Families Facing Homelessness
According to the National Coalition for the Homeless, housing assistance can make the difference between stable housing, uncertain housing, or no housing at all. In communities across the United States, the demand for assisted housing clearly exceeds the supply. One-third of poor renter households receive a housing subsidy from the federal, state, or a local government.
The limited level of housing assistance means that most poor families and individuals seeking housing assistance are placed on long waiting lists. From 1996-1998, the time households spent on waiting lists for housing assistance grew dramatically. Nationally, a family's average time on a waiting list rose from 22 to 33 months from 1996 to 1998 - a 50% increase. The average waiting period for a Section 8 rental assistance voucher rose from 26 months to 28 months between 1996 and 1998. In 2009, the average wait for Section 8 Vouchers is 35 months.
The National Coalition for the Homeless also reported that since 2000, the incomes of low-income households has declined as rents continue to rise. In 2009, a worker would need to earn $14.97 to afford a one-bedroom apartment and $17.84 to afford a two-bedroom apartment. There has been an increase of 41% from 2000 to 2009 in fair market rent for a two-bedroom unit.
In a recent report on Ending Family Homelessness, The National Alliance to End Homelessness reported, "HPRP allows communities to create or expand Rapid Re-Housing efforts, transforming how they respond to family homelessness. With new HPRP and other ARRA funds, The Road Home in Salt Lake City, Utah, for example, is responding to a sharp, recession-related increase in family homelessness by offering Rapid Re-Housing to many more families. The program helped 200 families rapidly return to housing in the first six months of operation. The expansion of Rapid Re-Housing has allowed the program to meet the increased demand for assistance without expanding the organization’s shelter capacity or turning families away. By connecting families quickly with income and employment support provided by the local TANF agency, the program is also helping to shore up the supports the families will require after they are housed."
Housing First
"Housing First", or rapid re-housing, has been recognized as a dramatic new response to the problem of family homelessness. The housing first approach stresses the return of families to independent living as quickly as possible. This model has proven to be a practical means to ending and preventing family homelessness for over 20 years.
The combination of housing relocation services and home-based case management enables homeless families to break the cycle of homelessness. The housing first approach facilitates long-term stability and skill building necessary to remain in permanent housing.
In August 2007, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development reported a 30 percent decline in the number of chronic homeless individuals no longer living on the streets or in shelters. This unprecedented decline, falling from 176,000 people in 2005 to 124,000 people in 2007, has been attributed to the housing first movement that has spread to cities and jurisdictions across the United States.
Additional Resources:
Doubled Up by State - National Alliance to End Homelessness
National Interagency Council on Homelessness
Maximizing Shelter Capacity
