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THRIVE FROM THE START

Every infant and toddler deserves a safe, stable, and nurturing start in life. That’s why Housing Is has joined forces with  Prevent Child Abuse America, SchoolHouse Connection, and ZERO TO THREE to launch Thrive From The Start—a cross-sector effort dedicated to addressing homelessness among infants, toddlers, and expectant parents. Visit thrivefromthestart.org to learn more and explore how you can be a part of the solution. 

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Housing Is Working Group 2024-2025 Calendar

Join the Housing Is Working Group to discuss special topics related to cross-sector initiatives and programmatic considerations particularly focused on the intersections of housing, health, and education.

This year’s public webinars cover topics such as child welfare and housing, leveraging Medicaid resources for housing services, out-of-school time, and digital connectivity in a post-ACP world. 

View Calendar
 
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Case study
Community:
May 1, 2019
In 2011, Cleveland had one of the highest rates of childhood lead poisoning in the United States, with almost one of every five children in the city receiving this diagnosis. Childhood asthma rates were also extremely high, especially for children living in poverty, according to 2008 statewide statistics for Ohio. Follow along in this new case study with the Engaging the Community in New Approaches to Healthy Housing (ECNAHH) initiative, part the BUILD Health Challenge’s first cohort, as they worked to reduce the occurrence of asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and lead poisoning related to unhealthy housing conditions in three sub-neighborhoods in Cleveland.

Authored by: The BUILD Health Challenge
Topics: Health, Midwest, Partnerships, Research
Shared by Housing Is on Jun 13, 2019
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News Article
Community:
Jun 10, 2019
More than a half million renters have been evicted in Los Angeles County over the past eight years, according to a new report by Public Counsel and the UCLA School of Law that calls on county supervisors to adopt permanent rent control measures.

Authored by: Jenna Chandler for Curbed Los Angeles
Topics: Homelessness, Housing, Legislation & Policy, Low-income, Research, West Coast
Shared by Housing Is on Jun 13, 2019

New report underscores link between 'shocking' number of evictions, homelessness

News Article
Jun 10, 2019
Jenna Chandler for Curbed Los Angeles
More than a half million renters have been evicted in Los Angeles County over the past eight years, according to a new report by Public Counsel and the UCLA School of Law that calls on county supervisors to adopt permanent rent control measures.
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Report
Community:
In 2017, the Bipartisan Policy Center and the Center for Outcomes Research and Education (CORE) spoke with over 90 national thought leaders and stakeholders about the current state of rural health care in the Upper Midwest region, including Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming. BPC and CORE used these discussions to determine the real-world implications of existing federal policies, to understand ongoing care challenges, and to identify opportunities for improvement in rural health care access and delivery.

Authored by: Bipartisan Policy Center
Topics: Health, Low-income, Midwest, Research, Seniors
Shared by Housing Is on Jun 12, 2019

Reinventing Rural Health Care: A Case Study of Seven Upper Midwest States

Report
Bipartisan Policy Center
In 2017, the Bipartisan Policy Center and the Center for Outcomes Research and Education (CORE) spoke with over 90 national thought leaders and stakeholders about the current state of rural health care in the Upper Midwest region, including Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dak
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Publication
Community:
Jun 11, 2019
Authored by Civic and the Everyone Graduates Center at the Johns Hopkins University School of Education, and released annually in partnership with the Alliance for Excellent Education and America’s Promise Alliance, the Building a Grad Nation report examines both progress and challenges toward reaching the GradNation campaign goal of a national on-time graduation rate of 90 percent.

Authored by: Civic and the Everyone Graduates Center at Johns Hopkins University School of Education
Topics: Education, Low-income, Research, Youth
Shared by Housing Is on Jun 11, 2019

2019 Building A Grad Nation: Progress and Challenge in Raising High School Graduation Rates

Publication
Jun 11, 2019
Civic and the Everyone Graduates Center at Johns Hopkins University School of Education
Authored by Civic and the Everyone Graduates Center at the Johns Hopkins University School of Education, and released annually in partnership with the Alliance for Excellent Education and America’s Promise Alliance, the Building a Grad Nation report examines both progress and challenges toward reach
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Publication
Community:
This paper analyzes why SNAP benefits are inadequate, reviews the body of research showing positive effects from more adequate SNAP benefits, and offers key policy solutions to improve benefit adequacy.

Authored by: Food Research & Action Center (FRAC)
Topics: Food insecurity, Health, Legislation & Policy, Low-income, Nutrition, Research
Shared by Housing Is on Jun 11, 2019

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: Initiatives to Make SNAP Benefits More Adequate Significantly Improve Food Security, Nutrition, and Health

Publication
Food Research & Action Center (FRAC)
This paper analyzes why SNAP benefits are inadequate, reviews the body of research showing positive effects from more adequate SNAP benefits, and offers key policy solutions to improve benefit adequacy.
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Report
Community:
Apr 3, 2019
Rental affordability is a significant challenge for metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) across the United States. The vast majority of the units Freddie Mac finances are affordable. Even so, our research shows that supply just hasn’t kept pace with demand in many metros, and that’s pushing affordable rents out of reach for millions of American families.

Authored by: Steve Guggenmos for Freddie Mac Multifamily
Topics: Community development, Housing, Research
Shared by Housing Is on Jun 5, 2019
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Report
Community:
May 1, 2019
Community eligibility allows high-poverty schools and school districts to offer free meals to all students, and it eliminates the need for household school meal applications. A key piece of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, community eligibility was phased in a few states at a time before it was made available to schools nationwide in the 2014–2015 school year.

Authored by: Food Research & Action Center (FRAC)
Topics: Child welfare, Education, Food insecurity, Legislation & Policy, Low-income, Nutrition, Out-of-school time, Research
Shared by Housing Is on Jun 3, 2019
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Research
Community:
May 30, 2019
Children experiencing homelessness or living in inadequate and unstable housing are exposed to many risks, including a heightened threat of involvement with the child welfare system. Can child welfare agencies play a role in addressing the lack of affordable housing? What if providing housing, plus other supportive services, could prevent out-of-home placements to foster care? What if, for those children already in foster care, it could help them reunify with their parents?

Authored by: Mary K. Cunningham, Mike Pergamit, and Sarah Gillespie for The Urban Institute
Topics: Child welfare, Research, Stability, Supportive housing
Shared by Housing Is on May 30, 2019

Supportive Housing Can Help Keep Families Together

Research
May 30, 2019
Mary K. Cunningham, Mike Pergamit, and Sarah Gillespie for The Urban Institute
Children experiencing homelessness or living in inadequate and unstable housing are exposed to many risks, including a heightened threat of involvement with the child welfare system. Can child welfare agencies play a role in addressing the lack of affordable housing?
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Report
Community:
Apr 25, 2019
Access to affordable child care can be a major barrier for low-income parents who want to participate in education and training activities to gain skills or obtain employment. Child care assistance from the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF), the federal block grant that funds states to provide child care assistance to low-income families, can help alleviate this barrier and make it easier for low-income parents to participate in activities that improve their skills and lead to stable employment with adequate pay. However, the CCDF eligibility requirements and priorities for service are set at the state level, and states make different decisions about how to allocate scarce CCDF resources, so access to and use of CCDF subsidies for parents seeking education and training varies across states.

Authored by: Semhar Gebrekristos and Gina Adams for The Urban Institute
Topics: Child welfare, Early childhood, Education, Legislation & Policy, Post-secondary, Research, Workforce development
Shared by Housing Is on May 30, 2019
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Report
Community:
Oct 17, 2018
The primary objectives of this study are (1) to provide insights into the factors associated with landlord decisions about whether to participate in the HCV program and (2) to identify a collection of promising and innovative practices that Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) have used to increase landlord participation in the HCV program, especially in these low-poverty neighborhoods. This study employs a mixed-method research design composed of quantitative and qualitative components.

Authored by: Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Policy Development and Research
Topics: Housing, Low-income, Research
Shared by Housing Is on May 29, 2019

Landlord Participation Study: Multidisciplinary Research Team

Report
Oct 17, 2018
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Policy Development and Research
The primary objectives of this study are (1) to provide insights into the factors associated with landlord decisions about whether to participate in the HCV program and (2) to identify a collection of promising and innovative practices that Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) have used to increase lan
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Video
Community:
May 20, 2019
On May 20, the Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program and George Washington University’s Center for Washington Area Studies (CWAS) co-hosted an event to discuss housing growth and affordability in the Capital Region. The event started with the presentation of a new report by CWAS Director Leah Brooks. An expert panel discussed what local governments, developers, and affordable housing advocates can do to make sure the region meets the housing needs of all its residents.

Authored by: The Brookings Institution
Topics: East Coast, Housing, Legislation & Policy, Research
Shared by Housing Is on May 28, 2019
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Report
Community:
May 1, 2019
Child poverty is an urgent and preventable crisis. Solutions to child poverty already exist if we just expand and invest in them. Benefits like nutrition assistance, housing vouchers and tax credits helped lift nearly 7 million children out of poverty in 2017, but millions of children were left behind due to inadequate funding, eligibility restrictions and low wages. We can and must fix these problems to help more children escape poverty now.

Authored by: Children's Defense Fund
Topics: Child welfare, Dual-generation, Early childhood, Food insecurity, Funding, Housing, Legislation & Policy, Low-income, Research, Workforce development
Shared by Housing Is on May 28, 2019
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Video
Community:
May 24, 2019
With ever-growing interest in the intersection between housing and health, researchers are evaluating the impact of cross-sector interventions. This session will bring together researchers to share insights from their work relevant to practitioners and policymakers.

Authored by: Housing Is, CLPHA
Topics: CLPHA, Health, Homelessness, Housing, Low-income, Partnerships, Research, Seniors
Shared by Housing Is on May 24, 2019
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Video
Community:
May 24, 2019
Recent research shows that place matters in economic mobility. Strong neighborhoods and community resources can have long-term impact on educational achievements and earnings. Building off of this research, David Williams from Opportunity Insights will discuss how PHAs are collaborating with researchers to develop and evaluate effective interventions for families with young children.

Authored by: Housing Is, CLPHA
Topics: CLPHA, Mobility, Partnerships, Place-based, Research
Shared by Housing Is on May 24, 2019
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Video
Community:
May 24, 2019
A landmark National Academies of Sciences report commissioned by Congress concludes that childhood poverty in the U.S. could be cut in half within a decade with appropriate action. The report culls through the existing evidence-base to identify the most impactful existing policies including the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and housing assistance. This panel will also discuss promising new policies that if enacted could help reduce poverty such as the child allowance.

Authored by: Housing Is, CLPHA
Topics: Child welfare, CLPHA, Housing, Legislation & Policy, Low-income, Partnerships, Research
Shared by Housing Is on May 24, 2019
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Research
Community:
Oct 14, 2017
While homeownership has been linked to positive health outcomes there is limited evidence regarding the conditions under which it may be health protective. We present a conceptual model linking homeownership to health, highlighting key potential pathways. Using the Detroit Metropolitan Area as a case study, and data from the American Community Survey (2009–2013; 5-years estimates) and Michigan Department of Community Health, we tested the following questions: (1) Is neighborhood percentage non-Hispanic Black (NHB) associated with homeownership? (2) Is neighborhood percentage NHB associated with health? (3) Is the association between percentage NHB and health mediated by homeownership? (4) Does neighborhood housing value modify associations between percentage NHB and health, or between homeownership and health?

Authored by: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Topics: Health, Housing, Research
Shared by Housing Is on May 23, 2019

Neighborhood Context, Homeownership and Home Value: An Ecological Analysis of Implications for Health

Research
Oct 14, 2017
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
While homeownership has been linked to positive health outcomes there is limited evidence regarding the conditions under which it may be health protective. We present a conceptual model linking homeownership to health, highlighting key potential pathways.
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Research
Community:
Early childhood education programs can impact life outcomes in ways that span generations, according to new research from Nobel laureate James Heckman. In a pair of companion papers released this week, the pioneering University of Chicago economist found that the children of those who participated in a landmark 1960s study still saw improvements in education, health and employment. The children saw such benefits without participating in the same preschool program as their parents—suggesting that early education can contribute to lasting upward mobility and help break cycles of poverty

Authored by: Professor James Heckman and Ganesh Karapakula
Topics: Child welfare, Dual-generation, Early childhood, Family engagement, Research
Shared by Housing Is on May 21, 2019
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Research
Community:
May 21, 2019
The Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) was first developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 1990 to assess the health risk behaviors of youth and adults in the United States. For the first time since the survey has been widely administered, the 2017 YRBS optional question list included two questions pertaining to homelessness. SchoolHouse Connection analyzed demographic and risk factor data from the YRBS in 17 states[1], comparing high school students experiencing homelessness and those not experiencing homelessness. This series shares the striking and heartbreaking results of that analysis, with tangible action steps schools can take to promote safety and health for students experiencing homelessness.

Authored by: SchoolHouse Connection
Topics: Education, Homelessness, Low-income, Research, Youth
Shared by Housing Is on May 21, 2019
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Report
Community:
Dec 11, 2018
This report highlights the development and implementation of a mentoring program for college students in foster care in New York City through a strategic partnership that was forged among New York City’s Administration for Children’s Services, Goldman Sachs and Casey Family Programs. The program is designed to expose youth to professional and experiential opportunities through a series of one-on-one meetings and group workshops. Students have the opportunity to become familiar with the Goldman Sachs corporate environment, understand various business sectors and explore the roles and responsibilities of different jobs, as well as receive hands-on support with job applications and interviewing.

Authored by: Casey Family Programs
Topics: Child welfare, Foster care, Partnerships, Research, Workforce development, Youth
Shared by Housing Is on May 21, 2019

A public-private mentoring partnership to build a better tomorrow for youth in foster care

Report
Dec 11, 2018
Casey Family Programs
This report highlights the development and implementation of a mentoring program for college students in foster care in New York City through a strategic partnership that was forged among New York City’s Administration for Children’s Services, Goldman Sachs and Casey Family Programs.
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Video
Community:
May 9, 2019
On May 9, the Brookings Institution hosted an event to discuss the subsequent report, “A Roadmap to Reducing Child Poverty.” The event featured comments from Greg Duncan, who served as Chair of the Committee on Building an Agenda to Reduce the Number of Children in Poverty by Half in 10 Years, as well as a panel discussion on the report, its recommendations, and barriers to implementation. A second panel highlighted national and state policy perspectives of the consensus study report.

Authored by: The Brookings Institution
Topics: Early childhood, Funding, Housing, Legislation & Policy, Low-income, Research, Youth
Shared by Housing Is on May 13, 2019
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Report
Community:
Recent research has begun to focus on the impact of housing instability, in its many forms, on child health and development. It is hypothesized that young children are at greater risk of adverse effects of living environments, as this time period serves as a critical window for establishing socialization and learning habits. Additionally, the effects of housing instability may be compounded when combined with other challenges faced by low-income families, such as lack of resources. Previous studies have found that housing instability is associated with deficits in overall academic achievement, emotional regulation, and verbal abilities.

Authored by: International Public Health Journal
Topics: Child welfare, Education, Health, Homelessness, Housing, Research
Shared by Housing Is on May 9, 2019
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News Article
Community:
May 6, 2019
A new study shows that Miami’s affordable housing crisis is so dire, the city needs at least 50,000 units just to meet the existing need. But the Connect Capital Miami Report, which was released Monday, also reveals a combination of tools and resources that could help alleviate the dearth of housing for cost-burdened residents.

Authored by: Rene Rodriguez for the Miami Herald
Topics: Funding, Housing, Legislation & Policy, Low-income, Research
Shared by Housing Is on May 7, 2019
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News Article
Community:
Apr 26, 2019
Raising the minimum wage helps low-paid workers without damaging the broader economy, the authors of two new research papers find.

Authored by: Richard Florida for City Lab
Topics: Asset building, Legislation & Policy, Low-income, Research
Shared by Housing Is on May 6, 2019
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News Article
Community:
May 3, 2019
That’s according to the fourth and largest survey of college students’ ability to afford food and housing

Authored by: Jillian Berman for Market Watch
Topics: Food insecurity, Low-income, Nutrition, Post-secondary, Research, Youth
Shared by Housing Is on May 6, 2019
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Policy Brief
Community:
May 1, 2019
Stable housing plays a vital role in people’s recovery from substance use disorders (SUDs). An inability to pay rent and the threat of losing housing can lead to stress that triggers substance misuse and relapse. People experiencing homelessness who also have SUDs typically find it difficult to address their substance use without a safe place to live, because they often use alcohol or drugs to cope with the dangers of life on the streets. In 2018, Congress passed the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act (known as the SUPPORT Act), which provided a variety of new programs and funding opportunities to help states and localities address the opioid epidemic and broadly help people with substance use disorders.

Authored by: Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
Topics: Homelessness, Housing, Legislation & Policy, Low-income, Mental health, Research, Substance abuse
Shared by Housing Is on May 2, 2019