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FIVE YEAR SUPPORTIVE HOUSING PLAN <br /> FINAL REPORT <br /> Given this backdrop, some comrriunities have criminalized homelessness or enaeted <br /> polieies aimed at convineing homeless people to leave town, dumping their problems <br /> onto neighboring cities. However, these measures have proved futile: the number of <br /> chronically homeless individuals within these communities has eontinued to increase. <br /> Perr�ar�en�Suppor�ive Housir�q <br /> Fortunately, there is a response that has signifieantly reduced ehronic street <br /> homelessness in eommunities aeross the eountry - pern�ar�er��supportive Mousing. <br /> The term is an aceurate definition. As its name implies, this type of housing differs from <br /> fraditional models beeause it is perr�ar�e�t. Un{ike emergency shelters or transitional <br /> housing, wMieh require residents to reloeate after a specified time period, permanent <br /> supportive housing provides affordable rental units to individuals for an indefinite time. <br /> Knowing that Me or she has a place to s{eep every night removes much of the stress <br /> from a homeless person's life. Second, the housing is supporEive. It is eombined with <br /> ongoing serviees for substanee abuse, mental illness, hea{th care and other needs. This <br /> population will always require various {evels of seniiees. Given the severity of their <br /> disabilities, many of them wiN never be capable of living independently without <br /> assistance frorri health care and human serviees providers. <br /> Permanent supportive housing programs are the "gold standard" in the ongoing national <br /> effort to end chronie street homelessness. Both the Department of Housing and Urban <br /> Deve{opment and the Department of Health and Human Services have endorsed and <br /> incorporated this approach into federal polieies and praetices. Extensive researeh and <br /> prior experiences have eoneluded that permanent housing without services does not <br /> work. Without intense and ongoing support from professional counselors and case <br /> managers, most residents quickly revert to old patterns and wind up back on the streets <br /> within a few months. Conversely, providing services without housing also does not <br /> work. Few people can work on other problems if they have no safe and permanent <br /> place to sleep. Permanent supportive housing offers the most comprehensive <br /> PAGE II <br />