Population: Justice-Involved

CSH Calls for Balanced Policy That Protects Both Housing and Health Supports

The Senate’s passage of the reconciliation bill presents a deeply mixed outcome for the supportive housing field. While we acknowledge the inclusion of important housing provisions such as expanding and making permanent the Low-Income Housing Tax Credits and the New Markets Tax Credit, we cannot overlook the harmful trade-offs embedded in this legislation.

These housing investments, while significant, are not sufficient to offset the damage caused by provisions that undermine access to essential healthcare and basic supports for people experiencing homelessness and housing instability. The bill imposes new barriers to Medicaid and nutrition assistance that will disproportionately impact individuals with complex health and housing needs. These are the very people supportive housing is designed to serve.

Supportive housing succeeds because it pairs affordable homes with the services that help people stay housed and maintain their health. When the government restricts access to those services, it weakens the entire model. Limiting state Medicaid funding tools, imposing burdensome recertification requirements, and expanding work requirements for vulnerable populations all threaten the stability and well-being of those we serve.

CSH remains committed to advancing effective policies that recognize the interconnectedness of housing, healthcare, and human services. We urge Congress to consider the full impact of this legislation, not just its housing investments, but also the barriers it creates for those most in need and the burdens it places on the communities in their districts. We will continue to work with partners across sectors to ensure that supportive housing remains a viable and effective solution to homelessness and housing insecurity.
 
Deborah De Santis
CSH President and CEO

This resource is intended to support health centers in identifying some important components to effective programming for HIV+ individuals leaving carceral settings to ensure smooth linkage to care and housing following discharge.

The investment will support development of the innovative K-Town Residential Workforce Development Center.

Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH) is pleased to announce a $13 million New Market Tax Credit Allocation (NMTC) to Lawndale Christian Legal Center (LCLC) for its planned K-Town residential workforce development center in Chicago’s North Lawndale neighborhood.

The NMTC allocation will fund the redevelopment of the property into 20 supportive housing units and a job training center for men aged 18 to 24 facing housing instability and involvement with the justice system. In addition to housing, the investment will support holistic wraparound social supports, a culinary training program for the residents and additional office spaces for staff.

The LCLC award marks CSH’s first NMTC investment for individuals involved with the justice system and is its inaugural NMTC investment in Chicago. LCLC will leverage the award with other funding sources to provide job training and “efficiency style” apartments for men exiting the justice system.

“CSH is pleased to support LCLC and the K-Town residential workforce development center that will transform the lives of people who have experienced trauma as a result of their involvement with the justice system,” said Jill Steen, Director, New Market Tax Credits at CSH. “This award is part of CSH’s ongoing multimillion-dollar investment for housing and services that are owned, operated, and serve communities who identify as Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC).”

CSH expects the K-Town development project to create more than 150 construction jobs, most of which will be for workers with less than a two-year college degree and over 40 permanent, full-time jobs.

CSH, a national nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), plays a pivotal role in supporting the development of quality, affordable and supportive housing, and services. CSH actively increases housing and service pipelines by providing Technical Assistance (TA), training, and consulting services to developers, service providers, and jurisdictions.

For more information about this project or CSH’s New Market Tax Credit offerings, please contact Jill Steen, Director, NMTC at [email protected].

In a collaborative effort organized by CSH, representatives from two cities recently gathered in Philadelphia for a multi-day convening focused on addressing the complex challenge of street homelessness and people experiencing mental illness or substance use disorder. Coordinated by the CSH Michigan and Metro (NY, NJ, and PA) teams, this meeting brought together key stakeholders from each city, including officials from mayoral offices, city agencies, police departments, housing and service providers, and community-based organizations.

Detroit’s delegation, including officials from Mayor Mike Duggan’s Office, the Housing and Revitalization Department, Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network, and the Detroit Police Department, joined counterparts from Philadelphia, represented by various departments and organizations such as the Office of Homeless Services, the Managing Director’s Office, the Office of Criminal Justice, Families Forward Philadelphia, the House of Passage Access Point, the Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services, the Philadelphia Police Department, Project HOME, and Pathways to Housing PA.

The meeting served as a platform for an exchange of best practices, lessons learned, successes, and challenges in addressing homelessness, mental illness, and substance use disorders. As the host city, Philadelphia showcased innovative initiatives in homeless services, police diversion, response to the opioid epidemic, and behavioral health investment in housing and homeless services.

For instance, the Philadelphia Police Department highlighted its Police-Assisted Diversion (PAD) program, a pilot initiative redirecting individuals with low-level, non-violent offenses toward supportive, peer-based social services instead of the carceral and justice systems. Additionally, host organizations shared details about preventative programs such as the Overdose Prevention and Community Healing Fund, a $3.5 million grantmaking program, and innovative harm reduction practices by Pathways to Housing, including in-unit technology that supports tenants and prevents overdoses.

“CSH expresses gratitude for the opportunity to collaborate with communities committed to improving services for individuals facing complex barriers to housing. The insights gained from this meeting provide valuable lessons for other communities looking to implement person-centered preventative programs,” said Brian McShane, Associate Director of CSH PA/NJ. “The collaborative efforts witnessed in Philadelphia underscore the potential for impactful, city-wide change, setting a precedent for future collaboration and progress in addressing homelessness.”