Supportive housing

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Supportive housing is a form of co-housing designed to support individuals, not just socially but with basic life skills. Housing is coupled with social services such as job training, alcohol and drug abuse programs and case management. Often targeted at low-income workers and populations in need of assistance such as the homeless, those suffering from mental illness or substance abuse problems, and the elderly or medically frail.

Supportive housing Usually on an ongoing/permanent basis or through a transition period of dependence on others.

The type, and level of support is dependent on the specific needs, wishes of the individuals and their families. Access to certain types of supportive housing may be limited by funding. Some examples of supportive housing:

  • Housing for the homeless in Transitional Shelters, Hostels, and Supportive Living Centers
  • Housing for the elderly in nursing homes and retirement communies
  • Housing for recovering drug addicts and people recently released from jails in Halfway houses
  • Housing for those with developemental disabilities or mental illnesses in Group Homes and Supportive Living Centers
  • Housing for victims of domestic violence, rape, and other crimes in transitional shelters and safe houses


  • As a solution for homelessness, supportive housing addresses two key problems:
    • Without housing, there is no basis from which to mitigate the factors which lead to homelessness
    • Without support services, the tenant is likely to return to homelessness for the reasons that lead to their loss of housing in the first place.

Contents

[edit] Benefits

Permanent Supportive Housing is a solution to a problem rather than a band-aid fix (such as a shelter.) While many of those who stay in the shelter system remain in or return to the system for extended periods of time, a much higher percentage of those who are placed in permanent supportive housing remain housed.

Supportive Housing also costs significantly less than other systems where it's tenant base may reside, such as jails, hospitals, mental health facilities, and even shelters.

When paired with low-income housing, government subsidies (such as section 8) and other revenue generating operations, supportive housing residences are capable of supporting themselves and even turning a profit.

[edit] Limitations

The inflated rental and real estate markets in many US cities makes it difficult to acquire properties suitable for conversion to supportive housing. Additionally, the initial purchase and rehabilitiaion or construction requires significant start-up capital, which is controlled by political will and the funding of corporations, individuals, and private foundations.

Luckily, many city and state governments are slowly becoming aware that homelessness is a solvable problem and are committing to solutions rather than throwing more money into the shelter system or jails and hospitals. Recent "10 year plans" from many city governments have featured supportive housing prominently in their blueprint for ending homelessness.

Due to the lack of permanent supportive housing (and affordable housing in general), many residences are able to be selective in choosing their tenants. While this leads to an improved quality of life for the tenants who do live there and a higher success rate, it leaves out many who are not deemed fit for residence there.

This problem is being addressed by "first step" programs aimed at preparing people for residency in permanent housing.

[edit] Costs

[edit] Supportive Housing Providers

[edit] In the US

[edit] Internationally

[edit] External links

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