Housing with Support
The information and resources here are intended to support your efforts to implement effective housing with support programs in your work to prevent and end homelessness.
Below you will find information and tools organized under the headings of Rapid Re-Housing, Critical Time Intervention, Housing First, Supportive Housing, and Overall Housing with Support Resources (that cross the different program types). Remember, you can also search on the Homeless Hub and the Homelessness Learning Hub for further housing with support related information.
Keep checking back here as we will be regularly updating materials and adding further resources.
This section includes resources related to Rapid Re-Housing Programs (typically intended for people with mid-acuity who have experienced transitional or episodic homelessness who do not require longer-term intensive supports to remain housed) from the National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH).
- Rapid Re-housing Learning Collaborative Toolkit (2017) – website-based with tonnes of resources
- Rapid Re-Housing Toolkit (2016) – website-based with tonnes of resources
- Rapid Re-housing for Youth Toolkit (2017) – website-based with tonnes of resources.
- All The Latest on Rapid Re-housing for Youth Webinar (Dec 2018) (1 hour)
- What Is Rapid Re-housing Video (2016) (3 min)
- History and Core Components (2014) – single website page
5 Module Webinar Series on Rapid Re-housing (2012)
This section includes key resources for Housing First Programs (providing longer-term intensive housing-based support in housing of people’s choice throughout the community) with an implementation focus.
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- Canadian Housing First Toolkit – a great website for communities looking to implement Housing First Programs. Includes sections on overview, plan, implement, evaluate and sustain and has a whole “resources” section with sample policies, procedures, job descriptions etc.
- Homeless Hub Housing First – an overview
- HUD’s Housing First Implementation Resources (2018) – a website with resources organized in the following four sections: 1) Housing First Implementation, 2) Working with Project Participants in a Housing First Approach, 3) Housing First in Specific Project Types, and 4) Trauma Informed Care.
- Housing First Europe Guide (FEANTSA, 2016) – An on-line guide available in multiple languages with 12 videos and quizzes to support learning. The six chapters include: 1) What is Housing First, 2) Core Principles of Housing First, 3) Delivering Support in Housing First, 4) Delivering Housing in Housing First, 5) Evaluating Housing First, 6) Housing First and the Wider Strategy. See this 1 min teaser video introducing the Guide.
- Permanent Supportive Housing Kit (SAMSHA, 2010) – this on-line toolkit from the US Substance Abuse and and Mental Health Services Administration includes sections on: getting started, building your program, training frontline staff, tools for tenants, evaluating your program, the evidence, using multimedia and a brochure.
- Toolkit for Intensive Case Management In Canada (2018) – a 43-page resource book available for download from the Community Workspace on Homelessness that includes sections on assessing, managing, staffing, housing, and discharge and includes examples from Canadian communities.
- Case Studies (COH, 2013) – from communities in Canada and around the world
Housing First Checklists and Self-Assessment Tools
- Housing First Checklist (USICH, 2016) – program and system level
- Housing First Program Assessment Tool (HUD, 2017) – Excel document
- Housing First Self Assessment Tools (Ontario Evidence Exchange, 2017)
Housing First Fact Sheets
- Housing First Fact Sheet (NAEH, 2016)
Housing First Videos
- See BFZ-C Video Library – under heading “Housing First” – includes 27 videos under 10 mins each
Housing First (and Family First) for Youth
- Housing First for Youth Program Models Guide (Homeless Hub, 2017) – see also June 2018 Webinar
- Towards a Housing First Framework for Youth: A Safe and Decent Place to Live (COH, 2014)
A Way Home blogs on Housing First for Youth (HF4Y)
- THIS is HF4Y Demonstration Project (Nov 21, 2017)
- THIS is Housing First For Youth (Oct 12, 2017)
- HF4Y: A Way Home’s Collaborative Vision (Sept 14, 2016)
Housing First for Indigenous Peoples
See the Partnering With Other Systems – “Indigenous Partners” drop-down section
This section includes resources related to fixed-site supportive housing programs (providing longer-term intensive housing-based support typically connected to a particular building/units).
- Region of Waterloo Supportive Housing Framework (2014) and Standards (2015)
- Role of Long-Term Congregate Housing in Ending Homelessness (2015) – US consensus document
- The Foyer Toolkit for Youth (COH, 2012) – a form of supportive housing for youth
Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH)
- Dimensions of Quality Supportive Housing – Guidebook, Toolkit, Training and Certification
- Supportive Housing 101 Online Training
- Supportive Housing Quality Toolkit
- Best Practices Manual for Coordinating Property Management and Support Services (2009)
- Self Assessment Tool for Coordinating Property Management and Support Services (2008)
This section includes resources that could apply to one or more of the housing with support programs above (Rapid Re-Housing, Housing First, and Supportive Housing).
- Implementing Housing First in Permanent Supportive Housing – 2 pager (USICH, 2014)
- Safety Planning for Survivors of Domestic and Sexual Violence: A Toolkit for Housing Programs (NASH, 2018)
- Promising Practices: 12 Case Studies in Supportive Housing for People with Mental Health and Addiction Issues (Addictions and Mental Health Ontario, 2018) – program descriptions from a mix of mobile and fixed-site Ontario supportive housing programs.
- Ontario Supportive Housing Best Practice Guide (2017)
- Ontario Supportive Housing Policy Framework (2017)
- Edmonton Homeward Trust Housing First Services Manual – outlines quality assurance standards
- Region of Waterloo PATHS Framework and Portable Home-Based Support (HBS) Framework (2017) – describes rapid re-housing and housing first program.
- Permanent Supportive Housing Resource Guide (VA, 2015) – a 300 page guide focused on veterans but with lots of information that is helpful for anyone working in permanent supportive housing.
- Standards of Practice: Case Management for Ending Homelessness – (Calgary Homeless Foundation, 2014)
- Beyond the Key to the Front Door: A Guide to Helping Tenants Keep Their Home (Mainstay Housing, 2005) – outlines 5 key measures to success developed by tenants and support workers along with sample tools pg. 17-28: 1) Choice not Placement, 2) Move-In Orientation, 3) Regular Home Visits, 4) System for Paying the Rent, and 5) Communication between Landlord, Tenant and Agency.
One way to accelerate housing move-ins is to employ “Moving on Strategies”. Create housing and/or support spaces by helping people move on from an existing supportive housing program to something that better meets their needs and circumstances (e.g., to greater independence, different support, or increased support).
- Moving On from Homelessness: How Services Support People to Move On (UK Homeless Link, 2018)
- Corporation for Supportive Housing Moving On Toolkit – a 36 page “how to” resource with lots of links
- Corporation For Supportive Housing Moving On Resources: 10 community program profiles and an evaluation
- Chicago Public Housing Authority Move-on Initiative
- OrgCode Effective Exit Planning Worksheet
- HUD Moving On Project Planning Tools:
- Project Planning Template (Excel) & Template User Guide
- Resource Inventory Template (Excel) & Template User Guide
Program Areas
Emergency Shelter | Diversion | Outreach | Housing Help and Landlords | Housing with Support | Prevention | Partnering with Other Systems | Peers and Lived Experience