Viewing Housing Holistically: The Resident-Focused Component of the Housing-Plus Agenda

Problem: It is widely believed that housing affects both residents' social and economic opportunities and the prospects for neighborhood upgrading. Housing plus refers to the public or nonprofit sectors providing affordable housing together with services that support family well-being and community development within subsidized rental housing developments. In this article I consider whether providing housing plus services rather than housing alone should be national policy. Purpose: This article provides an overview of the national housing-plus initiatives for families, what is known about their effectiveness, how nonprofit organizations are implementing them, how they affect participants, and recommendations for changes in state and federal policies. Methods: I review the literature assessing resident-focused housing-plus programs and draw on interviews with staff at eight large regional nonprofit organizations that provide such programs. Results and conclusions: There is little rigorous research on the efficacy of the housing-plus approach. However, the people I interviewed considered the housing-plus approach a key component of their organizations' anti-poverty missions. I conclude that public and private entities should support nonprofit organizations' resident-focused housing-plus initiatives by initiating rigorous evaluations and creating mechanisms for funding. I note that these programs have the potential to create some unintended negative side effects, which should be addressed. Takeaway for practice: Not every nonprofit housing organization should offer housing plus services themselves. Rather, some should develop referral relationships with other service providers. Nonprofits aiming to deliver housing plus services should determine in advance how they will cover costs, and how they will assess effectiveness. They should involve residents in selecting, implementing and evaluating these programs. Research Support: None.