Allowing alcoholics to drink in housing project apartments has cut drinking by 35%.

The idea is that when chronically homeless people are provided with a stable environment medical, psychiatric and substance abuse issues are more manageable.

The studies conducted over two years on a Seattle housing project have shown that participants drank an average of 8% fewer drinks on their heaviest drinking days.

In other instances where alcohol is not allowed inside the housing projects, individuals with chronic problems are unable to cope with the rules and return to the streets.