Permanent Supportive Housing
Permanent Supportive Housing
Permanent Supportive Housing is a combination of housing and services designed for people with serious mental illnesses or other disabilities who need support to live stably in their communities. These services can include case management, substance abuse or mental health counseling, advocacy, and assistance in locating and maintaining employment. Permanent Supportive Housing is a proven solution for people who have experienced chronic homelessness as well as other people with disabilities, including people leaving institutional and restrictive settings (USICH Fact Sheet).
Models
There are two primary models of Permanent Supportive Housing: single-site, project-based assistance and scattered-site, tenant based rental assistance. HOM’s primary expertise is in the administration of scattered-site, tenant based rental assistance for Permanent Supportive Housing programs.
Unit Selection
Participants in Permanent Supportive Housing programs are assisted in locating a dwelling unit of their choice in the community that meets program eligibility requirements. For the dwelling unit to be eligible in the program, the unit must pass a Housing Quality Standards (HQS) Inspection. The rent for the unit must also be determined to be reasonable in comparison to other unassisted units similar in location, size, unit type, age, unit amenities and property facilities.
Rental Assistance
Participants in the programs are required to pay at least 30% of their adjusted monthly income towards the cost of rent and utilities. HOM calculates the participant’s portion of rent in accordance with applicable program guidelines. The remaining portion of the Contract Rent for the dwelling unit is subsidized by the program and is paid directly to the Landlord. The HOM program participant is the leaseholder and the sole tenant for the dwelling unit. HOM enters into Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) Contracts with Landlords to provide rental assistance to HOM participants and their authorized family members. Participants are assisted for as long as they remain eligible for the assistance.
Supportive Services
Supportive services in Permanent Supportive Housing are tailored to meet the individual needs of the household and may include case management, mental health treatment and counseling, substance use treatment, assistance with daily activities, skills training and development, transportation, health education, conflict resolution, crisis response, and assistance with socialization and seeking employment. Services in supportive housing are flexible and primarily focused on the outcome of housing stability. Supportive services are provided by HOM’s partners in the homelessness and integrated health care fields.
