Supportive Housing combines affordable housing with supportive services to help people who face the most complex challenges to live with autonomy, dignity, and a real sense of home. This housing model is designed to meet people where they are by providing stability first, then helping people move beyond homelessness, to improve health outcomes, and reduce reliance on emergency services.
Supportive housing strengthens not only individuals and families, but entire communities.
Housing Connect is a leading partner in advancing this approach in Salt Lake County. Each of our programs are thoughtfully designed to meet specific community needs, serve targeted populations, and align with diverse funding sources.
Supportive housing is for people who face multiple challenges that make it difficult to stay housed on their own. This may include unemployment, mental health or substance use disorders, a history of incarceration, long-term homelessness, or other complex barriers.
Many people who qualify for housing assistance also need supportive services to remain stable. Simply providing housing isn’t always enough, so supportive housing combines affordable homes with on-site or community-based services such as intensive case management, healthcare, substance use counseling, job training and employment support, and independent living skills development.
By working closely with community, government, and healthcare partners, we connect individuals and families in need to stable housing, coordinate supportive services, and ensure resources are delivered where they make the greatest impact. Clients must be referred.
Our partners and referral sources include:
Both supportive housing and the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program help people access affordable housing, but they work in different ways.
The HCV program is federally funded and follows strict income rules. Participants usually pay about 30% of their income, and the voucher covers the rest of the rent.
Supportive housing may or may not be federally funded and often includes additional services to help participants maintain housing stability. Rent in supportive housing isn’t always based on income. Each program sets rent differently depending on the funding and program requirements.
In short, HCV focuses on making rent affordable, while supportive housing combines affordability with services that help people stay housed, improve well-being, and move toward independence.
The length of stay in supportive housing depends on the program and the individual’s needs. Some programs are permanent, allowing participants to remain as long as they meet program requirements. Others are transitional or time-limited, designed to provide temporary support while participants stabilize and work towards independence.
Regardless of the program type, the goal in supportive housing is to provide safe, stable housing and the supportive services needed to help individuals and families thrive.
Please reach out to Kristin Lindsey via email at kristin@housingconnect.org or by calling 801-284-4481.
