Permanent Supportive Housing

Housing Stability and Mental Illness Summit

In July 2012, VCEH partnered with the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Virginia to host a Housing Stability and Mental Illness Summit. 250 conference participants participated in the development of local action plans to create housing opportunities for people living with mental illness. Click here for the presentations from the conference.

Permanent Supportive Housing Is Cost Effective

Permanent supportive housing at an average cost of $49 per day is much less expensive than the alternatives of a jail bed at $70 per day and an adult psychiatric state hospital stay at $598 per day.

A report released by Virginia Supportive Housing in 2011 evaluates their A Place to Start program - one model of permanent supportive housing - and finds that this program saved the community over $320,000 in the first 20 months in hospital and incarceration costs alone. The program reduced emergency room visits and emergency room costs.

Virginia Supportive Housing Report Summary

Virginia Supportive Housing Full Report

PSH Resources

Arlington County Supportive Housing Plan.

Martinsville - Henry County Supportive Housing Assessment.

The State of Permanent Supportive Housing in the Commonwealth of Virginia, published by VCEH.

Virginia Supportive Housing A Place To Start Evaluation Summary.

Virginia Supportive Housing A Place to Start Evaluation Full Report.

More information and resources.

VCEH Publication: The State of Permanent Supportive Housing in Virginia

The State of Permanent Supportive Housing in the Commonwealth of Virginia, published by VCEH in the fall of 2010, documents the number of permanent supportive housing units in Virginia, the number of people currently living in supportive housing in Virginia, and the multitude of reasons for local communities and the state to invest in creating more supportive housing. The report sets a baseline of 1,784 permanent supportive housing units in the Commonwealth. It calls on Virginia to create 6,800 new units of permanent supportive housing to end chronic homelessness and prevent jail and prison recidivism.

Click here for the press release. Click here for the full report.

Permanent Supportive Housing, Public Housing Authorities, and Criminal Records

HUD Director Encourages Public Housing Authorities to Grant Access to People with Criminal Records

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Director Shaun Donovan recently sent a letter to the directors of public housing authorities across the nation to encourage them to allow access for persons with criminal records to obtain housing. In his letter, Donovan clarified HUD’s position on eligibility and emphasized that when individuals are returning to the community from prison or jail that housing stability is necessary for success – a sentiment that has been echoed in Virginia by Governor McDonnell.