Research and News Roundup:
September 2025

Photo by Mathias Reding on Unsplash

The Research and News Roundup is a monthly blog series that features a curated list of recent news and research related to housing instability, homelessness, and affordable housing. Together, these topics provide insights about the full housing continuum and provide community stakeholders with information about emergent research, promising practices, and innovative solutions related to housing and homelessness.

This blog examines recent research and innovative practices highlighting strategies to prevent displacement, improve care for people experiencing homelessness, and create more equitable affordable housing models.

HOUSING INSTABILITY

Displacement Prevention Program Becomes Permanent

After a successful pilot, the City of Austin Displacement Prevention Navigator Program will expand to include additional neighborhoods and become permanent. The purpose of the program is to connect residents at-risk of displacement with case management and resources that support housing stability. Its goal is to prevent displacement and stabilize families in their current homes. The program pilot, which was launched in 2023, targeted two Austin neighborhoods that were experiencing rising costs and a high prevalence of new development. In addition to providing case management and resources, trained navigators conducted community outreach to inform community members of available housing support assistance. During the pilot, program staff connected over 3,000 households with resource information and provided direct assistance to almost 400 households. The now permanent program will expand to include more comprehensive case management services and provide residents one-on-one support in navigating complex local housing systems.

HOMELESSNESS

Providing Health Care to People Experiencing Homelessness: Strategies and Challenges for Cross-Sector Initiatives

This study explores how healthcare and housing organizations can collaborate to better meet the needs of people experiencing homelessness. The authors conducted in-depth interviews with administrators and front-line staff from healthcare and housing organizations to examine strategies and challenges experienced by eight cross-sector programs in New Jersey. The study found that the programs were most effective when they employed strategies such as meeting people where they are at through field-based outreach, co-locating health and housing supports, and ensuring people are connected to services that align with their preferences. These practices helped build trust, reduced barriers to access, and improved engagement in care. Findings suggest that cross-sector initiatives that are designed with flexibility, frequent engagement, and strong organizational buy-in can improve care for people experiencing homelessness who are facing healthcare challenges.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING

A Resident-Centered Approach to Affordable Housing

This article provides an overview of a new, resident-centered approach to affordable housing being piloted by Hope Community in Minneapolis. The goal of the model is to make affordable housing more equitable and sustainable. In this program, households will pay 30% of their income toward rent and a subsidy fund administered by the housing provider will pay the difference between the household’s rent payment and the market rent. In an attempt to mitigate the benefits cliff commonly experienced by low-income households as their incomes increase, the subsidy will gradually decrease as incomes grow, ensuring sustainable housing stability among families enrolled in the program. The subsidy will be offered to every resident housed in participating Hope Community buildings ensuring equitable access to support.