New Report: Supportive Housing Saves Illinois Money

April 16, 2009

Illinois could save millions of dollars from the most expensive users of public services with more supportive housing, according to a new report released earlier this April by Heartland Alliance Mid-America Institute on Poverty (MAIP) and Supportive Housing Providers Association (SHPA).

Supportive housing is affordable housing coupled with supportive services for the homeless, mentally ill and other distressed populations. There are currently 6,000 supportive housing units in 28 Illinois counties.

The report found an overall 39 percent cost reduction in the use of state public services from a sample of 177 supportive housing residents. That translates to more than $850,000 - an average saving of $2,400 per resident per year.

And MAIP acknowledges that's not the full scope of savings. Based on other national studies, the cost savings per resident could be more than 7 times higher than the $2,400 figure.

VDC publicized the report's findings, which appeared in stories by the Associated Press and Chicago Public Radio.