Addressing Homelessness: What is Permanent Supportive Housing and why does it matter

Addressing Homelessness: What is Permanent Supportive Housing and why does it matter?

August 2, 2024 4:11 PM
by Heather Averick

The city of Santa Monica recently welcomed residents to The Laurel, a city-funded Permanent Supportive Housing development with 57 apartments for people formerly experiencing homelessness in Santa Monica.

Many of The Laurel's new residents had been living outdoors in Santa Monica for years and were well known and connected with housed community members. Others were on the verge of becoming homeless in Santa Monica.

Now, they are indoors, with an apartment to call their own and endless possibilities ahead of them.

Without The Laurel, their new lease on life would not have been possible, and the city would still have had 57 people living on our streets or in short-term shelters not meant for long-term residency.

This post is the first in a series of three blogs that seek to define Permanent Supportive Housing, or PSH, and clarify who it is for and why more of it in Santa Monica benefits our entire community.

To start, let's look at the basics of PSH and shed light on why it matters.

What is Permanent Supportive Housing?

Permanent supportive housing (PSH) is housing paired with onsite services, including case management, for vulnerable Santa Monicans.

PSH is for formerly homeless individuals who meet the city's criteria of a Santa Monica Program Participant, or SMPP - someone who lost their housing in Santa Monica, worked in the city when they lost housing, has been homeless in Santa Monica for at least five years or is a high utilizer of city services. PSH is also for someone who lives in Santa Monica and is at-risk of becoming homeless.

What sets PSH communities apart from other affordable housing apartments is that they include onsite, specialized supportive services and case management tailored to individuals who have experienced homelessness or were at-risk of homelessness.

These services are referred to as "wrap around" because they entail a wide variety of services, with case management (often with a Licensed Clinical Social Worker) being the core of the support. This is often paired with life skills classes, budgeting classes, workforce support, community building social activities, and more.

Services that are offered onsite at a PSH community are exclusively for residents and are tailored to the needs of those residents.

Unlike shelters or temporary housing, PSH is long-term housing and residents maintain the same legal rights and restrictions as any renter in the city. Residents sign a lease and can continue to renew their lease for as long as they want to live in the community. This allows residents to stay housed and, over time, many can improve their health, gain stability, and even employment and are able to move on to other types of housing, such as general affordable housing.

That is why PSH is a proven best practice for helping people experiencing homelessness move indoors and gain autonomy and housing stability.

PSH is a vital tool in our city's strategic priority of Addressing Homelessness, as we look to permanent solutions to address the homelessness and housing crisis experienced across the region. It can also be a preventative tool for people who are struggling to maintain their housing and are at risk of falling into homelessness.

Why is PSH crucial in Addressing Homelessness?

Research has shown that permanent supportive housing has positive effects on housing stability, employment, and mental and physical health.

People experiencing homelessness can be reluctant to enter congregate living facilities, such as shelters, due to concerns about the impacts it may have, such as triggering past trauma or making them feel unsafe or in danger. Many also seek a quieter and more private living environment to heal and succeed on their pathway out of homelessness.

Just as it is for any person, regardless of their housing status, change can be hard. Often, the comfort of routines developed while living on the street can seem more comfortable than living indoors. This is a big transition. Even seemingly basic tasks and expectations, such as paying rent on time, following a lease agreement, and foregoing old habits to create new ones, can be a major challenge.

Acknowledging change is hard for everyone, and the importance of supporting individuals as they move to gain housing stability through PSH, onsite case managers are there to help identify potential struggles early and support an individual with the services they need to succeed.

The supportive services team and property management team in a PSH community meet weekly to discuss resident needs and work together to ensure stability. This can include services such as troubleshooting to support a resident who is late in paying rent, or helping a resident who has noise complaints against them. The property management team enforces the terms of the lease, while the supportive services team engages with the resident to encourage behavioral changes.

Will PSH reduce homelessness in Santa Monica?

The city continues to invest in PSH, with plans underway to bring additional permanent apartments on city property that have been committed to affordable housing in the city's Housing Element.

If you want to see the power of PSH in action, just look at the 57 newly housed residents at The Laurel. That's 57 Santa Monicans who are no longer homeless. Not only are they housed, but they also now have the tools and the resources in the building they live to maintain housing stability and live a healthier life.

Read more in our next blog post about who is eligible for PSH in Santa Monica and how communities ensure safety and security for residents and neighbors.

Authored By

Heather Averick
Director of Housing and Human Services

Categories

Departments, Housing, Strategic Priorities