The Importance of Housing Stability

Photo by Dušan veverkolog on Unsplash

Failure to prioritize housing stability of formerly homeless individuals in housing programs not only negatively impacts  individual well-being, it also negatively impacts the local homeless services system and community.

This blog explores the importance of housing stability for formerly homeless individuals and the potential individual and system impacts when people exit permanent housing programs to homelessness.

WHAT IS HOUSING STABILITY?

Housing stability is the ability of people in permanent housing programs to remain in their housing without threat of returning to homelessness. Permanent housing is intended to be long-term, providing an individual with a sense of security that they not at risk of losing their housing for failing to comply with requirements like sobriety or participation in treatment. These programs, which operate using a housing first model, protect participants from eviction unless they violate specific terms of their lease. In such programs, individuals receive ongoing case management support to voluntarily access services that address their unique and self-determined challenges. In addition, program staff support the client in getting connected to community resources and build their social networks.  Rent is income-based and financial education programs are often offered to prevent financial crises that might lead to eviction. All of these interventions contribute to housing stability. In permanent housing programs, if a tenant experiences challenges such as difficulty paying rent, or mental health or substance use challenges, instead of immediate eviction, the program provides support and collaborates with the individual to ensure they access the community resources needed to maintain their housing.

IMPACTS OF HOUSING STABILITY?

Housing stability has been shown to have an array of positive impacts for formerly homeless persons.

These positive impacts include:

• Improved mental health
• Increased access to health care
• Enhanced substance use and mental health recovery and decreased relapse
• Increased access to employment and financial stability
• Family reunification and enhanced social connections
• Improved sense of dignity and self-worth
• Increased access to employment and financial stability

In addition, housing stability of formerly homeless individuals decreases reliance on emergency services thereby decreasing public costs associated with healthcare, law enforcement, and emergency services.

ZERO TOLERANCE POLICIES

Zero-tolerance policies negatively impact housing stability for formerly homeless individuals. A zero-tolerance policy in a permanent housing program is a policy that leads to the immediate evictions of people who have “violations” such as substance use, mental health crises, or disruptive behaviors. These policies are in direct conflict with one of the core tenants of Housing First which is providing housing stability so that individuals can have a foundation from which to address their other life challenges. In essence, these policies punish people for their illnesses when their untreated mental illness or substance use results in negative behavior such as an outburst. Zero-tolerance policies also have several negative effects not only on the individual but also on the local homeless services system. These include:

• Worsened mental health and substance use and re-traumatization due to concern over losing housing
• Decreased access to healthcare, worsened health conditions, and increased rates of mortality
• Loss of trust in staff and disengagement from much needed social and community supports due to fear of eviction
• Increased formal evictions and returns to homelessness which not only lead to worse outcomes in the long run but more challenges in exiting homelessness again in the future
• Higher public and homeless services systems costs due to reliance on shelters, street outreach, emergency services, hospitals, and jails
• Increased burden on the local shelter system resulting in encampments, increases in the number of people living unsheltered, and public complaints

Zero tolerance policies create a punitive system that directly conflicts with the Housing First principle of harm reduction.

APPROACHES TO PROMOTE HOUSING STABILITY

In addition to employing a Housing First model, there are several approaches to care that can help ensure housing stability for formerly homeless individuals. First, instead of a zero-tolerance approach, programs can implement a graduated response approach that addresses behavioral challenges through a series of graduated interventions such as warnings, increased engagement and support, and temporary relocation. Considering the role of past trauma on current behavior through the implementation of trauma-informed care not only prevents penalizing a person for their trauma-induced symptoms but can also lead to more effective interventions that address the trauma and decrease mental health and substance use symptoms related to the trauma. Finally, non-judgmental, flexible case management that promotes harm reduction, celebrates small wins, and acknowledges but does not penalize setbacks has the potential decrease behavioral challenges resulting in increased likelihood of housing stability.