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THRIVE FROM THE START

Every infant and toddler deserves a safe, stable, and nurturing start in life. That’s why Housing Is has joined forces with  Prevent Child Abuse America, SchoolHouse Connection, and ZERO TO THREE to launch Thrive From The Start—a cross-sector effort dedicated to addressing homelessness among infants, toddlers, and expectant parents. Visit thrivefromthestart.org to learn more and explore how you can be a part of the solution. 

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Housing Is Working Group 2024-2025 Calendar

Join the Housing Is Working Group to discuss special topics related to cross-sector initiatives and programmatic considerations particularly focused on the intersections of housing, health, and education.

This year’s public webinars cover topics such as child welfare and housing, leveraging Medicaid resources for housing services, out-of-school time, and digital connectivity in a post-ACP world. 

View Calendar
 
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News Article
Community:
Sep 11, 2018
San Francisco health officials working to end HIV infections and deaths in The City are zeroing in on the homeless population, where there’s been an uptick in new cases.

Authored by: Joshua Sabatini for
Topics: Health, Homelessness, Legislation & Policy, Low-income, Preventative care, West Coast
Shared by Mica O'Brien on Sep 18, 2018
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Interactive
Community:
Sep 18, 2018
Understanding the characteristics of infants and toddlers in our states and communities is an important first step for supporting children’s development during their most critical years. Making more detailed and comprehensive information available on the young children living in different communities can help stakeholders more strategically develop and target key services such as child care, home visiting, or other services for young children. For example, knowing how many young children live in low-income families and what share have parents working full time can help states and localities tailor child care investments and services to reach those families who most need assistance.

Authored by: Cara Lou and Gina Adams for Urban Institute
Topics: Early childhood, East Coast, Health, Legislation & Policy, Midwest, South, West Coast
Shared by Mica O'Brien on Sep 18, 2018
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Podcast
Community:
Aug 15, 2018
Evidence shows that investing in children today can decrease poverty for the next generation of adults. Host Justin Milner speaks with researchers Heather Hahn and Cary Lou about the federal government’s current spending on kids, future projections for this spending, and what that means for America’s children.

Authored by: Urban Institute
Topics: Child welfare, Early childhood, Education, Funding, Legislation & Policy, Research, Youth
Shared by Mica O'Brien on Sep 18, 2018
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Podcast
Community:
Sep 17, 2018
About MDRC’s “Evidence First” Podcast Series: Policymakers talk about solutions, but which ones really work? Join Katie Beal, MDRC’s External Affairs Associate, as she talks with experts about the best evidence available on education and social programs that serve low-income people.

Authored by: Katie Beal with MDRC
Topics: Education, Funding, Legislation & Policy, Low-income, Post-secondary, Workforce development, Youth
Shared by Mica O'Brien on Sep 17, 2018
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Policy Brief
Community:
Aug 9, 2018
Partnerships between medicaid and supportive housing providers

Authored by:
Topics: Cost effectiveness, Funding, Health, Legislation & Policy, Low-income, Medicaid / Medicare, Partnerships, Supportive housing
Shared by Housing Is on Aug 9, 2018
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Research
Community:
Aug 9, 2018
For almost two decades now, cities around the country have been demolishing traditional public housing and relocating residents to subsidized private market rental housing. In this paper, we examine sense of place, consisting of both community and place attachment, among a sample of Atlanta public housing residents prior to relocation.

Authored by:
Topics: Asset building, Housing, Legislation & Policy, Low-income, Mental health, Mobility, Research, South, Stability
Shared by Housing Is on Aug 9, 2018
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Policy Brief
Community:
Aug 9, 2018
The Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015 (ESSA) amended the McKinney-Vento Act’s Education for Homeless Children and Youth program, as well as Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. The ESSA amendments include many provisions designed to improve training, identification, enrollment, stability, and success, from pre-school through high school, and the transition to post-secondary education. A brief summary is provided.

Authored by: SchoolHouse Connection
Topics: Early childhood, Education, Homelessness, Legislation & Policy
Shared by Housing Is on Aug 9, 2018
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Publication
Community:
Aug 9, 2018
This short document provides basic information to help housing and homeless assistance providers advocate with their families and youth for appropriate educational services, from birth through higher education. The rights and protections outlined here apply to all children and youth experiencing homelessness, as defined by the education subtitle of the McKinney-Vento Act.

Authored by: SchoolHouse Connection
Topics: Child welfare, Early childhood, Education, Homelessness, Legislation & Policy, Low-income, School-readiness
Shared by Housing Is on Aug 9, 2018
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Research
Community:
Aug 1, 2018
We sought to learn more about how state- and locally funded rental assistance programs were created, how they are structured, whom they serve, and how they are funded.

Authored by:
Topics: Cost effectiveness, Data sharing, Disabilities, Family engagement, Funding, Health, Homelessness, Housing, Legislation & Policy, Low-income, Partnerships, Research, Supportive housing
Shared by Housing Is on Aug 1, 2018
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Research
Community:
Aug 1, 2018
The Support and Services at Home (SASH) program in Vermont aims to coordinate care and assist participants in accessing the health care and support services they need to maintain their health and age comfortably and safely in their homes. Most program participants are residents of U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)-assisted properties or Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) properties. Our objective is to estimate the impact of the first 5 1/2 years of the SASH program on the Medicare expenditures of these participants.

Authored by:
Topics: Cost effectiveness, Dual-eligibles, East Coast, Health, Home visiting, Housing, Legislation & Policy, Low-income, Medicaid / Medicare, Metrics, Seniors
Shared by Housing Is on Aug 1, 2018

The Impact of the Vermont Support and Services at Home Program on Healthcare Expenditures

Research
Aug 1, 2018
The Support and Services at Home (SASH) program in Vermont aims to coordinate care and assist participants in accessing the health care and support services they need to maintain their health and age comfortably and safely in their homes. Most program participants are residents of U.S.
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Publication
Community:
Jul 27, 2018
For fiscal year 2013, the Department requests $2.07 billion for the Public Housing Capital Fund to address development, rehabilitation, modernization and preservation needs of the Public Housing portfolio. While funding the Capital Fund at the requested level of $195 million over the fiscal year 2012 appropriation will not enable PHAs to meet all existing capital and accrual needs for fiscal year 2013, funding at this level will provide PHAs with some ability to prevent their housing stock from falling into a state of obsolescence, disrepair, and/or removal from inventory.

Authored by:
Topics: Funding, Green, Legislation & Policy, MTW, Sustainability
Shared by Housing Is on Jul 27, 2018
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Research
Community:
Jul 23, 2018
The first two brief sections set the policy context for the ongoing housing policy debate on the social benefits of housing. Next is a five-section critical review of the last roughly quarter century of housing policy research. This is followed by a discussion of outstanding measurement issues before the concluding section.

Authored by:
Topics: Cost effectiveness, Health, Housing, Legislation & Policy, Low-income, Research, Safety
Shared by Housing Is on Jul 23, 2018
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Case study
Community:
Jul 23, 2018
Time and again, taking a narrow view of health care has proven ineffective in producing meaningful change. Yet the current thrust of health care reform remains firmly focused on traditional health care services. Reforms such as care coordination models and patient centered medical homes are necessary but insufficient for homeless populations with complex problems. Pairing such reforms with supportive housing is more likely to result in lasting health improvements and reduced costs.

Authored by:
Topics: Cost effectiveness, East Coast, Health, Homelessness, Housing, Legislation & Policy, Medicaid / Medicare, Place-based, Supportive housing
Shared by Housing Is on Jul 23, 2018
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Research
Community:
Jul 23, 2018
In this article, we explore current law concerning residential smoking regulations and consider whether the implementation of a nationwide ban on smoking in public housing would be desirable.

Authored by:
Topics: Health, Housing, Legislation & Policy, Low-income, Smoke-free
Shared by Housing Is on Jul 23, 2018
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Report
Community:
Jul 23, 2018
The aim of the study was to understand how policy capacity was defined and managed by state health leaders in different political environments during the implementation of the ACA. We conducted a total of 24 interviews, 18 with state executive agency officials and six with legislators from 10 states. The the final sample includes two states from the Northeast, three from the South, three from the Midwest, and two from the West.

Authored by:
Topics: Affordable Care Act, Funding, Health, Legislation & Policy, Low-income, Medicaid / Medicare, Partnerships
Shared by Housing Is on Jul 23, 2018
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Report
Community:
Jul 23, 2018
The aim of the study was to understand how policy capacity was defined and managed by state health leaders in different political environments during the implementation of the ACA. Working with a sample of states—large and small, red and blue, actively reformist or more circumspect, etc.—the research team interviewed 18 state executive agency officials and six legislators from 10 states about their experiences developing and sustaining the capacity needed for major transformations in health care

Authored by:
Topics: Affordable Care Act, Funding, Health, Legislation & Policy, Low-income, Medicaid / Medicare, Partnerships, Research
Shared by Housing Is on Jul 23, 2018
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Policy Brief
Community:
Jul 20, 2018
Of course, the limited rental income generated by public housing properties does not meet the operating and capital costs of public housing properties, and thus Congress appropriates funds to meet these costs. The Capital Fund is the only dedicated source of annual funding available to make capital improvements—repairs and replacements beyond ordinary maintenance—to public housing. Each year, housing authorities nationwide receive a proportional share of the annual Capital Fund appropriation based on the ongoing accrual needs and the backlog of capital needs at each property

Authored by:
Topics: CLPHA, Funding, Legislation & Policy
Shared by Housing Is on Jul 20, 2018
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Publication
Community:
Jul 20, 2018
The involvement of public-private partnerships in housing programs has grown steadily since HUD’s formation in 1965. Depending on their goals, previous administrations have framed P3s as a means of either expanding or reducing the federal government’s role in housing and urban development.

Authored by:
Topics: Community development, Funding, Legislation & Policy, Partnerships, Research
Shared by Housing Is on Jul 20, 2018

The Evolution of HUD's Public-Private Partnerships: A HUD 50th Anniversary Publication

Publication
Jul 20, 2018
The involvement of public-private partnerships in housing programs has grown steadily since HUD’s formation in 1965. Depending on their goals, previous administrations have framed P3s as a means of either expanding or reducing the federal government’s role in housing and urban development.
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Policy Brief
Community:
Jul 20, 2018
This report examines several ways in which health care changes created by the ACA, and other health care reform initiatives, create the potential for affordable housing providers to collaborate with health care providers, insurers, and other institutions to support the wellbeing of low-income individuals and families.

Authored by:
Topics: Affordable Care Act, Health, Homelessness, Housing, Legislation & Policy, Low-income, Medicaid / Medicare, Partnerships
Shared by Housing Is on Jul 20, 2018

Affordable Housing's Place in Health Care: Opportunities Created by the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid Reform

Policy Brief
Jul 20, 2018
This report examines several ways in which health care changes created by the ACA, and other health care reform initiatives, create the potential for affordable housing providers to collaborate with health care providers, insurers, and other institutions to support the wellbeing of low-income indiv
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Research
Community:
Jul 20, 2018
The objective of this systematic review is to inform program and policy development and future research by examining the available empirical evidence on the effects of housing status on health-related outcomes in people living with HIV/AIDS.

Authored by:
Topics: Health, Housing, Legislation & Policy, Stability
Shared by Housing Is on Jul 20, 2018

The Effects of Housing Status on Health-Related Outcomes in People living with HIV: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Research
Jul 20, 2018
The objective of this systematic review is to inform program and policy development and future research by examining the available empirical evidence on the effects of housing status on health-related outcomes in people living with HIV/AIDS.
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Publication
Community:
Jul 19, 2018
Assisting public housing residents on the path towards self-sufficiency requires going beyond providing decent, safe, and affordable housing. Public housing residents may face barriers to employment, such as limited education, job skills and/or proficiency in the English language. This toolkit is a resource for both frontline staff and management. It offers examples of how partnerships between DOL and HUD can increase public housing resident employment and create mutual benefit for both agencies.

Authored by:
Topics: Criminal justice, Disabilities, Funding, Housing, Legislation & Policy, Low-income, MTW, Partnerships, Workforce development
Shared by Housing Is on Jul 19, 2018

From the Ground Up: Creating Sustainable Partnerships between Public Housing Authorities and Workforce Investment Boards

Publication
Jul 19, 2018
Assisting public housing residents on the path towards self-sufficiency requires going beyond providing decent, safe, and affordable housing. Public housing residents may face barriers to employment, such as limited education, job skills and/or proficiency in the English language.
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Policy Brief
Community:
Jul 19, 2018
This policy brief examines how the physical inspection process can promote healthy affordable housing. A review of housing quality issues linked to health and the role of physical inspections to improve health is provided.

Authored by:
Topics: Asthma, Child welfare, Health, Housing, Lead, Legislation & Policy, Low-income, Preventative care, Safety
Shared by Housing Is on Jul 19, 2018
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Report
Community:
Jul 19, 2018
As prospects seem to diminish for the next generation being better off than the current one, it is essential to elevate the successful work being done to address intergenerational poverty and create an intergenerational path of opportunity. Practical State Solutions profiles effective solutions from Ascend partners throughout the United States and the work driven by leaders in Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Minnesota, Tennessee, and Utah. It contains recommendations on processes that lead to better outcomes for families, lessons learned on engaging and bringing families to the table as empowered experts, and information on how to move to the next level whether you are starting your 2Gen journey or working to go deeper.

Authored by:
Topics: Asset building, Child welfare, Criminal justice, Dual-generation, Early childhood, Family engagement, Funding, Health, Legislation & Policy, Post-secondary, Workforce development
Shared by Housing Is on Jul 19, 2018

States Leading the Way: Practical Solutions that Lift Up Children and Families

Report
Jul 19, 2018
As prospects seem to diminish for the next generation being better off than the current one, it is essential to elevate the successful work being done to address intergenerational poverty and create an intergenerational path of opportunity. Practical State Solutions profiles effective solutions from
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Report
Community:
Jul 19, 2018
In December 2016, federal and state policymakers examined health and housing issues at a meeting convened in Washington, D.C., by the National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP) with support from The Commonwealth Fund. The goal of the meeting was to identify concrete policy recommendations and actionable steps to align health and housing programs to ensure that people with high service needs receive the housing and supportive services they need to become and stay healthy. This report summarizes their findings and recommendations

Authored by:
Topics: Data sharing, Disabilities, Health, Homelessness, Legislation & Policy, Low-income, Medicaid / Medicare, Partnerships, Supportive housing
Shared by Housing Is on Jul 19, 2018
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Research
Community:
Jul 19, 2018
The link between federal housing policy and public health has been understood since the nineteenth century, when housing activists first sought to abolish slums and create healthful environments. This article describes how the Obama administration—building on these efforts and those that followed, including the Great Society programs of President Lyndon Johnson—has adopted a cross-sector approach that takes health considerations into account when formulating housing and community development policy. The federal Department of Housing and Urban Development fully embraces this “health in all policies” approach. Nonetheless, the administration’s strategy faces challenges, including fiscal and political ones. Some of these challenges may be overcome by conducting quality research on how housing and community development policies affect health outcomes, and by developing a federal budget strategy that takes into account how investments in one sector contribute to cost savings in another.

Authored by:
Topics: Affordable Care Act, Community development, Disabilities, Health, Healthy homes, Housing, Legislation & Policy, Low-income, Mobility, Partnerships, Place-based, RAD, Research
Shared by Housing Is on Jul 19, 2018