The LA HOPE project is designed to support clients in permanent supportive housing transition into gainful employment. The project provides a safety net to address barriers to self-sufficiency, which includes long-term substance abuse barriers. This resource is an evaluation of the program that was conducted by the Urban Institute.

From the Urban Institute, this paper is an evaluation of the Special Homeless Initiative (HI) of the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health. The Homeless Initiative was designed to prevent and end homelessness among the most vulnerable clients and clients with serious mental illness. This is the third report in the evaluation series and provides data on client outcomes from the Initiative.

This report from the Urban Institute offers an update on affordable rental housing in Louisiana after the devastation caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005. It was estimated that 36 percent of homeowner stock and 56 percent of rental stock was damaged or destroyed. Authors offer information on rental housing policy and promising practices for addressing the challenges facing low-income renters returning to their communities.

The Department of Mental Health in Massachusetts is committed to preventing homelessness for people with serious mental illness. From the Urban Institute, this report is the beginning of an evaluation of the Homelessness Initiative, and provides an overview of the history of the Initiative for the last 15 years.

From the Funder’s Network, this paper examines how housing conditions can affect aspects of child well-being in their communities. The study reviews housing characteristics, such as the cost of housing, residential mobility, and the surrounding neighborhood on the health, social, and emotional well-being of children. Authors call for a more rigorous evaluation of existing housing programs and outcomes for children.

This study tests family homelessness based on patterns of public shelter use and examines whether family characteristics are associated with homelessness. It was found that 20% of homeless families are in shelters for longer periods, and some cycle in and out of shelters. The families with repeat stays have the highest rates of intensive behavioral health treatment, placement of children in foster care, disability, and unemployment.

This brief is from the National Alliance to End Homelessness and provides information on chronic homelessness in the United States. Authors summarize the interaction between emergency shelters, health care systems, and criminal justice and chronic homelessness, and conclude with the benefits and cost effectiveness of permanent supportive housing.

From the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, this is the annual homeless assessment report to Congress. In 2005, it was estimated that on any given day, 335,000 people were residing in shelters or transitional housing, and about 338,781 were unsheltered. Additionally, researchers found that in 2005, forty-seven percent of all sheltered homeless people were adult men.

This project examined 25 local homeless assistance systems and the success of a strategy for creating a functioning Continuum of Care for the homeless.

This study, for the Office of Policy Development and Research and the Department of Housing and Urban Development, identifies successful community-wide approaches to reducing homelessness and achieve stable housing.