The Family Supportive Housing Landscape and its Implications for the New York City Department of Homeless Services

While homeless shelter usage rates among single men have declined in New York City, usage rates of women - especially young women with children - have risen, making families a growing part of the homeless population. As supportive housing for single adults has developed a track record as a cost-effective and humane method for reducing chronic homelessness, interest in family supportive housing has grown. Increasing the supply of supportive housing and service-enriched housing units for families is included as an action step in the Mayor’s 10-year plan to address homelessness. The Capstone team examined various models of supportive housing throughout the city and across the country to see what these models could do to reduce chronic homelessness. The Capstone team provided the Department of Homeless Services with an overview of family supportive housing trends and practices nationally, described he landscape of family supportive housing in New York City, estimated the extent to which current family shelter users might benefit from supportive housing, and gathered basic data on funding streams or services and capital expenses.