Leaders at The NHP Foundation and CSH call for news ways to think about housing and health care.
How can the affordable housing industry—and our partners—ensure the right housing is built for those who will benefit from it now and in the years to come? We offer five steps to create an “affordable housing reboot” that addresses this question and the many societal concerns that go along with it.
1. Redefining Who Affordable Housing Helps
Typically, housing providers plan for residents who can pass stringent standards for employment, criminal background checks, etc., and do not coordinate with other sectors when considering perspective tenants. But to truly reduce the number of very low-income people facing homelessness, the affordable housing industry should change this dynamic by establishing referral relationships with health-sector partners, creating set-asides for people with special needs, and reducing all but the most significant barriers with a screen-in, rather than a screen-out, approach.
In some places, health-care partners are already stepping up to the plate and implementing much of this direction.
For example, the University of Illinois Hospital leads the “Better Health Through Housing” initiative, which has provided 42 homeless individuals with affordable supportive housing. Since the program began in November 2015, UI’s research has revealed significant benefits for hospitals to house the homeless. Their efforts have resulted in a 21% decrease in health-care costs, a 67% drop in emergency department visits, and a similar reduction in in-patient hospitalizations.................Read More
No comments:
Post a Comment