HUD’s Top Five List: Five Ways To Prevent Homelessness

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has published their study called, “Strategies for Preventing Homelessness.” Here's their study.

It is a report that features successful homeless prevention strategies in six different communities.

The study highlights five effective strategies to prevent homelessness:

- Housing Subsidies. This provides subsidized housing for people who cannot afford market-rate rent.

- Supportive Services Coupled With Permanent Housing. Another term is “Housing First.” This means providing affordable housing that is linked to services that will the help people who are living in the housing program (i.e., mental health care, substance abuse treatment, etc.)

- Mediation in Housing Courts. Helping renters and landlords mediate their disagreements so the renter doesn’t end up on the streets.

- Cash Assistance For Rent or Mortgage Arrears. Help people with their rent or mortgage before they lose their housing. If they end up on the streets it is more expensive to get them back into housing than it would be to simply help them make a payment or two.

- Rapid Exit From Shelter. Develop programs that get people out of emergency shelter as fast as possible and into permanent housing.