Shelter Plus Care
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| Shelter Plus Care | |
|---|---|
| Name | Shelter Plus Care |
| Established | 1990 |
| Administered by | United States Department of Housing and Urban Development |
| Purpose | Permanent supportive housing for persons with disabilities experiencing homelessness |
| Funding | Project-based rental assistance vouchers, housing subsidies |
| Country | United States |
Shelter Plus Care Shelter Plus Care is a United States federal program created to provide permanent supportive housing through rental assistance for people with disabilities who are experiencing homelessness. Designed to link housing subsidies with supportive services, the program intersects with a range of public housing agency initiatives, continuum of care planning, and nonprofit housing first practitioners. Originally funded under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, Shelter Plus Care has been implemented in coordination with local continuum of care jurisdictions, public housing authorities, and an array of service providers.
Overview
Shelter Plus Care was established as part of the homelessness response framework created by the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act amendments of 1990, operating under the umbrella of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. The program provides project-based rental assistance, sponsor-based rental assistance, or tenant-based rental assistance tied to eligible participants who have a qualifying disability, integrating housing subsidies with services provided by organizations such as Catholic Charities USA, Salvation Army (United States), and community mental health centers. Shelter Plus Care is often cited alongside other federal responses like Supportive Housing Program and Section 8 (Housing Choice Voucher Program) in discussions of long-term solutions to chronic homelessness.
Eligibility and Target Population
Eligibility targets nonelderly adults, families, and individuals with disabilities who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, often as defined within a local continuum of care system. Specific qualifying disabilities can include chronic mental illness, serious physical illness, substance use disorders, and HIV/AIDS as recognized by programs such as Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program implementers. Prioritization frameworks frequently intersect with assessments used by Veterans Health Administration outreach programs and Housing First advocates who emphasize immediate access for people exiting institutions like state psychiatric hospitals or jail. Eligibility determinations involve partnerships with public housing agencies and nonprofit providers including National Alliance to End Homelessness affiliates.
Program Components and Services
Shelter Plus Care combines rental assistance with supportive services coordinated by local providers. Rental assistance types mirror modalities used in Section 8 (Housing Choice Voucher Program) and can be project-based, sponsor-based, or tenant-based, with supportive services supplied by entities such as Community Mental Health Centers, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and volunteer organizations like Habitat for Humanity. Services commonly include case management, clinical therapy, substance use treatment, employment assistance coordinated with U.S. Department of Labor initiatives, and linkage to income supports such as Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income. Collaboration with community development corporations and local government planning offices shapes housing procurement and placement.
Administration and Funding
Administered by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, Shelter Plus Care grants were awarded to eligible public agencies and nonprofit organizations through competitive processes tied to Continuum of Care planning. Funding historically derived from appropriations authorized under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act and allocations processed through HUD's Office of Community Planning and Development; grantees often leveraged additional capital from Low-Income Housing Tax Credit equity, philanthropic foundations, and state housing trust funds. Program administration required coordination among public housing agency landlords, local mental health authorities, and regional Continuum of Care boards, with compliance subject to HUD monitoring and audit practices similar to those for Emergency Solutions Grants.
Outcomes and Impact
Evaluations of Shelter Plus Care have indicated improvements in housing stability, reductions in shelter utilization, and enhanced access to health and behavioral health services among participants. Studies by research centers tied to Urban Institute, RAND Corporation, and university-based homelessness research programs have documented cost offsets in emergency services and inpatient utilization for chronically homeless individuals receiving permanent supportive housing. The program influenced broader policy shifts toward housing first models and informed the development of subsequent federal initiatives such as the Continuum of Care competitive grant structure and Section 811 Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities reforms.
Criticisms and Challenges
Critics have pointed to limitations including insufficient scale to meet demand, variability in service coordination across jurisdictions, and administrative complexity tied to HUD contracting and reporting requirements. Challenges paralleling those noted in analyses by Government Accountability Office include long waiting lists, landlord acceptance barriers similar to those in Housing Choice Voucher programs, and difficulties integrating intensive clinical services with housing operations. Debates among policy advocates such as National Low Income Housing Coalition and researchers at Brookings Institution revolve around trade-offs between targeted subsidies and broader rental assistance expansions.
Related Programs and Policy Context
Shelter Plus Care exists within a policy ecosystem that includes the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, Continuum of Care grants, Section 8 (Housing Choice Voucher Program), Section 811 Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities, Emergency Solutions Grants, and veteran-focused initiatives like Supportive Services for Veteran Families. The program's emphasis on permanent supportive housing aligns with advocacy from organizations including National Alliance to End Homelessness and research priorities pursued by think tanks such as Urban Institute and RAND Corporation.