Improving Permanent Supportive Housing Utilization in Chicago

Project Context: 

• Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) is a highly effective, evidence-based program funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to address homelessness that pairs long-term housing with wraparound services.  
• In many jurisdictions, including Chicago, it can take months to identify, engage, verify eligibility, and ultimately move a client into a Permanent Supportive Housing unit. This extended timeline can lead to an underutilization of Permanent Supportive Housing, leaving vulnerable individuals unhoused longer and providers with vacant units, despite surging demand. 

How the GPL is Supporting: 

• Diagnosing barriers to full PSH utilization in Chicago and identifying areas where processes to move residents into units could be sped up and improved.  
• Convening PSH providers and local leaders to share and spread best practices in PSH management.  
• Designing and testing the Proactive Engagement Pilot (PEP) to address barriers to successful referrals to PSH. The pilot includes changes to the referral process such as: 
  • Pairing a client with a housing navigator before receiving a referral to housing. 
  • Collecting client documentation as early as possible to determine eligibility and facilitate a smooth move-in process. 
  • Distributing project information sheets to clients that include information about specific PSH units, including location, size, eligibility, and photos to better inform matching decisions. 
  • Conferencing with PSH providers to move client referrals through complex application and approval processes as quickly as possible.