights take nearly 42 hours each way.

Faced with these added costs to the bottom line, many overseas investors simply choose not to visit their investments, before or after making the deal. Once again, they must rely on the honesty of the seller and the property manager.

Even if the seller and property manager are honest, overseas investors may run into huge problems because of legal and accounting issues. Investors often shy away from certain cities in the US because they have ridiculously biased landlord-tenant laws. They simply don’t know which overseas locations have the same laws or worse.

There are some cases when overseas property investments make sense. If you have a special connection with an overseas area, you will be much more likely to make a smart investment. That is, if you are from a certain region or country, or have other reasons to visit there frequently, you’ll know the area far better than other potential investors will. You probably speak the language and have friends who can answer your questions, or even visit your property in your absence.

In addition, because you are visiting the area regularly anyway, the travel costs of going there won’t be a “real expense” associated with the property investment. You may well decide to record that expense against the income from the investment, but you were planning to go to Bulgaria or Malaysia or Costa Rica anyway.

Even if you don’t have this local connection, there is another potentially good reason to make that overseas investment. It’s important to remember that many foreign countries are showing remarkable economic growth, much higher than the United States. For that reason, an overseas investment in one of those countries may promise annual returns in profit plus increased equity that are far better than you’ll get in most American cities.

That means that if you are the kind of investor who doesn’t mind taking a lot of risk for potentially a lot of reward, an overseas investment may work well. Or, here’s another way to look at it – why not use some of that extra money to mitigate some of the extra risk? Suppose an overseas investment promises you $15,000 per year in positive cash flow, against an up-front investment of $100,000. Spend $5,000 of that money doing extra due diligence to make sure the property deal works well, and will continue to perform well. Make another trip, find another expert, and do some additional research. You’ll still get a 10% return, but with far less chance of losing money.

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The number of patients seeking dental treatment abroad has been steadily rising for the past 10 years. As dental treatment prices rise and waiting lists grow longer, traveling abroad for dental treatment is becoming more popular as patients struggle to find the treatment they need at home. According to statistics, more than 100,000 UK patients travel abroad for dental treatment every year and this figure is higher in the United States, with many patients taking advantage of the USA’s close proximity to Mexico to find cheaper dental care. For many patients, cost is the number one factor when it comes to dental treatments. Without dental insurance many Americans and Canadians find they cannot afford extensive dental work in their home countries. Patients with dental insurance often find that advanced dental options such as dental implants with dental crowns are excluded from their policy and dental coverage rarely extends to elective procedures such as tooth whitening Without insurance dental treatment is cost prohibitive, leading patients to postpone dental treatment which can lead to a further decline of dental health and more costly treatment necessary. Patients traveling to countries where dental treatment is more affordable find they can save between 40-75% on reconstructive dental procedures and cosmetic dentistry work to enhance their smile. Dental tourism destinations such as Hungary, Croatia and Poland are increasingly popular with European patients while Mexico and Costa Rica are the dental treatment countries of choice for most Americans. It’s not only the high cost of dental treatment that is driving more and more people abroad – the long waiting lists for dental treatment under national health services in the UK and Canada are major factors helping to boost the dental tourism market. For UK patients, the privatisation of national health service dental clinics has meant that many patients wait up to 18 months simply to register with a dentist. The decreasing numbers of NHS dentists has increased the popularity of dental treatments abroad for UK patients and cross border dental treatment in European countries has risen almost 60% since 2001. The shortage of government funded dentists affects not only UK patients but Canadians also who often have long waiting lists for dental treatment. It is not uncommon to hear of Canadian and British patients waiting for up to 6 months for a routine appointment before a second appointment for treatment can be scheduled. Privatised dental care in the UK and many European countries is expensive and there is little dental insurance coverage provided by employees. The freedom of travel between European countries allows patients the freedom to extend their dental care options, travelling to European dental tourism destinations such as Bulgaria, Hungary and Croatia for dental treatment with major savings. As the number of dental tourism patients soars, the number of dental clinics worldwide offering substantial discounts to international patients increases. Dental clinics abroad offer translation services, price packages on elective cosmetic dental procedures and assistance in booking a vacation to complement the dental vacation. Many of the dentists advertising services in Eastern European and South American countries – countries where the medical tourism boom is strongest – qualified in dentistry from top universities in the UK, Canada and USA. As patients search for more affordable options, dentists are striving to provide them. For dentists, countries such as Bulgaria offer the opportunity to provide advanced dental treatments without charging patients excessive fees to cover the overheads of running a dental clinic. Lower rental costs, cheaper equipment and lower wage expectations allow dentists to absorb the practise costs without additional fees to patients. The medical tourism industry is estimates to be worth over $20 billion USD and dental tourism makes up approximately 35% of this income. In 2010 an estimated 120,000 UK patients, over 300,000 Americans and many more patients from Europe and Canada will travel abroad for dental treatment. As these figures increase the more need there is for portals to help patients find the dentist and the dental tourism destination that is right for them. Online directories such as WhereismyDentist. com and country specific sites like DentistryinMexico. com help patients locate a dentist and compare dental treatment prices, safe in the knowledge that all dental clinics listed are qualified professionals. Dental treatment costs continue to rise in countries such as the United States, Canada and the UK.  Dental tourism has been steadily increasing amongst American and British patients for the past decade, and now dental patients in other countries such as Australia are starting to feel the pinch and are seeking alternatives to costly dental care at home. The costs of dental care varies greatly depending on the location of the dental clinic. Treatment in South American and Eastern European countries tends to offer patients the best price options on both elective cosmetic dentistry procedures and reconstructive dental work to repair teeth. Standards of dental treatment abroad are on a par with the US and UK, so why is dental treatment so much more affordable abroad? Simply, lower overheads for dentists means cheaper treatment for patients: Rental prices in the US and UK force many dentists to raise their treatment prices to cover the costs of renting a dental clinic. In countries where the standards of living are lower, the reduced cost of renting a dental clinic reduces the overheads dentists have to pass on to patients. As with rental costs, dental equipment can often be bought for lower prices in European and South American countries and the running costs of 3D X-ray machines and other equipment requiring electricity are greatly reduced. The benefits of traveling abroad for dental treatment include much more than lower costs, but for the majority of patients, cost is the deciding factor when choosing a destination for dental treatment. Including travel, accommodation and dental treatment itself, many patients find saving of up to 75% on dental treatment abroad.

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