CSH Initiatives and Products: Data

The growth of supportive housing over the last 30 years has been built on a foundation of research showing that it provides core benefits to people and communities. CSH compiled this list of selected literature on supportive housing from the last 20 years as a resource. Please review each source carefully to understand how to apply it to your work. Download a summary of outcomes in supportive housing including many of these listed sources by clicking here.

Supportive housing is a model of affordable housing that is designed specifically for people who need services to recover and thrive in their community. It serves people who are facing complex physical and behavioral health challenges while also experiencing homelessness, institutionalization, and/or housing instability. People in supportive housing pay 30% of their income toward rent and are accountable to a lease with all of the rights and responsibilities of tenancy.

In dozens of studies across the country over the last 20 years, supportive housing has proven to be an effective intervention that improves housing stability, reduces the use of expensive crisis care, and improves outcomes even for individuals with complex needs. This brief highlights key evidence for communities to consider as they work to meet the housing and support needs of all individuals and families.

As with the population of people experiencing homelessness, many people in supportive housing are dealing with substance use disorder. The stability that supportive housing provides supports many tenants in accessing substance use treatment and reducing or eliminating their use. This brief highlights key evidence related to supportive housing and substance use.

This guide enhances understanding of the health conditions experienced by individuals navigating housing instability. Utilizing existing data elements monitored at the intersection of health and housing allows professionals to reduce the administrative burden associated with new data tracking mechanisms while streamlining operations to improve health outcomes.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Experts recognize that the Governor’s budget maintains the level of investment in addressing homelessness during a difficult budget year, and call on legislators to lay a foundation based on the state’s housing needs.

Sharon Rapport, Director, California State Policy, Corporation for Supportive Housing, made the following statement in response to the release of the Governor’s 2023-24 Budget:

“In a difficult budget year, it’s reassuring to see that 2022 spending on homelessness was not cut for the 2023 budget. However, no additional investments were made.

“The budget prioritizes unsheltered homelessness, but we can reduce unsheltered homelessness through long-term investment in housing. Shelter is critical in offering people a safe place to stay while waiting for permanent housing—but only homes end homelessness, and permanent housing must be the central focus of our strategy.

“The governor’s summary calls for increased accountability from local governments. This is correct—but it should be matched by accountability from the state for a budget plan that is predictable and grows over the coming budget cycles to meet the established needs of people experiencing homelessness in California.

“As the Legislature responds to this budget, it should lay the foundation for a year-over-year approach that uses data to meet the state’s needs with adequate housing, services and shelter—and that asserts the state’s leadership in ending a crisis rooted in our failure to build enough housing in California for decades.”

The Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH) and the California Housing Partnership, with the support of the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, issued the first-ever California Homeless Housing Needs Assessment last month to determine the level of public investment that would solve homelessness in California. 

It concludes that California must invest an average of $8.1 billion every year for the next 12 years to create the housing, shelter and supportive services needed to solve homelessness. 

To see the full needs assessment, visit calneeds.csh.org

Media Contact: 

Josh Kamensky
Ocean & Mountain
(323) 326-7438
[email protected]   

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.