Area of Expertise: Services Planning and Operations

This guide provides recommendations for existing housing developments that may need additional subsidies to serve an extremely low-income supportive housing population. If you created a supportive housing development but there were not enough subsidies available at the time of opening, are using subsidies that expired (e.g. Tenant Based Rental Assistance – TBRA), or want to replace a current subsidy that does not allow rent increases with one that does, this guide is for you.   Rental subsidies in supportive housing developments ensure affordability for residents while maintaining the project’s sustainability, bridging the gap between market rents and affordable rent for extremely low-income individuals and families. There are several government programs that support the inclusion of rental subsidies in supportive and affordable housing. Here are five approaches for owners and property managers to consider.

How Deborah’s Place Approaches Managing and Upgrading their Aging Properties

Deborah’s Place is the largest provider of Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) in Chicago exclusively serving unaccompanied women who are experiencing homelessness. They serve more than 600 women a year with the following goal: once a woman comes to Deborah’s Place, they will never experience homelessness again. Deborah’s Place cares for their properties in a way that many providers strive to do. They use all the benefits of being a non-profit in finding creative approaches like philanthropy and volunteers to address and resolve challenges to keep their properties updated and well maintained. It is apparent in their housing stability outcomes that tenants like where they live and the services that come along with it, since Deborah’s Place maintains a 96% housing retention rate.

These briefs discuss how Family Unification Program (FUP) and Foster Youth to Independence (FYI) federal housing vouchers can support transition, wellbeing, and stability for youth/young adults’ transitions from foster care involvement with the child welfare system. Part 1 provides an overview of FUP and FYI vouchers. Part 2 offers a detailed guide to administering FUP and FYI vouchers for youth and young adults. 

The publications were made possible in collaboration with Casey Family Programs, whose mission is to provide, improve – and ultimately prevent the need for – foster care.

Informe: Cupones federales de vivienda para apoyar a los jóvenes en edad de transición 

Estos informes analizan como los cupones federales de vivienda en los programas programa de unificación familiar “Family Unification Program” (FUP) y el programa para jóvenes de crianza a la independencia “Foster Youth to Independence” (FYI) pueden apoyar la transición, el bienestar, y la estabilidad de los jóvenes y adultos jóvenes en su transición del cuidado temporal con el sistema de bienestar infantil. La parte 1 resume una descripción general de los cupones FUP/FYI. La parte 2 presenta una guía detallada para administrar los cupones de FUP y FYI para los jóvenes y adultos jóvenes.  

Las publicaciones fueron posibles en colaboración con Casey Family Programs, cuya misión es brindar, mejorar y, en última instancia, prevenir la necesidad de cuidado de crianza. 

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To access the Youth Housing Voucher Brief – Part 2, please follow the link below.

These briefs discuss how Family Unification Program (FUP) and Foster Youth to Independence (FYI) federal housing vouchers can support transition, wellbeing, and stability for youth/young adults’ transitions from foster care involvement with the child welfare system. Part 1 provides an overview of FUP and FYI vouchers. Part 2 offers a detailed guide to administering FUP and FYI vouchers for youth and young adults. 

The publications were made possible in collaboration with Casey Family Programs, whose mission is to provide, improve – and ultimately prevent the need for – foster care.

Informe: Cupones federales de vivienda para apoyar a los jóvenes en edad de transición 

Estos informes analizan como los cupones federales de vivienda en los programas programa de unificación familiar “Family Unification Program” (FUP) y el programa para jóvenes de crianza a la independencia “Foster Youth to Independence” (FYI) pueden apoyar la transición, el bienestar, y la estabilidad de los jóvenes y adultos jóvenes en su transición del cuidado temporal con el sistema de bienestar infantil. La parte 1 resume una descripción general de los cupones FUP/FYI. La parte 2 presenta una guía detallada para administrar los cupones de FUP y FYI para los jóvenes y adultos jóvenes.  

Las publicaciones fueron posibles en colaboración con Casey Family Programs, cuya misión es brindar, mejorar y, en última instancia, prevenir la necesidad de cuidado de crianza. 

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To access Part 1, please continue to through the link below.

These briefs present information on federal housing voucher programs, such as the Family Unification Program (FUP), that child welfare and housing leaders can use to stabilize families through cross-sector partnerships. These briefs provide strategies for successfully administering FUP vouchers and identifying FUP eligible families. They also dispel common myths around the administration of FUP vouchers, so that these critical housing resources can be leveraged to to help strengthen families and keep children safe.

The publications were made possible in collaboration with Casey Family Programs, whose mission is to provide, improve – and ultimately prevent the need for – foster care.

Informes de cupones de vivienda familiar para el bienestar infantil 

Estos informes presentan información sobre los programas federales de cupones de vivienda, como el programa de unificación familiar “Family Unification Program”(FUP), que los líderes de vivienda y bienestar infantil pueden utilizar para estabilizar a las familias a través de alianzas intersectoriales. Estos resúmenes brindan estrategias para administrar con éxito los cupones de FUP e identificar a las familias elegibles para FUP. También disipan los mitos comunes sobre la administración de los vales FUP, de modo que estos recursos de vivienda críticos puedan aprovecharse para ayudar a fortalecer a las familias y mantener a los niños seguros. 

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To access the Brief on Family Housing Vouchers – Part 2, follow the link below.

In the summer and fall of 2022, CSH and Casey Family Programs hosted a virtual talking circle and a series of subsequent conversations with Native American leaders, service providers and families from across the United States that work in the fields of child welfare, Indian Child Welfare Act and supportive housing. These conversations were led by Patty Beech Consulting, and focused on how to better connect quality, affordable housing and supportive services to Native American families who are at-risk of being separated or who have child welfare system involvement and are facing homelessness or housing instability.

This brief provides ten steps that child welfare and family support leaders and their communities can take to advance a family eviction prevention plan. This plan aligns with broader shifts in child welfare policy and practice to build community- based preventative supports that strengthen families and keep children safe.

These briefs report on the impact of evictions on families and present information on what child welfare and family support leaders and their communities can do now to prevent evictions for families and the importance of immediate and long-term cross-sector prevention strategies. In addition, the briefs include a list of ten steps to advance a family eviction prevention plan aligned with broader shifts in child welfare policy and practice and efforts to build community-based preventative supports that strengthen families and keep children safe.

The publications were made possible in collaboration with Casey Family Programs, whose mission is to provide, improve – and ultimately prevent the need for – foster care.

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For additional information, download our brief on 10 things to do to prevent family evictions:

This paper published with the generous support from The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation shares critical information about the Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) program and how it can boost ‘services’ in supportive housing. HCBS services help individuals live comfortably in their own homes, despite challenges commonly faced by people with disabilities and all of us as we age. HCBS will be an essential supplementary resource to help supportive housing tenants thrive in their community at all ages.

This data brief guides system providers on how to better coordinate data and services for families involved with systems, such as child welfare, homelessness response, behavioral health, education and justice.