Chronic Homelessness:
Are there known strategies and solutions for fighting long-term homelessness?
Strategies exist for fighting long-term homelessness, including community-based Ten Year Plans, supportive housing programs, and a variety of prevention techniques.
Ten Year Plans:
Nearly 220 communities across the nation currently have plans to end homelessness in ten years and approximately 92 plans are complete; of the 92 plans, about 90 percent target chronic homelessness.
Supportive Housing:
Supportive housing is a successful, cost-effective combination of affordable housing with services that helps people live more stable, productive lives. Studies have shown conclusively that it costs essentially the same amount of money to house someone in stable, supportive housing as it does to keep that person homeless and stuck in the revolving door of high-cost crisis care and emergency housing.
Prevention:
The National Alliance to End Homelessness (www.naeh.org) outlines a variety of strategies for effective prevention of chronic homelessness:
- Develop emergency homelessness prevention program including rent/mortgage/ utility assistance, case management, and other strategies to prevent eviction and homelessness.
- Provide care and services for low income families, for people suffering from addiction, and for those with chronic mental and physical disabilities.
- Assess and respond to the housing needs of these populations, while supporting placement in stable housing for all people being released from public institutions.
Other questions & answers related to this topic:
What is the nature and extent of chronic or long-term homelessness?
What is the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) and how is helping?