Anyone can become homeless. It’s a truth that affordable housing advocates know all too well. “We’re in a housing crisis in the Hudson Valley,” says Elizabeth Druback Celaya, director of strategic initiatives for Hudson River Housing, a Poughkeepsie-based nonprofit that has provided emergency housing services and affordable rental housing for the Hudson Valley community for almost 40 years. “Homelessness is in all of our communities whether we choose to see it or not,” she says.
Whether it’s an individual living paycheck to paycheck whose landlord just dramatically increased their rent or someone who has a family relationship that suddenly deteriorates, many people can unexpectedly find themselves without a stable, affordable place to stay in the blink of an eye.
For those experiencing frequent or chronic homelessness due to a disabling condition like mental illness, a history of substance abuse, or physical disability, the struggle to stay off the street becomes exponentially more difficult.
That’s why Hudson River Housing has been working to provide a permanent solution to homelessness for those who are most at-risk. It’s a type of affordable housing known as permanent supportive housing, and it’s specifically designed to help tenants succeed at living independently in the community—returning the kind of dignity and autonomy that those who are facing the most challenging life conditions deserve.
A Long-Term Solution to Homelessness
Supportive housing emerged in New York City in the 1970s as a more effective solution to the homelessness crisis than temporary and costly emergency services that those experiencing chronic homelessness engage with the most. “One of the biggest benefits is that supportive housing gets people off the streets,” says Druback Celaya. “It’s the most successful intervention yet developed for ending homelessness.”
Not to be confused with a shelter, public housing, or an inpatient clinic, supportive housing looks and feels like any other rental housing in a neighborhood. It can be found in existing or newly built apartment buildings or other residences, which are owned and operated by nonprofit housing organizations or by private landlords in partnership with service providers.
Supportive housing can take many forms, but in all cases tenants have leases or lease-like agreements, and receive some form of rental subsidy or rent cap. Importantly, supportive housing units also include access to dedicated, on-site care managers who are trained to provide specialized services that meet the needs of the tenants and help them live independent lives.
Hudson River Housing’s supportive housing units are available to individuals diagnosed with severe mental illness, chronic chemical dependency, or other disabling conditions, with additional resources tailored to the needs of specific communities such as youth, veterans, and seniors.
Its on-site care managers provide tenants with mental and medical health care, vocational and employment services, independent living skills training, and substance abuse counseling. “Our supportive housing units are tied to care management services so those tenants can get the support they need to stay in housing and ensure their housing is affordable to them,” says Druback Celaya.
The Benefit to Communities
With stable, affordable housing and supportive services in place, those who were previously experiencing chronic homelessness also avoid getting caught in the endless cycle of reliance on costly emergency services, including police interventions, ambulance and emergency room care, and use of other taxpayer-funded services. According to SHNNY, supportive housing saves the public approximately $10,000 per person per year. “There's a real impact on both the individual and community scale,” Druback Celaya says.
A Transformational Change
For those individuals who enter supportive housing, the path to a successful independent life becomes that much easier to travel.
According to Nikole Johannesen, Hudson River Housing’s director of resident services, one of their supportive housing tenants had been institutionalized multiple times since childhood, sometimes as often as six times per year. Since receiving a supportive housing apartment, her need for in-patient treatment reduced by 75 percent, and though she once experienced episodes that often led to outbursts and even violence, she now has on-site care managers who ensure she stays stabilized. The resident has even joined Hudson River Housing’s workforce training program and is now able to put hours toward productive work each week.
Another tenant, an older woman who was staying in Hudson River Housing’s emergency shelter, was unable to work and dependent on Temporary Assistance. After being accepted into a supportive housing unit, Johannesen says, she was connected to a team of care managers who helped her navigate the often-confusing process of accessing the assistance programs she was entitled to, namely Social Security Disability.
Because the supportive housing subsidy capped her rent at 30 percent of her income, she finally had enough money to use for her basic needs, and even occasionally a treat for her kids and grandkids. “She has said how good it feels to be able to provide for others, rather than being dependent on others,” says Johannesen.
The impact of supportive housing on residents can be truly transformational. And with fewer people needing emergency services and stably housed for the long-term, communities benefit too. If we commit to adding more supportive housing in the Hudson Valley, creating a permanent solution to homelessness can become more of a reality every day.
To learn more about Hudson River Housing, visit Hudsonriverhousing.org.
