Year in Impact: Pay for Success is Reversing the Trend in Homelessness

When you consider all the complex factors that can contribute to a person becoming homeless – and the many obstacles people face to getting back on their feet – it’s no surprise that the overall homelessness numbers are trending upward over the past few decades.

But the Pay for Success initiative to end chronic homelessness in Massachusetts is proving that those numbers can be reversed. The innovative program is a partnership between the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the Massachusetts Alliance for Supportive Housing, comprised of United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley, the Massachusetts Housing and Shelter Alliance and Corporation for Supportive Housing.

The goal of the program is to create at least 500 units of stable, supportive housing for 800 chronically homeless individuals over six years. And our latest numbers released this month show that the program is well on track toward that goal, having helped over 600 people secure permanent housing in just 2 ½ years.

Helping chronically homeless individuals secure long-term, stable housing is also resulting in significant cost savings in emergency room and in-patient services.

Read more about this partnership in the latest issue of the Social Innovations Journal