New paper released about integrating Rapid Re-Housing and Employment Programs

The Heartland Alliance’s National Initiatives on Poverty & Economic Opportunity has released a new paper about integrating rapid re-housing and employment. Last year, 45 individuals in 27 households were provided with 4,484 nights of housing in Housing Forward’s Rapid Re-Housing program providing access to stable housing and supportive services for individuals and families experiencing homelessness and, at the same time, providing financial assistance and wraparound services that facilitate a transition to long-term stability. In addition, 178 people participated in our Employment Readiness Program and more than half finding employment.

The paper states that “on a single night in January 2016, about 194,716 people in families with children were homeless. Over 1.2 million students nationwide were identified as experiencing homelessness at some point during the 2014-2015 school year, a figure that includes students who were living doubled up, in a motel, or in temporary housing for reasons including their family’s economic hardship.” That economic hardship often occurs due to unemployment, or low and insufficient earned income along with most renting families spend at least half of their income on housing. Click on this link to read the paper and learn more about families around the nation who are at risk of homelessness for economic reasons.