Florida Housing released its state report on the High Needs High Cost Pilot. In 2014 Florida Housing awarded $10 million through a competitive application process to three nonprofit developers to develop permanent supportive housing properties in Duval, Miami-Dade and Pinellas counties. Studies around the nation show that cost savings to public systems, particularly crisis services, occur when high utilizers of these services are provided with supportive housing.
To evaluate this model in Florida, the pilot required the three properties to serve extremely low-income persons experiencing chronic homelessness who were high users of publicly funded crisis services. Florida Housing sought providers that were extremely knowledgeable about these persons and were working in partnership with a network of organizations in their communities that would be able to provide the service supports necessary for the pilot.
The report describes and compares the three local pilots that were part of the state pilot and summarizes the research required to be carried out by each local pilot to compare costs to public systems prior to housing versus after housing was obtained. Findings also include evaluations of residents’ personal outcomes prior to move-in and after living in this housing for two years, including housing retention rates. The report discusses concerns that arose during implementation related mainly to the fragmentation of the housing and services infrastructure in Florida, particularly around coordination and funding of services in supportive housing settings. Finally, the report proposes housing and services best practices in serving persons who are high utilizers of public services.
