Supportive housing is an innovative and proven solution to some of communities’ toughest problems. Through a combination of affordable housing and support services or programs, supportive housing helps our most vulnerable community members to live with dignity, stability, and autonomy.
Supportive housing reduce improves housing stability, employment, mental and physical health. Supportive housing also improves school attendance in children and can help reduce substance abuse.
The costs associated with maintaining supportive housing and programs is essentially the same cost as keeping people homeless and stuck utilizing high-cost crisis services, including hospital, criminal justice, and emergency housing services.
There are significant benefits to the community when supportive housing programs are in place; supportive housing improves the safety of the surrounding neighborhoods, helps to beautify the area through new development or rehabilitation of an existing area of blight, and stabilizing or increasing surrounding property values.
Permanent supportive housing allows those facing complex challenges and situations the freedom and safety to grow and thrive. Giving someone a home restores their basic human dignity and allows them to focus their efforts on becoming happier, healthier, and more involved members of their community.
Ability Housing was the lead of the Florida pilot program to study the impact of permanent supportive housing; you can read details on The Solution That Saves here.
