Core Components of Rapid Re-Housing

February 14, 2014  |  Publications

Rapid re-housing is an intervention designed to help individuals and families to quickly exit homelessness and return to permanent housing. Rapid re-housing assistance is offered without preconditions (such as employment, income, absence of criminal record, or sobriety) and the resources and services provided are typically tailored to the unique needs of the household. The core components of a rapid re-housing program are below. While a rapid re-housing program must have all three core components available, it is not required that a single entity provide all three services nor that a household utilize them all.

Housing Identification

  • Recruit landlords to provide housing opportunities for individuals and families experiencing homelessness.
  • Address potential barriers to landlord participation such as concern about short term nature of rental assistance and tenant qualifications.
  • Assist households to find and secure appropriate rental housing.

Rent and Move-In Assistance (Financial)

  • Provide assistance to cover move-in costs, deposits, and the rental and/or utility assistance (typically six months or less) necessary to allow individuals and families to move immediately out of homelessness and to stabilize in permanent housing.

Rapid Re-housing Case Management and Services

  • Help individuals and families experiencing homelessness identify and select among various permanent housing options based on their unique needs, preferences, and financial resources.
  • Help individuals and families experiencing homelessness address issues that may impede access to housing (such as credit history, arrears, and legal issues).
  • Help individuals and families negotiate manageable and appropriate lease agreements with landlords.
  • Make appropriate and time-limited services and supports available to families and individuals to allow them to stabilize quickly in permanent housing.
  • Monitor participants’ housing stability and be available to resolve crises, at a minimum during the time rapid re-housing assistance is provided.
  • Provide or assist the household with connections to resources that help them improve their safety and well-being and achieve their long-term goals. This includes providing or ensuring that the household has access to resources related to benefits, employment and community-based services (if needed/appropriate) so that they can sustain rent payments independently when rental assistance ends.
  • Ensure that services provided are client-directed, respectful of individuals’ right to self-determination, and voluntary. Unless basic, program-related case management is required by statute or regulation, participation in services should not be required to receive rapid re-housing assistance.

This document was developed in collaboration with, and endorsed by, the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH), the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).