This brief provides guidance for communities interested or currently engaged in efforts to expand rapid re-housing. It examines strategies communities who have transformed their homeless service system used to engage leadership, providers and the community.
A national shift is underway transforming how communities address homelessness. More and more communities are embracing rapid re-housing, a Housing First approach that focuses on permanent housing solutions. Rapid re-housing is an intervention designed to help individuals and families to quickly exit homelessness and return to permanent housing. The resources and services provided through rapid re-housing are offered without preconditions and are tailored to the unique needs of each individual household.
While communities are beginning to understand the value of Housing First and rapid re-housing, the administrative, structural and philosophical changes they must make to adopt these approaches in their system can require navigating a complex set of factors.