Interventions, Housing

Transitional Housing Interventions

Transitional housing is time limited and typically provides services beyond food, shelter, and clothing. However, no consistent definition or model of transitional housing exists. Transitional housing programs vary greatly in the amount of time a person can stay (three months to twenty-four months or longer), services provided, physical structure (congregate settings to individual apartments), and admission criteria (e.g., some programs may be exclusively for people in substance abuse recovery).

Even the goals of transitional housing interventions can range considerably. In some cases, because of the limited supply of affordable permanent housing, transitional housing has emerged as an intermediate place to live for people who are waiting for permanent housing. In other cases, transitional housing has been designed to help people increase their chances of locating appropriate housing and become “housing ready.” In these cases in particular, transitional housing is a step between a shelter and permanent housing for those who need a more structured setting with a range of services—including mental health, substance abuse, health, employment readiness, educational programs, and other services [Page 318]—before moving into permanent housing. In addition to offering an opportunity to work on clinical and self-sufficiency issues, these housing programs sometimes provide structured savings programs that help people save money for rental down payments and move-in costs.

Some communities are testing “transition in place” or convertible housing models, where intensive services are provided initially and gradually reduced and where the apartments become permanent dwellings for those people who proceed through the program successfully.

Experts have done little direct study of transitional housing, and no study has compared transitional housing with permanent housing. However, several studies have indicated that some homeless people, even those with multiple needs, can move directly to permanent housing and remain stable for considerable periods of time. Program providers need to understand when transitional housing is warranted and for what purposes (i.e., to provide interim housing for people who do not yet have access to permanent housing or to provide a place where people can become ready to live more independently on their own).

Supportive Housing Interventions

Supportive housing combines permanent housing with direct or arranged access to services to address the needs of formerly homeless people. Supportive housing is generally considered an option for those people who have either lived on the streets or in homeless shelters for long periods of time and/or who have needs that may best be served by services provided through their housing. Permanent housing options range from single-room occupancy (SRO) hotels (especially in large cities such as New York City) to scattered site apartments to home ownership. The physical structure of the housing is often determined by the housing stock available in the community and the funding that is available.

Services may be provided on-site or off-site and may be limited to basic case management services or may include health, mental health, substance abuse, and daily living supports. Providers use a variety of models of case management but typically help a client obtain services as well as assist in daily living, such as assisting in money management, transportation, and problem solving. Supportive housing programs for people with a specific set of needs, such as people with severe mental illness or those with HIV/AIDS, may have a much broader and more intensive array of services on-site than do housing programs that serve a range of individuals.

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