With funding and support from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation and the Los Angeles Home for Good Campaign, CSH launched the Moving On pilot in 2013. CSH awarded grants to supportive housing agencies to help tenants who no longer require on-site services to transition to private apartments with, or without, rental support and less intensive community-based services. , and then fill vacated units with tenants most in need of supportive housing.
During the first and second year grant periods, four agencies (Downtown Women’s Center, LAMP Community, Watts Labor Community Action Committee, Skid Row Housing Trust, St. Joseph Center) were awarded grants to cover staff costs for transition supportive services (up to $1,500 per Mover) and moving expenses (up to $2,000 per Mover).
Harder+Company Community Research conducted a two-and-a-half year evaluation (May 2013 – March 2016) of the CSH Moving On Initiative. One key goal of the evaluation was to understand the needs, motivations, and experiences of individuals who move from supportive housing to more independent housing. To examine this, the evaluation conducted an in-depth assessment with twenty-four Movers during a one-year span.
The evaluation also incorporated other methods and data sources (e.g., provider interviews, interviews with tenants who decided to stay in supportive housing, etc.) to fully understand the “moving on” experience. Key findings from this evaluation are summarized and organized in five sections: (1) characteristics of successful movers, (2) factors that contribute to housing stability, (3) the benefit of transitional support, (4) transitional service needs and (5) the unique needs of families that move.