Study Shows Homeless Housing Program Continues to Improve Lives, Save Money

A nationally recognized program to house Charlotte’s chronically homeless continues to help people and save money, according to a UNC Charlotte report.

Moore Place, Urban Ministry Center’s 85-unit apartment complex, provides housing for individuals who have extensive histories of homelessness and at least one disabling condition.

The new study led by UNCC Social Work Professor Lori Thomas found that Moore Place effectively ends homelessness for the vast majority of its tenants; 81% of those who participated in the study remained in permanent housing after two years. Tenants were homeless an average of seven years prior to finding housing at Moore Place.

The impact on tenants’ relationship with the healthcare system is equally significant. Over the two years since moving in, Moore Place residents visited emergency rooms 648 fewer times (81% reduction) and were in the hospital 292 fewer days (62% reduction) than the two years prior. This led to a $2.4 million decrease in total billing, a drop of nearly 70%.

Dr. Thomas said the transformation in the way tenants take care of their health is among the report’s most telling findings.

And indeed, tenancy at Moore Place was accompanied by a dramatic decrease in the use of expensive emergency services, and an increase in the use of primary care. The study found residents called Mecklenburg County EMS 312 fewer times over the two years after they moved into Moore Place than the two years before, a 76% drop.

Instead of ambulance calls and ER visits, tenants began to address to their health needs with visits to primary care doctors and through planned procedures, according to the study. Use of outpatient services increased by 53%.

Opened in 2012, Moore Place is the first facility of its kind in the Charlotte area, but so-called “housing first” programs are gaining momentum nationwide. Dr. Thomas said there is a reason why these initiatives work.

“Stable housing provides a foundation for recovery and well-being. Housing first programs remove barriers to stable housing including restrictive eligibility criteria that require a person to recover from mental health and substance abuse disorders before accessing permanent, stable housing,” she said.

Unsurprisingly, it appears it’s easier for a people to get better with a roof over their head.

Moore Place residents are also supported by a team of social workers, therapists, a full-time nurse, and a part-time psychologist.

The non-profit Urban Ministry Center runs Moore Place as part of its HousingWorks program. The annual cost to house someone there is around $14,000. Residents contribute 30% of their incomes for rent; additional revenue to the fund the program comes from a combination of public and private donations.

Caroline Chambre Hammock is the Director of HousingWorks. She said Dr. Thomas’ report confirms what they see every day at Moore Place—vulnerable people are getting help, and the healthcare system is being used more efficiently. She added “this report has powerful implications for both Charlotte and the rest of the country. It proves that investment in Moore Place has been well-placed and pays dividends for the community.”

Moreover, Dr. Thomas said research indicates that the benefits of stable housing increase over time.

“Studies suggest that health and mental health improve as formerly homeless individuals remain housed, including fewer symptoms associated with mental health disorders and the moderation and reduction of substance use.”

Until recently, most providers tried to treat the underlying conditions that were thought to result in homelessness before making permanent housing available, according to Dr. Thomas. Those providers are now responding to mounting evidence pointing toward the opposite approach.

Reverberations of that response are now being felt across the Charlotte community. In January 2015, a coalition of local public leaders announced the Housing First Charlotte-Mecklenburg initiative. The program brings together more than 20 community partners who have committed to end chronic homelessness within two years by expanding the housing first approach.

While public health professionals continue to sort through the data on these programs, the most compelling case for their continuation and expansion remains what they mean for the people whom they help.

As one Moore Place resident put it:

“Housing is having my own. It’s a beginning, it’s hope, it’s a gift.”